Collecting is Rewarding
The New Year is here again, and just like clockwork it is bringing new things for us to do for ourselves, our families and our homes. Have you set your goals and resolutions for 2021?
Coming out of 2020, a year that threw all our plans out the window by March, you may just want to start small this year. I know I am.
For myself, I want to set a goal that should be easy and rewarding for both me and for my boys.
What on earth you ask could this be? I am an avid collector, and I want my boys to have something that just their momma started for them, so let the collections begin.
Y’all, when I say avid collector, it could be a bit of an understatement. I have somewhere in the neighborhood of 300+ cake stands/plates. I love them, I use them everywhere in my home and most likely have brought them into deigns I have worked on about 85% of the time. I cannot help myself. I. Just. Love. Them!
Now, I have other collections as well like old crock pieces or milk glass, and my newest collection contains Wallace Sleigh Bells to display during Christmas. With all my collections,
I have been racking my brain on what to start for the boys (boys are hard). They have a massive collection of matchbox cars, ball caps and tools, but I want them to have something nice so that when they move into a home and start a family, they will have something to take with them. Do not worry, I have a few years before that happens, as they are only 13 and 10, thank goodness!
Tips
So, as I keep on task to start them their own collections, I wanted to share a few tips on how you may start one of your own, and how to use them in your own homes. First things first. How do you pick something to start collecting? How specific will you be in your collection? Do you want to use your collection in your everyday décor or just at special times of the year?
Example: You may have a collection of Americana items that are best suited to be displayed in the summer months around July 4, or like me and have a sleigh bells that are perfect for Christmas. Whatever your collection is, just be mindful of how it will be stored or displayed in and around your home.
One of the best ways to decorate your home and show your and your family’s true personalities is by decorating with things you love. We have spent a lot of time at home these past several months. Are you surrounded by things that make you happy?
Even if you have just started and only have a few pieces, group them together and display them. They can even go in a space that they are not intended for like my cake stand in the bathroom that holds my hair products. It works and not just in the kitchen or dining areas. Personal pieces bring your home to life, and chances are there is a story behind each piece and how you acquired it.
Some of you have fur collections or big game collections, and you display them on the floors and walls of your homes. It makes your home cozier and gives visitors something to focus on. I have seen ladies with beautiful china and stoneware collections. These too are great for conversations and show your personalities.
Now I have to say something here. You can go overboard with displaying collections. Having too much get cluttered fast. I love a clean feeling home, and each piece that I display has a purpose even if it is a riser for another item. I store a big majority of my cake stands, since there is no way to put them all out and not have it cluttered. So keep that in mind when you go to sit all your things around.
I am still not completely set on what collection I will start for my boys, but I do know, I want it to tell a story they will remember and be able to pass it along to whoever comes to their homes and admires it for years to come.
Article by Molly Hix Cooper, Honest Abe Log Homes Interior Design Coordinator
