Stuff and more stuff

When you look at the Haas-Lilienthal House (www.sfheritage.org), you might not think about the basement as the most interesting part. But as Gallagher points out in Chapter 10 of "House Thinking" the basement of this house marks a fundamental shift in the way that the original owners thought about their home. It was, in effect, the first "rec" room where the owners entertained, played and celebrated their family. (p192). This room was created in renovation where the house was planned around the family, a concept that I wholeheartedly endorse.

Thinking about one's environment, especially one as personal as their home, requires a steady focus, I think, on what is important and what is necessary. Designing a space requires understanding what, and who, is important and how these two components will live, quite literally, together.

For many of us, including myself, the summer is a time to stop and reflect. This is a great time to go through your space and try the following simple tasks:

1 - Find a storage area where you can make 4 piles. Use boxes or plastic organizers. 1 for "keeping" , 1 for giving away, 1 for "throwing away" and 1 for "not sure". This exercise is one of the first lists I give clients at the beginning of a renovation because renovation means to "innovate again". The first goal in doing that is to see the things and the space in a new light. As mentioned in previous posts, this takes guts and courage.

2 - If your space and "stuff" are large and the task is intimidating, call in reinforcements. Ask a friend to stop by, play some music, make it fun. As you wade through the space ask yourself these questions:

a - what item is meaningful to me? Even if it isn't the latest trend, your mother's box of treasures is something that needs to be kept and perhaps celebrated in your new space.

b - what item(s) need to go? If it is broken, not useable or simply just something you no longer value, put it in either the "give away" pile or the "throw away" pile. Most important: make a deadline or date that you will take that pile to the charity of your choice or to the dump. And keep that date, it's important!!

As you make space from these questions, you will find the space enlarges and gives way to a new function or a new ideas. It is an exercise that while challenging, can produce freeing and fun results.

By the way, "stuffing" stuff in a garage or closet until you "get around to it" will only detain the process and keep you stuck. Our garages and utility rooms have become the place where we dumps stuff that we no longer really want but can't yet part with. They are the transition spaces that can signal to us that the use for these items may be gone but we may still be holding on.