I used to love to scour antique malls and flea markets for that special something. For years I’d haunt antique booths from local fairs, to antique malls all across the country. And when I lived in London, I frequented the famous Portobello Road, as well as the surrounding countryside.
Recently, I partnered with a girl friend to stock her booth at an antique mall in Nashville.
After a week of major de-cluttering, I unloaded 12 boxes in her booth, filled with china, 1940’s and 50’s vintage table cloths, occupied Japan figurines, baskets, garden accessories , rattan chairs, paintings, and picture frames. I could go on, but you get the idea.
Memory lane doesn’t even come close to my experience packing, unpacking and displaying those objects. As I unpacked each box, I relived the moment where I bought each item. Who I was with, what time of year, the town. Some of the objects have sweet stories behind them.
My mom and I were in a toy store in New Orleans in the early 60’s and I was trying to decide which Chatty Cathy doll I wanted Santa to bring me. The blond or the brunette? I couldn’t decide so she told me Santa would know.
Today, almost 50 years later a perfect brunette Chatty Cathy, still dressed in her original dress and shoes, sits in a booth in Nashville waiting for her new owner.
Between me and you, I hope she doesn’t sell. 🙂
For those of you who’ve read my posts on de-cluttering, you know how much I labor over getting rid of things. Then I got to thinking of how excited I used to get when I’d find my precious a special treasure.
So, when I stess over parting with something now, I just think about that young homemaker, mom or professional who love to go ‘junking’, hoping to find something special. And when they see that thing, that object that they love, I can almost feel their excitement as they buy it and take it home.
There were many “someones” years ago who parted with, every special item I ever bought at an antique mall or second hand store. They made the choice to:
Scale down.
Clean out.
Let go.
Now the years of shopping, perusing dusty shelves with best friends, have come full circle. Now, it’s my turn to let go and let someone else enjoy the ‘precious’.
Years ago while visiting Gettyaburg, I spotted a set of small green depression bowls at a street fair. I had been looking for these for several years and here they were stacked on a table in the historic town near the battlefield. I use them EVERY DAY!
I was thrilled to find them. The lady selling them told me her mother had almost kept them but at the last minute let them go. She told me her mother would be thrilled to know that a young woman who’d been looking for them for years, would now be the owner.
I left many beautiful and sentimental items in my friends booth.
I’ll imagine that whatever sells, will be to someone who loves that object and that they’ll be pleased to have finally found it.
Where is your favorite place to go junking? Are you still gathering treasures or are you cleaning off your shelves? How is your de-cluttering going? Is it hard to let things go? Tell us!