Sign(s) of the Season

Photo by Trisha (concerning the following post)

I love a good garage/yard/estate sale.

Nothing says "summer" to me like a neon sign dipped in puff paint and pounded into the front yard inviting me to stop for a visit. Rarely do I actually buy anything. (I carry only a small collection of quarters in my pocket.) I much prefer walking around and looking at the objects that have occupied someone's home. Estate sales are my total favorite--with respect, of course, for the ones who have moved on from the home--because I can actually see how the house was run. I can open drawers, peek into closets, and rummage through cedar chests. It's a homemaker's dream.

This weekend I dove back into this hobby of mine. The pictures above show two of my favorite stops. The top picture was taken in a room that was featuring vases and glassware of all sorts, (a total clutter collector's heaven on earth). One shelf displayed a vase, another vase, a vase, and...a wig. I don't why it made me laugh, but it did. It was a homemaker's variation of "duck, duck, goose." (Glass, glass, wig!)

I almost bought the wig, just because.

The second picture was taken in the back yard of another estate sale. And I could have taken this identical picture from any angle. There were probably two hundred signs in this tiny yard. I loved it. Furthermore, I'd like to know where the signs came from...

As I was admiring the signs, I thought of a tip I acquired years ago. To keep collections of any kind under control--whether this refers to glassware, clothing, books, etc.,--choose the space or number of items that will complete the collection. Then, as you purchase or receive new items for this group, eliminate that same number. So you have a shelf that holds 10 books? Fine. Pare down the collection to 10. Then, when you add a book in the future, eliminate one.

You'll never have to "de-clutter" a collection if you stay on top of it in this way.