As you can see from the pics on this posting, there are plenty of shopaholics posting here. Additionally, there are plenty that confuse cozy with cluttered. I believe the general trend seems to be paring down in the accessories department. It's not the 80's anymore. Better to have a few good things than a room full of junk that you become a slave to.

It's too much when you start to feel like it is getting in your way. Having to move something to put down a drink or the remote is too much.

It's too much when you feel like it's too difficult to keep the house clean and to take care of all those bits and pieces.

It's too much if being surrounded by it makes you feel anxious or enclosed.

Other than that, it's not too much. (Spoken by someone who regularly has 75+ candlesticks on top of one cabinet). Sometimes they get put away. And when we are tired of taking them down to dust the cabinet and wipe them off and put them back I will probably sell them.

For me it isn't that its too much stuff; just that its too much meaningless stuff. I know alot of people don't like using books as decor but I do because it shows your interests so that there is some personality in the room. Just going to the store and picking out things that go with the color scheme makes the room feel cold and lifeless.

The only answer is: Sometimes ......

There are items and groupings here that don't change .... BUT then it is time to Rotate, Regroup and Reorganize other stuff! :)

Some stuff stays out -- other stuff is stashed, trashed or donated .... and my storage space is VERY limited here ....

Move stuff around and regrouped for a fresh look ....

And finally -- yes -- a few "new" items come in -- and set off the "domino" effect -- for a fresher look! :) And seasonal changes are nice too! :)

I try not to accumulate meaningless stuff like the doodads and baubles that are so tempting at Home Goods because, well, they're $9.99 or $12.99...

But I still have a lot of stuff because I am a collector of books, travel souvenirs, handmade pottery, and masterpieces created by my children. (My 8th grader just brought home a chair -- a CHAIR! -- that she painted in school! Not something you can just set on a bookshelf.) I keep them contained to specific areas (bookcases, mostly) for the most part and that helps me feel that at least my clutter is controlled! My end tables are mostly empty except for lamps, and the coffee table is clear except for a small tray. Kitchen table and dining table are clear, and kitchen counters are clear except for the essentials too.

I did a purge within the last year and took pretty much every little thing off every table, bookcase, etc., and made some difficult decisions about letting some things go. I still have more stuff than a lot of people, probably, but I don't think I'd be mistaken for a hoarder. :)

The things I find most difficult to give up are the ones I know can't be easily replicated or replaced -- antiques, handmade art and pottery (I have a real Pottery Problem), and travel mementos. (I have a collection of miniature icons like the Eiffel Tower, statue of David, Golden Gate Bridge, etc. -- they're all only about 2" high so at least they don't take up much space!) Looking at them makes me happy, but if they made me anxious, they'd have to go. As someone said, it's too much if it makes you anxious or uncomfortable. I think I was at that place several months ago when I did my big purge!

"My 8th grader just brought home a chair -- a CHAIR! -- that she painted in school!"

Whaaat? No picture, sueb???

I'm at that point of not adding much else without taking away or totally rearranging. There are three potential art spots in the house that I'm not content with yet. I love the pieces, but it just doesn't feel right. At some point, something will click and work together and everything will fall into place. I'll see other places with lots of art groupings everywhere up and around (Nell Hills for one example), but I can't pull that off in my house. Even if I lived in a really grand house I'm pretty sure I couldn't live with that much around me and not feel cluttered. Visit, sure - but not live there.

That is truly a matter of personal taste. Decorate so long as you are happy. And be prepared that what makes you happy will change over time. I've certainly pared down in this house vs. the old one.

The range? Probably from around this:

{{gwi:2141241}}

[Beach Style Kitchen[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/beach-style-kitchen-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_709~s_2110) by New York Architects & Building Designers Bromley Caldari Architects PC

to this, with everything in between.

{{gwi:2141242}}

[Farmhouse Home Office[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/farmhouse-home-office-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_732~s_2114) by New York Photographers Rikki Snyder

I'm not including horder style which really pushes the edges.

{{gwi:2141243}}

Take a picture. For some mysterious reason, it's a lot easier to see whether your house has a lot of "interest" or just roaches.

The only thing I don't like about Annie's second photo is the pattern on the walls. That makes it too much, for me. Otherwise, I could be very happy in that room, even though it's much busier than any room in my current house.

Cyn, here is the chair. I am very much hoping she wants it to live in HER room. I mean, otherwise I'm going to have to redecorate the living room around it.

I love Annie's examples! I've lived in both and been happy in both. I'm happiest now living closer to the example at the top. It's probably because I'm older and have moved a number of times and that alone has made it easier to decide whether or not I truly cared about taking care of the things around. Sometimes you have to look at it as: "it was fun while it lasted!"

This picture is a perfect example. And, to be fair, we were still unpacking and arranging at the time. My husband had a Simpsons themed office in three of our homes. He collected Simpsons themed stuff and once word got out, he was deluged with all kinds of Simpsons paraphernalia from friends and relatives. All four walls were different (Simpsons) colors and all four were covered in Simpsons crap. Or maybe I should fancy it up and say "crappé". Lol. I loved that room because it was light hearted and fun but when he said he was ready to have a grown up office in this home, I was actually relieved ;-)

Sue, I heart that chair!! Adorable!

Sueb that is a cool chair! My son made a huge computer desk when he was in high school over 15 years ago and we finally hauled it away. He didn't want it, no longer in style and it was oversized and not really warranted since computers/monitors have gotten so much smaller and portable.

I love Annie's first photo and the 2nd one would drive me nuts and the 3rd, hoarder one, well I'd be gone.

I'm becoming more minimal all the time, so pretty much nothing is so sacred that it has to be kept. If I buy something, I make sure I get rid of 1 or 2 other things. Unfortunately I have a lot of tea pots, music boxes and Jim Shore figurines that I collected during various phases years ago; however now they seem more like clutter and one of these days I'll haul them away to goodwill or a 2nd hand shop. I have cleaned out too many houses from people who have either died or just walked away from everything and it made an impact on me so that I just don't want others to have to clean up after all my stuff. And when the time comes that I do have to downsize, hopefully it will be easy.

Selcier nailed me! Almost two years ago we redid the main floor for my son's wedding. It's still not done, but in an effort to get things on the walls and on shelves, I just bought stuff that I thought would go (framed art purchased online, etc.). There are some old, personal items but I am not very good at accessorizing or the art of display.

I hope to begin making things a little more eclectic and interesting by taking the time this year to hit thrift shops and antique stores. I do like a modern, clean, uncluttered look, but now my decor and artwork just feels too generic.

sue - your daughters chair is absolutely darling. What a great project.

As we pack up my parents' house, which is full of collections, books, and lots of household contents, one of the things I am happy about is that pretty much all of it can be used or appreciated by someone else.

We've been through 750 linear feet of bubble wrap--or 1125 square feet, and fifty boxes just for things we are Not keeping in the family. But I don't feel bad about disposing of things like 15 Lenox vases because someone will probably want them, it's not going into a landfill.
.

"I try not to accumulate meaningless stuff like the doodads and baubles that are so tempting at Home Goods because, well, they're $9.99 or $12.99..."

Anecdotally, because I have no data to back this up :), but I wonder if the plethora of stores like HomeGoods, TJMaxx, Marshalls and even Target that all sell home decor knick-knacks cheaply have increased folks' tendency to have Just Too Much Stuff.

This week I happened to go into both a TJ Maxx and Marshalls on the same day. Because I work FT and don't like fighting the inevitable weekend crowds, I rarely go into either place. Well, I must confess it was more than tempting to load up that cart. I ended up buying several holiday decor items that were exactly my style and oh so budget friendly. And I actually concluded it's a very good thing for me that my schedule keeps me outta those stores 11 months, 3 weeks and 6 days a year.

Ann

I think one way to avoid clutter is to "buy up." Unless you really find a Rembrandt for $5 at a yard sale, don't buy anything cheap--and re-calculate "cheap" every year. For example, if it isn't a picture of at least a little value, don't buy it. Wait until you have the money to buy a good picture. (I've never thought about going to Home Goods to buy art. Maybe something for a kids room--but before you know it, your kids will bring home something charming from school. Frame that.) I've reached a point in my life where I must throw out old books (novels or paperbacks without any particular redeeming value) before buying new ones. There just is no where else to put them in our bookshelves--and I have a lot of bookshelves. I have photos all over the house, and every now and then, I think, "I don't need to have a framed photo of a now-adult nephew in his hockey uniform." Throw them in a box, and someday, your kids can sift through them to see if anything rings a bell. I guess the answer is to edit from time to time--always adding more quality rather than more things.

PPS7 you are basically at the same stage I am at in our home. We are now here 8 yrs and I have started to make some tweaks to our décor by changing wall colors and moving our art and accessories around. Finally getting our master bedroom completed.

The difference is that I don't have a lot of accumulated stuff since I am pretty specific when I shop (which is why it takes me so long to find things and complete rooms).

I am rotating things and giving things away that my tastes no longer care for and/or it's use is no longer needed. First, I will see if anyone from our family wants anything then I pack it up for Goodwill and it's out of here. Doing my closets the same way.

Ask yourself, "would I be taking this if I was moving". It's a question that has really helped me.

Thank you all for your insightful comments. I do think part of it is that home décor is my hobby and a way to express myself artistically. But, I need to start buying quality items with intention and STOP buying things on a whim, especially crap from Home Goods (I have good stuff from there too, but also stuff I bought bc it was only $9.99).

Palimpest, That is exactly what I was thinking the other day. When I die, who's going to want all this "stuff".

Vedazu & jerseygirl, the good news is that most of the changes I have recently made are upgrades. I bought new knobs for my nightstand, new throw for the library bc I don't like the cheap acrylic ones that pill, new rug for guest bedroom bc everyone was complaining that the old jute one was uncomfortable.

BUT, instead of putting the old items in the basement- I should just get rid of them!

Annie, my taste is somewhere between the two pictures. I would be uncomfortable in either space. I like my night stands,end tables and coffee tables to be 90% clear. But I would need some color and some wall décor.

The main thing that triggered this post is wall décor. My MIL was an artist so we have some great artwork from her plus we buy art when we travel. I have several unframed sketches that I need to find a place for. On top of that, I just bought a calendar of fashion sketches to frame for the master closet. I have been wanting to do this for a while so I think I will go ahead with it. Usually if an idea sticks for over a year, it has staying power.

Like most people, I'm somewhere between minimalist and heavily layered. I like both as long as they're done well! I don't buy decorative items at Home Goods or really anywhere for that matter, and I don't "collect" anything. I have very little that was purchased for a specific room, and most everything I own has some sort of sentimental value. I've been really lucky to inherit some beautiful things, and when I do buy something, it's because I love it, and I find a home for it later.

It's not hard to have too much good stuff.

Look at all those rooms chijim posts, generally fine pieces but very layered!

I sort of collect handmade ceramic pottery but only want great pottery, not the local art/craft fair mug stuff.
So, the fact that the better stuff is not particularity cheap and must be sought out, at least helps me stay focused.
I expect that I will keep my good pottery most of my life unless a drastic taste change happens.

I won't repeat, but Mom just sent home with me a box of old pictures and report cards. I looked at every single item in the box, but ditched what I did not want to keep - a few things I had made (kept more than tossed) and all of my report cards. What's the purpose of keeping report cards?! Of course, I have saved our three children's report cards, and they can toss if they don't want!

"I think I'm reaching the point where I won't add anything without taking something away. Things are starting to feel cluttered."

You answered your own question. When you feel it, that is definitely when it's too much. And when you get it 'right', the smart thing to do is swap things out when you want a change. Buy new pillows, donate the old ones. If it is a treasured object, like a little sculpture, vase or art work, give it a rest in a closet and switch it out. It it's a collection of pottery, place most of it in the cupboard below the buffet, and switch it around when you dust. Most of the little gifts and mementos find their way to my guest bedroom where the giver can see them if they ever spend the night. I once remarked that I liked those miniature resin shoes that came out about 10 years ago. I have about 30 and never bought one. They're lined up in front of the books in a glass bookshelf in the guest.

The opulent display look has come and gone several times, along with antiques, so now people are de-stashing. I don't think of it as having to do with arriving at a certain age, though. In the early 70's when young people had sleek interiors, I always equated clutter with old, because the aunties would never get rid of anything! Then a lot of people started to clutter up those once sleek homes when they got older, and the collecting craze took off in earnest in the late 1970s and early 80s. I have noticed for a lot of designers, it seems that their designs often do get more pared down as they mature.

Some designers have likened accessorizing a room to accessorizing a costume. It makes me think of what Coco Chanel said:

"I always take off at least one piece of jewelry before I leave the houseâ¦to ensure that I am not overdoing it."

As a side note, when folks are looking for an example of 'timeless' they need look no further than Chanel's Private Apartment in Paris. It is neither over or understated. You could see this room in 1914 as well as 2014.

Here is a link that might be useful: {{gwi:2141239}}

This post was edited by Lilylore on Fri, Dec 19, 14 at 11:24

I think "buying up" is helpful in not accumulating too much stuff that has no particular value either sentimental or monetary.

For years my parents bought a sterling silver bell for Christmas. Sometimes this might have been the only ornament for the year sometimes not. I am trying to continue this tradition, and this year the bell was $150. I could buy a plated bell for under $20 but it's not the same. On one hand it's kinda ridiculous to spend that on a single ornament. But in a couple of years I will have a consecutive collection of fifty plus they are sterling. They could be sold either as a collection or for the value of the silver at the very least. I know people who spend similar on decorations that may be more in number or volume but get thrown away after the holiday season.

Yes, rotating is a brilliant idea. Seeing the same interiors every now and then is boring some times so in that case rotating is really a good idea. Moreover, the room should also be properly ventilated.

I have gotten ruthless about acquisitions, either new or old. Someone gave me a small Christmas gift yesterday. I thanked her sincerely for thinking of me, and later tossed the gift in the garbage -- it's not worth the effort, even , to keep it around the house to take to Goodwill later. I appreciated her thoughtfulness, and that's what matters.

I feel as I age, it's harder for me to micro-organize the house. I just don't have the mental chops like I used to to remember where every tiny item is, where it goes, who it belongs to, or to file the owner's manuals, or to clean it, or to find a place to store it out of season, or to keep a discard pile for taking to our thrift shop (they don't want crap either). I need to simplify.

Objects have little sentimental value for me anymore, too, so I've let go of many reminders of the past. I'm trying to get DH on board with this too -- he still tends to conflate stuff with memories, & thus keeps too many mementos.

As much as I love a layered collected look, a) I don't have the decorating talent to pull it off, b) I can't afford quality tchotckes and think it's a mistake to fake it with junk, c) I want to free up maintenance/mental energy for other things.

" I thanked her sincerely for thinking of me, and later tossed the gift in the garbage"

I guess this is one way of handling it and it may just be avoiding postponing the inevitable. I have no idea what the gift was but doing this would making me feel extremely guilty and sad. I try to keep more things Out of the landfill, not put more In.

I have pretty much confined myself to giving gifts of homemade food if I know they would like it, (SO is a former chef), gift cards for services I know they would use, or for a restaurant I think or know they would like. Or I will give a book, because a book can be read and kept or passed along to someone else.

I don't care for new decorative items, but a vintage/antique one will always give me pause. Last year my sister-in-law gave me a new coat hook that had 'Welcome' printed on it. It was still in the box with the Christmas ornaments when I unpacked them this year, so the coat hook was donated. My sister must have been given the same thing, because she suggested no gifts for adults this year, except homemade goodies.

I recently gave my brother a couple of antique clay marbles. He was very pleased, and when he asked where I'd found them, I told him that I couldn't remember. When I can no longer recall where, when, or why I acquired something, it's time to get rid of it.

There are things with which I can't seem to part, but don't have room to keep out. I switch them with other pieces once in awhile, and enjoy the memories that they evoke. Or I try to foist them off on my kids, with instructions that if they are no longer wanted (heirlooms), they come back to me--not the thrift store or landfill.

I do not need anything to be expensive or "higher quality". I need my decor to be ME. LOVE the idea of family made art!! I need it to have a purpose--memory tweeker, complete a collection what ever. Back in the day my sister's in-laws made the trek south to retirement. I will never forget her amazement that the condo was FULLY FURNISHED right down to the chachkies. The idea was lost on me then as it is now. Gifts/souvenirs/pictures/mementos I get. Dust collectors because they matched the new sofa--I do not. I am often pleased with an inexpensive purchase once home. If you get it out of its cheap surroundings..it can look more than it was. The second photo says a life lived, fully. The first says rental, vacation place. What do you want your home to say?

Oh, yikes, I could never just come home and toss a gift in the trash. A couple of years ago, a friend gave me a very nice little handmade glass vase. Not my style at all, but I knew she was pleased with her selection and for that reason, I appreciated it. I displayed it prominently for a while, and now it's in a glass-front cabinet, not so prominent but still Here.

Just yesterday a friend gave me a coffee mug that's adorable, but I have a very specific collection of mugs that we use. In fact, I thought she knew this. But you know, that mug will be included in the collection for at least a year because she's a close friend, she often has coffee here, and it will make me happy to use it. I still have and use another outlier mug that says "get well soon" that a friend gave me after I had surgery 10 years ago!

Most friends do not give me decor items because they know I'm picky!

Sorry, just realized I veered way off topic.

Re: throwing out a new gift.

It is interesting that we can tell the truth here, when I would never get the words out of my mouth to someone I know: A new student's mother gave me a gift card to WalMart. WalMart! Holy Hannah! I gave it immediately to one of my college kids. Good Union girl that I am, I don't think I've ever been in a WalMart and have no intentions of ever going there.

It's also very difficult for me to give away or throw away presents. My parent got us these pillow cases and I'm never going to use them. I'm finally getting rid go them

I think I just need a good purge. Sometimes a decorating project is motivating. I've been wanting to put up fashion prints in my closet for a long time. Finally found the right prints and frames. This motivated me to clear out my closet a little bit.

I don't think I've ever been in a WalMart and have no intentions of ever going there...

Too bad. You can save a lot of money by shopping at walmart. Most of them have grocery type items for a lot less...things like detergents, toilet paper, paper towels, cleaning supplies, and personal care items like tooth paste and mouthwash, etc. We also buy our kitty litter there. And DH finds their Rustler jeans at only $10 a pair fit him better than any other jeans, and he buys things like motor oil and washer fluid and antifreeze there too.

When I post here, I am always mindful that anyone in my family can find my posts. If my SIL asked about the coat hook, I'd tell her that I just couldn't find a spot where I thought it fit--which is true.

One of my sisters brings me something every time she comes to dinner here, which is once a month. She has a great eye for quality, bargains, and pieces that I (mostly) love. However, if it's something that I don't want, I'll say thank you, but I don't think I want to keep it. We have that kind of arrangement--if I offer her something that she doesn't love, I don't take offense when she declines to keep it.

And she is more rigid than I, in that regard. When she decorates, everything stays exactly as it is, until she decides to replace a piece permanently.

Yeah, I didn't understand the Walmart comment either.

I don't buy décor items at Walmart (well, hardly ever) but I buy lots of other stuff there. Flowerpots, birdseed, sox for my grandson, paperbacks and magazines, milk and baked goods, greeting cards, mouthwash and shampoo, cookie sheets, etc. etc. The list is endless.

I don't consider myself too sophisticated to shop there.

I think the Walmart comment was directed at the treatment of employees regarding salary, insurance, union or lack thereof, rather than anything else. I also do not shop there for those reasons. Costco , on the other hand, starts all employees at $45,000/year according to what I read recently. I prefer to support them over the Walton family. It would be different if trickle-down economics were a reality. I realize wal-mart is not the only business that operates that way, but it is certainly one of the largest, most visible ones and it would be great if they decided to set a better example. I do think Ben and Jerry set one of the best examples in the way they ran their company.

Back to your regularly scheduled program.

My gift was just a plain glass votive candle holder. I'm sure others would have had no qualms about throwing it out. The thrift shops are awash in this kind of stuff, and they didn't need one more from me. I don't think it made much a difference in the size of the landfill. Anyway, I'm trying to detach emotionally from things and to pare down to a minimum in my approaching old age. Guilt is the wrong reason for hanging on to stuff you don't need or want.

Thanks, Cyn--yes, that was one point. Walmart is probably a net drain on the national treasury. The other was a response to throwing out a gift as soon as it is received. I would never voice my actions to anyone in "real life." However, with the relative anonymity of the internet, I shared my experience of doing the same with my gift.

Yes, it's not a matter of being "too sophisticated" for Walmart. It's about taking a stand against their practices regarding their workers. And the bleeding of their vendors as well. There is a reason their prices are so low. It comes at a great cost. I won't set foot in that place.

In the town I grew up in, and my father is leaving, Walmart is the only full-service grocery store, the only place to buy small electronics and TVs, and the only place to by sneakers, underwear and socks. You actually can't avoid going to Walmart there unless you drive 35 miles each way.

I have friends in a town like that, too, palimpsest. But most of us have choices.

Yes, I can see people making choices not to shop in certain places for various reasons. I won't shop at Hobby Lobby, for example. But as an economist and understanding how market economics work, Walmart is not one of the places I would boycott. YMMV.

But I don't dare get into a discussion as to why, lest me and my posts be pulled by the censors here as being too contentious.

I would not have been able to toss the glass votive in the trash. I have found that almost anything I want to get rid of can find a home via Freecycle or the free section of Craigslist. This year I parted with a bunch of Christmas decor that I realized wasn't making it out of the boxes, thus becoming sort of "second string." I got so many responses, I ended up making two bags for two different families.

I agree that filling up landfills is not the particular issue, and glass is as inert a substance as there is. I just hate trashing things that are still usable. But I won't claim to be rational on this topic. I used to get odd decor items from family members and feel like even if I didn't display them (they came from people who live 1000 miles away), I had to let them "compost" in my closet for a few years before I could give them to Goodwill. Yeah, not rational.

The best and most inexpensive way to give an uncluttered look to a room is placing a right sized rug. Well I have already done this in my room. The furniture syncs well with it moreover cosiness offered is also unparalleled.

I don't really find that for me, rugs have a major impact on the overall clutter score. I have a small living room, and what has made a difference is simply removing a lot of the stuff displayed.
I have pared down considerably, selling and giving away a lot of items, and I am happier for it, and my home looks better.