One of my friends was is in the process of retiring and downsizing, and as she prepared for her move, I listened to her daily struggle of purging and packing – what to take and what can go? Which got me to thinking, “If I were moving at this point in my life, what would I take and what could I live without?” I realized, that with a couple of exceptions, most of my furnishings could go. (This was a surprise to me!) The FURNITURE itself is not what I felt an attachment to. What I would find hard to let go of are the accessories and the memorabilia, that have made my house, over my lifetime, my HOME.

Mementos like an antique sconce and mid-century chair, given to me by my favorite aunt. An antique Chinese desk left to me by my grandmother, or the last painting done by my father. A few pieces of objet d’art obtained on vacations over the years. Those are the things that matter most to me and that I would still want around me today. I realized I would never really feel at HOME, without them!

We are truly defined by the history and sentiment of the pieces that surround us. So if you were down-sizing, what items in your home would matter most to you?? Think about it and let me know.

: Antique Chinese desk

: My Father’s painting

: Antique mid-century wooden chair

: Antique wall sconce

: Chinese objet d’art

: More accessories