Most of us want to believe that our lives of accumulating things and passing them on to our children and family will be met with excitement. In many cases, they are not.
Give me the money, not the lamps, the coins, the dishes, old clothes, ancient furniture, photos of relatives with names or memories. Sell it, dump it, give it away; we are busy raising our family and have no time to be burdened with YOUR STUFF.
Our stuff, memories we collected, enjoyed, shared, and hoped to pass down, is meaningless to our kids and grandchildren. It is particularly true in the USA. There are still places- France, Germany, Italy, Spain. Japan, where there are legal mandates that children receive a fixed, forced share of an estate. Culturally, families in southern Europe, Latin America, and parts of Asia place high value on keeping generational property with the family. Wealthier nations like the UK, USA, CANADA, YOUNGER GENERATIONS do not want to declutter homes against their will. Some even hire companies to liquidate contents they do not want to deal with.
Our stuff, our treasures, our history ends up in antique shops, consignment stores, even dumps, meaningless, unwanted, discarded. The jacket, the doll, the book we cherished our entire lives are gone. It is sad, but we cannot force our children to embrace our STUFF.
This past week, I visited three graveyard stores, slowly going up and down aisles filled with items that I remembered having as a child. The comic books, games, watches, toys, sports trading cards, glasses with my favorite characters, models, and dishes were all there, in abundance. As they called to me, I thought about what I would do with them in my home and what my kids would do with them after I am gone. I believe there is enough second-hand stuff for everyone on our planet without having to buy new. I began to wonder if the prices for vintage clothing and other home décor were less than buying a new item, would we change the way we buy and what we buy? Would the next generation start collecting? Is there status in buying and using second-hand stuff?
Whatever the answer- there is no right or wrong. I enjoy visiting friends and relatives in their homes and looking at the objects they surround themelves in. Even shelves lined with books tell me about the person whose home I am in. Inviting people to my home is a treat to share my passions and stories.
Part of Dave's Discovery Den takes me into homes of people who are downsizing. I help them get rid of objects they do not want. Many times, they want everything out and do not care where it goes. If something has value or family ties, I try my best to talk them into keeping it. Once an object is gone, it is gone. What I love most about Dave's Discovery Den is that I know where every treasure came from. Eventually, each object will find its way to a person who will take care of it. Objects on DDD can be new or old, trendy or nostalgic. But they all must meet the criteria of being special, practical, and meaningful.
Today we spent the day immersed in vintage buttons, perfume bottles, and lamps, which we will be placing on our site shortly. It was an exciting, fun, and educational day.