Clutter and Treasure

‘…man's sentimental attachment to objects is one of life's greatest consolations.”

― Orhan Pamuk

If you were to choose a memento to remind you of today what would it be? A train ticket from the weekend trip you took? A conker that your little one handed you on a woodland walk? In a world where we increasingly record our beings online, why do we still return to the collecting of objects to remind ourselves who we are?

Objects, things and possessions all give a tangibility to the moments that slip by so easily. Our lives are full of fragments of our existence; from flowers pressed between the pages of a book, to the chipped Christmas angel decoration you took pity on and decided to grant a reprieve. Like magpies we pick out pieces of treasure to feather our nests.

With memory being so fragile, maybe it’s a wise thing to help little talismans to the past. I like to find items that I can easily match to a happy memory. An achievement, a feeling of joy, or simply a good day can be commemorated with something as small as a seashell. Living like this means you quickly amass little piles of treasure, or clutter as some people might call it. It’s important to clear out and donate out occasionally, but there’s something special about those little bits and bobs with a story to tell. These little pieces of clutter and junk are priceless little pieces of us. Take pride and display the treasures of your past for your future self to marvel upon. 

What little bits of treasure have you been collecting? Leave a comment below...