What if you didn’t have so much “stuff” to organize? What does “enough” look like? One of my favorite books “ever” is Material World: A Global Family Portrait, by Peter Menzel. During this time of Earth Day when everyone has been examining their wasteful ways, this book really brings things into perspective. (book cover photo from Amazon.com)
This project was done in collaboration with the United Nations. From the book jacket:
“In an unprecedented effort, 16 of the world’s foremost photographers traveled to 30 nations around the globe to live for a week with families that are statistically average for that nation. At the end of each visit, photographer and family collaborated on a remarkable portrait of the family outside of their home, surrounded by all of their possessions– a few jars and jugs for some, an explosion of electronic gadgetry for others…”
One of my favorite features is the special two-page spread of “Toilets of the World”– it will make you feel very grateful! The most wealthy country shown? Kuwait… featuring a 45-foot-long sectional sofa from their basement, 4 luxury cars, antiques, carpets, you name it. This one had to be photographed with an aerial view to fit everything in the photo. In case you were wondering, the United States family chosen was from Pearland, Texas.
They also had each family name what were their most prized possessions. The USA family said their family Bible. In Uzbekistan it was a bicycle… in Ethiopia, oxen… in Bhutan, books and a jump rope.
This book helps you see how your possessions represent you, your country, and your priorities. Stunning! What is your most valued possession? Please comment and let us know!
Since I think people will ask, I wanted to also mention my most valued possession: My laptop computer. No doubt. It has all of my important information, along with photos of my children, things I have written, and so many other valuable products of my work and life.
– Lorie
Well, looks like mine isn’t quite original because mine is my laptop, too, for all the same reasons and then also for giving me better access to so many friends and family, and for allowing me to find my niche finally career-wise.
Wow, great question. I think as professional organizers we tend to try and de-value possessions in our mind but we can never do it completely in our hearts. I actually have three: First, the diamond earrings from the 1920’s that were my great aunt’s. I didn’t have grandparents so she was all four of my grandparents rolled into one. Every time I look in the mirror I think of her. Second, is a watercolor picture of the Davis train station that was painted for me for my graduation from UC Davis by a mentor and friend. Lastly, the cedar truck at the foot of my bed, one of the few possessions my dad had of his mother’s after she died of a brain aneursm at 32 when he was just nine years old. He gave it to me.
Ellen
Lorie,
I have a large collection of nautical-inspired china created around 1938. I love them. I have researched the history of the art deco streamline movement. I love what this time in history says about America, between WWI and WWII. But along the way I have come to grips that these pieces get broken. And they have. One has fallen out of a car and smashed and a housekeeper cracked another with with a feather duster. I remain calm, and know that while these pieces are my favorite, it’s okay and undertandable that they get damaged. But they are sure neat, at least to me….
John
I love my Mac, but it could be replaced. My most valued possession might be the paint-by-numbers painting my mom did when she was pregnant with me. It’s a can-can dancer, and it’s fairly hideous, but it’s the one memento of her that means the most to me.
While I’d agree that my Bible and my laptop are pretty high on my list of most valuables, right now I’m clinging onto a letter I received from my mom about six months ago. She has recently had two strokes and can no longer communicate with me. Having a note in her handwriting is pretty darn special.
About 25 years ago, my mother was playing around with her new cassette tape recorder. She made a tape and hid it away. We never knew it existed until we were helping to clean out their house so they could move into an assisted living facility. On it, my mother sang “Toora, Loora, Loora” – the song she had sung my brothers and me to sleep with. Now she’s gone, but I can play that tape (now digitized and saved on CD) and immediately be transported back to a simpler place and time.
I once asked myself “If there were just one thing I could have that made me feel wealthy…what would it be?” I knew the answer right away: Andy Goldsworthy’s book of photographs of his work, called “A collaboration with Nature.” So, I searched for it, and now own a copy. Now it’s my most prized posession because I feel wealthy every time I glance at it in my living room. Thanks.
Photos of my children, siblings, parents, & grandparents. My children and I scrapbook together. We write about the events and will spend evenings looking at pictures, reading the journaling, and reminiscing.
My wedding ring – it’s the one possession I keep with me almost constantly. I only take it off when I’m kayaking – and that’s because I don’t want to loose it or hurt my finger when I’m kayaking! It reminds me of my husband and all the things I have to be grateful for because I married him just over 11 years ago – including my kids and my life in Los Angeles.
I would say my most prized possession is not technically a possession, but it is my family. They are what is most important in this world to me. They can never be replaced and they mean everything to me!!!!
I know this is a little late as I check out the dates on the above comments and this is a hard question. After much consideration and reading all the above comments I think I have to say my relationship with Christ is my most prized possession. No one can ever take it away from me and it puts everything in prespective for me in every situation. I almost lost my house in a fire once and the only thing I wanted to escape with was my life. Jesus gives me that escape, in this life and the one to come.
Awesome Lorie! I asked a similar question on my blog a few weeks ago when writing about perceived value.
“Assume your house is on fire. All living things are safely out of the house. You have time to retrieve one item from inside the house. Size and weight are not issues and collections are considered one item. With that in mind, what do you save? What is the one thing that would pain you the most to lose forever?”
What’s important to you?