That’s what a friend/client recently said in the emptied out living room of one of his homes that he was preparing to sell. My friend, a collector of antiques, had previously filled this room with beautiful chairs and other furniture items and collectibles. You could say collecting/antiquing was his passion, second only to his music. Until now.
You see, my friend is extremely passionate about his music—writing both lyrics and melodies. An observation that the music sounded better speaks volumes, figuratively and literally. It’s a statement of understanding that his passion for collecting is having an impact on his first love, music, and probably other parts of his life.
There’s a misconception when you hire an organizer it’s just to take care of the clutter, things you really don’t want or have a place for. That certainly is part of it for some. Yet there are many homes where I have worked that are filled with beautiful items. In many cases, those items also drown out the “music” in that person’s life.
By “music”, I’m talking about the enjoyment of the space.
What does that look like?
It could be the responsibility and cost of caring for those items.
Or the guilt associated with not caring for or getting the most use out of those items.
Most of the time, it’s the stress that comes from being in a room where there’s too much of anything—including beautiful items. That can keep you from actually spending more time in that room or inviting company over to spend time in that room.
If you’re thinking I’m tap dancing around calling my friend something a little beyond a “collector”, you are correct. People generally don’t respond to feedback of this kind, even very well intentioned. Generally, we make changes when we realize how much our behavior is costing us—or the joy it’s keeping from us.
The key point from this anecdote is not to convince you to get rid of things. Rather, encourage you to open space in your life. As my friend discovered, you might be surprised what fits into the space you open up.
If you need some assistance in opening up space in your world, please give me a call at 508-246-6120 or drop a line.
