Dear Melissa:
Help! I keep buying tchotchkes and I can’t stop myself. I pick up mirrors, pottery, ceramics, everything. How do I make sense of this? Should I throw it all away and start from scratch with an idea or color scheme at least? S.B., MD
Dear S.:
A woman after my own heart! Your collection of “stuff” already has a theme: your personal style. What’s needed is not necessarily an intervention, but a plan.
Collect all of your misfit items from around the house. When you have them all together, group them by their most common element. This may be by material, color, function, etc. Displaying your collections in groups will give them a cohesive look and greater visual impact than scattering them around your house. If your grouping of collectables is all the same height, use stacked books to raise the height of some objects to create a more interesting tableau.
Once you’re happy with the look, STOP. Pack up the rest of your items, and perform the exercise again in 6 months. By rotating your accessories periodically, you’ll be able to refresh your home with the items you’ve packed away, and gain a new appreciation for them. Happy shopping! M.A.K.
