In trying to clean up the landing zone in my closet this week, I decided to put a bracelet that I really only wear in the summer in with the rest of my jewelry. A small box of jewelry resides in the box of off-season clothing on the top shelf of my closet. I don't wear that jewelry every day...or very often at all. Mostly it is a box of pieces that trigger memories of certain periods in my life or of money spent.
I'm not one of those people who minimizes all at once. I've gone through my jewelry many times, letting a few pieces go each time. This time felt a little different. I haven't accessorized much for quite a few years. This feels like quite an established preference (though of course, I can change always my mind). :) Curently, I wear three rings + glasses + (rarely) a watch.
Here's what happened this time:
-A small selection of the sweet pieces that my girls made + gave me over the years were placed into the memory boxes that I keep next to that box of off-season clothes. I keep notes + drawings they've made me, books they've written, + special little bits from over the years there...one for each of them.
-I put a watch that I bought when I was 17 + want to keep (because it does still work + I like it) into the keepsake box that I have for things from my pre-marriage years.
-Lots of pieces were tarnished. They can surely be cleaned, but the tarnish made me realize that these things hold little value or immediate wearability, if I do not wear them often or spend time caring for them. I'm going to let someone else find joy in doing both.
-Some pieces are no longer my style + hanging onto them is simply unnecessary.
-I offered the things I'd purged to my girls, pointing out a couple of special pieces that I thought they might like. Each accepted a silver ring. I didn't want to obligate them to keeping anything by placing my own meaning onto the pieces...that would just pass the burden on to them. If they liked or wanted something...great! If not, that's great too!
-This reminded Julia about the tiny collection of jewelry she has + to consider wearing it. It sparked Jo to go through her collection in order to see if she had anything to pass on. Jo mentioned feeling a little sad about letting a necklace go that she distinctly remembers receiving when she was in first grade (she's a senior in college now). She knows she will never wear it again. We mentioned putting it away as a memory or taking a picture of it before letting it go...but in the end she decided to keep the chain + let the charm go.
I don't have any experience reselling jewelry, but did find this article that seems helpful + reliable. I don't feel that any of my pieces are worth the effort, so they will simply be donated.
All of my pieces were lovely + good, but I don't need to own everything that is lovely + good. This realization goes a long way into recognizing enough + being able to stop over-purchasing as well. I am perpetually enrolled in "enough" training. :)
My little collection is really quite small now...a pair of earrings, a couple of hair clips, a necklace that symbolizes the preciousness of our little tribe, the leather bracelet that set off this cleanse, + two colorful, handmade bracelets. Along with the pieces I wear every day...the volume of this collection feels authentic + offers the possibility of dressing up just enough. And my overall feeling? Relief. :)
Love,
Jane
I'm not one of those people who minimizes all at once. I've gone through my jewelry many times, letting a few pieces go each time. This time felt a little different. I haven't accessorized much for quite a few years. This feels like quite an established preference (though of course, I can change always my mind). :) Curently, I wear three rings + glasses + (rarely) a watch.
Here's what happened this time:
-A small selection of the sweet pieces that my girls made + gave me over the years were placed into the memory boxes that I keep next to that box of off-season clothes. I keep notes + drawings they've made me, books they've written, + special little bits from over the years there...one for each of them.
-I put a watch that I bought when I was 17 + want to keep (because it does still work + I like it) into the keepsake box that I have for things from my pre-marriage years.
-Lots of pieces were tarnished. They can surely be cleaned, but the tarnish made me realize that these things hold little value or immediate wearability, if I do not wear them often or spend time caring for them. I'm going to let someone else find joy in doing both.
-Some pieces are no longer my style + hanging onto them is simply unnecessary.
-I offered the things I'd purged to my girls, pointing out a couple of special pieces that I thought they might like. Each accepted a silver ring. I didn't want to obligate them to keeping anything by placing my own meaning onto the pieces...that would just pass the burden on to them. If they liked or wanted something...great! If not, that's great too!
-This reminded Julia about the tiny collection of jewelry she has + to consider wearing it. It sparked Jo to go through her collection in order to see if she had anything to pass on. Jo mentioned feeling a little sad about letting a necklace go that she distinctly remembers receiving when she was in first grade (she's a senior in college now). She knows she will never wear it again. We mentioned putting it away as a memory or taking a picture of it before letting it go...but in the end she decided to keep the chain + let the charm go.
I don't have any experience reselling jewelry, but did find this article that seems helpful + reliable. I don't feel that any of my pieces are worth the effort, so they will simply be donated.
All of my pieces were lovely + good, but I don't need to own everything that is lovely + good. This realization goes a long way into recognizing enough + being able to stop over-purchasing as well. I am perpetually enrolled in "enough" training. :)
My little collection is really quite small now...a pair of earrings, a couple of hair clips, a necklace that symbolizes the preciousness of our little tribe, the leather bracelet that set off this cleanse, + two colorful, handmade bracelets. Along with the pieces I wear every day...the volume of this collection feels authentic + offers the possibility of dressing up just enough. And my overall feeling? Relief. :)
Love,
Jane
