Issue no. 3: Storage
Letting Go of Excess
If you look up the definition of a purger in the dictionary, you would likely find my picture. I have no problem letting go of material things that no longer serve a purpose or bring joy to my life. There are two exceptions to this rule - books and art. They seem to be the only possessions I don’t let go of very easily. When I do decide to part with books, I usually try to find a Little Free Library to drop them in.
Clothes are easy for me to let go of as I’ve perfected my purging skills over time. I keep a basket in my closet and when I realize that something has been sitting through a season without me wearing it, I usually toss it in the basket. When the basket fills up, I donate to Goodwill. I’m one of those people who wears 20% of their closet, 80% of the time. I know this about myself, which helps me not to overdo it in the wardrobe department.
And when it comes to kitchen gadgets and appliances, I prefer them to do more than one job. You won’t find a bagel slicing apparatus in my kitchen when I can just use a serrated knife. This cuts down dramatically on excess in the kitchen.
I read this poem by Mary Oliver not long ago and I’ve revisited it a handful of times since. Something about her words make me feel lighter just by reading them. They made me think about MY storage unit, the one I’ve been paying Stack n’ Store $170 a month for.
Based on what I told you above about my love of purging, I never thought I would fall victim to the lure of a 10’ x 10’ box that I would fill with things and forget to visit for months at a time.
I never had a storage unit until I started accumulating things for design projects. I would be out shopping for clients and come across furniture, lighting, mirrors, art, vintage rugs, etc. that I just couldn’t pass up. I wouldn’t necessarily have a place for these things at the moment, but most of them were one-of-a-kind or priced to sell and I thought surely I’d find a place for them. Once the storage unit started to get a bit full, I decided to open an antique booth in town. Man, that was a lot of work and a lot of schlepping. Although most of my items in the booth sold, I ended up putting several things back in storage.
This week, I finally decided it was time to clean it out. I’ve sold several things on Facebook Marketplace and anything else that was leftover went to the Habitat for Humanity ReStore.
I’ve realized more and more over time, that letting go of things allows me to live a little freer. Less to take care of, less to clean, less to move, more time to do the things that matter.
So tell me, do you consider yourself more of a hoarder or a purger?
READ/LISTEN/WATCH.
I’m Not a Mourning Person. A field-guide to helping you feel like yourself again after major life changes - divorce, loss of a loved one, a cancer diagnosis. Grief affects our minds and bodies and this book is a first-hand account of how author Kris Carr bounced back after these devastating things happened to her. I’m only a few chapters in and I’ve gained so much insight.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus. I’m patiently waiting for a new season of this podcast. Someone, please tell me that there will be another season! If you haven’t listened to the first season, you’ll likely want to binge them all. Think fun, candid conversations filled with life advice from older, wiser icons, i.e. Jane Fonda, Rhea Perlman, etc.
Fisk on Netflix. Witty and quirky. Highly recommend!
IN THE KITCHEN.
Pickled red onions. They seem to be the secret ingredient to taking any sandwich or taco to the next level and they’re so simple to make. I keep a jar of them in the refrigerator at all times so I can makes things like this pickled onion grilled cheese when I’m in the mood. Here’s my no-fail method for the best pickled red onions:
Ingredients:
1 red onion, thinly sliced, equal parts water & distilled vinegar, splash of pure maple syrup, 2 cloves of garlic, dash of sea salt, a few peppercorns
Instructions:
Thinly slice red onion and add to mason jar.
Add garlic cloves, salt, peppercorns, and maple syrup to the jar.
Add equal parts water and vinegar to jar.
Let sit in the fridge and enjoy!
Let me tell you about Caroline Chambers (@carochambers). Her weekly Substack newsletter ‘What to Cook When You Don’t Feel Like Cooking’ is my go-to for getting an easy weeknight meal on the table. These Messy Meatball Sliders are a recent favorite.
IN MY CART.
Quince. Have you heard about Quince? I hadn’t until about a month ago. Think well-made basics similar to Everlane, but at an even more reasonable price point. I stocked up on a handful of fall sweaters and sweatshirts(see below). I love every single one of them and the quality is so good! I just added this and this to my cart.
Ballet flats are back in a big way. Have you gotten your pair yet? I decided on these. I’ll be sure to snap a pic the first time I wear them. Here’s a round-up of a few more options if you’re in the market.
DESIGN INSPY.
I stumbled upon this lovely book at the library a few weeks ago from the former editor-in-chief of House Beautiful. I renewed it twice so that I could soak up all the goodness.
As I’ve mentioned before, these types of homey, personalized spaces feel so much more inspiring than something brand spanking new. I love a kitchen filled with items collected over time, things that tell your story.
Do you have things in your kitchen (or home) that tell your story?
If you loved this issue of The Keeping Room, or think you might know someone who would, please feel free to share!