Pesto, Patterns & Problems Destashing
There is nothing better than fresh pesto…
made with basil growing right outside the back door.
sweet Italian basil
Since I knew we were planning to move, I only planted one type of basil this year unlike last summer when I had lemon, sweet, Thai and one other type that I can’t recall off the top of my foggy head since I haven’t yet made a dent in my morning coffee.
There are so many recipes for pesto, but I make a fairly simple version for which I just estimate ingredients:
| 1 handful | Washed and dried fresh basil |
| A few | Cloves of garlic to taste |
| A couple pinches | Kosher salt to taste |
| A handful | Pine nuts |
| A handful | Grated Parmagiano or other hard Italian cheese |
| Pour | Virgin olive oil into mixture until mixture is a smooth consistency |
| Directions | Blend the first 3 ingredients in a Cuisinart or similar blender.
Add the pine nuts and pulse – slowly add the cheese and olive oil. Taste – can be used fresh or frozen on pasta, chicken, sandwiches and more |
1000 Patterns by Drusilla Cole
Last week, I picked up 1000 Patterns by Drusilla Cole from the library to use as a bit of inspiration for both the upcoming home remodel/move and for design ideas for pottery decoration. I had a chance to thumb through the book yesterday and it’s pretty cool – it’s interesting to read about the history of fabric designs and patterns and how classic ones have remained strong throughout the centuries. Personally, I am mostly drawn to the more primitive ones from Polynesia, other parts of Asia and Africa for their simple, often bold graphics and limited use of color. The book itself is well organized – I just wish many of the photos were larger.
Meanwhile, not much happening in the way of clay this week after all. We are showing our home to potential tenants 3 times this weekend and I’ve been cleaning in preparation. Last night, my hubby and I started the task of going through the main floor of the home, looking for items to pack, keep and/or donate. I can see that my desire to purge stuff is going to be more difficult than I imagined. For every 2 items I put in the purge pile, my hubby yanked 1 of them out and exclaimed, “I like this – we can’t get rid of this….” – despite said item sitting neglected in a cupboard for the past 5 years.
After reading Linda’s post yesterday about going minimal and following one of her links to zenhabits about creating a less cluttered home – I tried reasoning with my husband. “If we haven’t touched it in a year baring special or emotional attachments, let’s give it away.” But apparently, my husband has emotional attachments to everything including a growing match-book collection (we don’t smoke and certainly don’t burn enough candles to require so many), pewter mugs (never used), paper beer logo coasters (dime a dozen), misc. tschotskes (many are mine and I say they go), etc. etc. Needless to say, he’s afraid to come home from work now-a-days for fear of what will be missing.
Then I boldly made a new rule, “In the future, whenever we buy anything new – something has to leave the house in its place.” He seemed agreeable since destashing is easier when done on a smaller scale (although the rule is more about maintaining the status quo). We live in a small home and we just don’t have room or the storage space for a lot of stuff – my vice is of course clay stuff, art supplies and books. After we finished boxing up a good 4 boxes of items bound for ARC, I remarked at how easy it would be to move if we truly lived a minimalist existence – imagine just moving furniture?
Of course as human beings, we collect stuff or are we really collecting and preserving memories? Being a sentimental type myself, I keep more than my fair share of stuff including a gallery of my daughter’s art work since birth, cards, photos, art & pottery, family linens, letters, books and more. I am trying get better at editing my stuff, but in the end, who am I keeping this for if I don’t use it on a regular basis? My daughter? Me? If our memories live in our heads anyway, why do we need a physical reminder? I don’t have the answer and am just thinking out loud. Similarly, you may recall that my step mother gave me some of my Dad’s stuff that she had been keeping since he died in 1982 such as his wallet, some photos a letter and some more ephemera. I didn’t miss it before I knew about it, but now I have it in my possession and can’t throw it away either. Ironically, my step-mom now feels comfortable giving his stuff away after all these years – yet it’s one more memory and connection for me to my dead father. Oy vey!
So question – are you a collector or comfortable with memories living only in your head?
Cynthia
Err, um, Mom…are you okay if I get rid of the silver goblets you gave me a few years ago? Or do you want them back – seems I don’t really have use for them after all.
Linda Starr
July 22, 2009 at 8:37 am //
Hi Cynthia, your pesto looks so delicious; I love pesto especially homemade.
That pattern book looks so great. I may take a trip to the library to see what they have along those lines. I just love fabrics and I could “collect” those too – Ugh what am I saying.
I collect way more than Gary does – he has a license plate and old sign collection, other than that just CDs. I had a collection of buttons and got rid of them; now I wish I had them I could have used them for clay, so who knows – moving does help with destashing, especially when you are downsizing. I know my clay paraphenalia is getting rather huge – that is worrisome.
I like your rule you can only get something new if you get rid of something in its place. Perhaps measuring your storage space at the new place and measuring what you are taking will allow you (him) to see all of it isn’t going to fit. You sure don’t want to have to rent a storage unit. Ha!
Cynthia
July 22, 2009 at 8:52 am //
I forgot to mention that I also have quite the fabric/ribbon/button collection….
Moving my studio is going to be hard for me – all those things that I think I may need someday or could find a use for will be hard to throw away.
Linda Starr
July 22, 2009 at 9:33 am //
Thats right you used to make those wonderful mini quilts, well maybe some school could use your buttons and fabric stash or a quilt club or girl scouts
You just reminded me that I have a king size double sided levi quilt I have never finished in a plastic storage box. I made the top and bottom back in the early 80s but never put the two together. Yikes I have been lugging it around for more than 25 years through 4 moves. I better go back and read that zen article again.
Cynthia
July 23, 2009 at 7:03 am //
I say, finish the quilt now or donate it, Linda! But, funny you should mention unfinished projects…I have some of my grand mother’s needle point projects that she was working on before she died that are 1/2 complete. Apparently, she like to work on a few at a time and since I’m not a needle worker, have been trying to decide what to do with them…Literally they are still in the bags she stored the projects in and I’ve had them since 1997 untouched.
Jerry
July 22, 2009 at 10:58 am //
We have the same problem. Our house is less than 750 sq. ft. so space is at a premium. My partner is a HUGE packrat and had lived in the same house for ~23 years prior to moving. I on the other hand had moved every few years. Guess who has more stuff?
He has been good so far about getting rid of stuff, but there is SO much more to do. He has connections of some sort, emotional or something-or-other, to most of all of the things he has, so it is tough. It is an ongoing process. I just e-mailed myself that zen link to read through later on.
Cynthia
July 22, 2009 at 11:52 am //
I’m guessing that your partner has more stuff? Stuff is hard to live without…but it just takes up so much room.
I thought I had already subscribed to Zen Habits, but must have been another one. There’s a lot of good info on the site!
Mom
July 22, 2009 at 11:12 am //
YES, get rid of the silver goblets you talked me out of a few years ago. lol They always reminded me of the colorful aluminum glasses my Mom used to get cottage cheese in and I hate to drink from metal. I have a bunch of silver I’d like to get rid of, too, plus some old tschotckes one of which was a gift in 1958 and has been moved and moved but NEVER once used.
If you ever decide to get rid of your multitude of buttons, I could use them in altered books (hint, hint)
Cynthia
July 22, 2009 at 11:54 am //
Good – glad you feel that way. I was feeling nostalgic about them – reminded me of when I was a little girl and you hosted fancy parties. But, I just don’t entertain like that. I will tell you that they did get some use and a public viewing 2 years ago. I loaned them to Jasmine’s Shakespeare group and they did a scene with the “chalices”. teehee
Mom
July 23, 2009 at 4:28 am //
Chalices…OMG, that’s a hoot! And all this time I thought you were having delightful little fancy schmancy dinner parties! I hope you don’t get rid of the crystal though…and I have more of that for you, too!!!
Cynthia
July 23, 2009 at 6:56 am //
Still have the crystal and actually use it – well the wine, champagne and hi-ball glasses. I did get rid of the mismatched wine glasses that I had in my cupboard who’s mates have long since broken. We did lose one crystal glass – accidentally broke.
Tina
July 22, 2009 at 4:25 pm //
I found your blog via Ryhopewood blog, which I love, and this is a very interesting and entertaining blog. I love those coffee treats and Crate and Barrel so you def had me hooked! Hope to visit here again soon.
Cynthia
July 23, 2009 at 6:56 am //
Thanks Tina and welcome!
Mary T.
July 22, 2009 at 5:17 pm //
this is such an interesting question to me. My mother saved nothing! From my entire years of grade, high and college I have a diploma from the last two and a spur. Yep that is it. Whoops, I do have my annuals and a baby book, incomplete though it is.
We always were moving as a child and as an adult until the last few years. I, quite literally, got rid of a ton or more of stuff when we moved to this house. So, I have few things I think are important or can’t live without.
But, I’m also inclined now to clutter stuff up to the point I can’t stand it and whish, I go, through the house cleaning stuff out.
Still I believe my memories are in my head and not about stuff. I won’t miss it when it is gone, except for my books and art supplies.
Cynthia
July 23, 2009 at 7:00 am //
Interesting about your mom saving nothing Mary! While one set of grand parents saved everything – I don’t think my maternal grandmother saved much, but then again she didn’t have much either.
I’ve been cleaning our house pretty thoroughly the last few days in order to show it today and Saturday and I have to say that with fewer knick-knacks laying around it’s much easier and faster. We do have more storage in the home we’re moving to in City Park and I intend to box up the memories, label them clearly and store them till I’m ready to go through them & part with them. I suppose there is a comfort in knowing certain items are still with me and I can pull them out if needed.
jim
July 23, 2009 at 8:09 am //
pesto is the besto, epecially if you can get someone else to pull all the little leaves off the plant for you
Gina
July 23, 2009 at 4:05 pm //
Great post, starting with the wonderful basil! We too struggle with the collection of ‘stuff’, only often what I get rid is just what I miss a year later. I so wish I had a basement!
So that’s where those colored metal glasses came from when I growing up! (but I have fond memories of them, they were for fun drinks like Kool-aid)
dinahmow
July 23, 2009 at 4:44 pm //
We moved here 7 years ago, sending bigger items (beds, tables etc) with a removal truck and bringing the rest, including 2 cats, in the Camry. Today? I’d need a fleet of Camry wagons to move the incidentals! Two hoarders in one small house…not funny! Good luck.
denise
July 24, 2009 at 1:51 am //
I set that same rule for my daughter recently, an accomplished hoarder already, at eight. It’s yet to be tested, however. We’ve done a lot of culling in the past year, and we’re still quite a way off minimal.
AnneW
July 27, 2009 at 7:17 am //
Since having kids and less storage space (there are no basements in Southern AL), that and getting older, I have much less of a problem getting rid of stuff. I am with you, if you haven’t used something for a certain period of time, I really don’t need it. I guess the issue is determining what is just ‘stuff’ and what isn’t is the key.
This next year my dad will be moving into some sort of assisted living setting so I will be faced with what to keep and what to get rid of. Aside from some art, a few antiques, and some memorabilia (photos, etc), I am not sure that I need to keep much else. The fact that he is in Canada and I am thousands of miles south and the idea of having to transport everything sort of makes the decision easier for me.
amelia
July 29, 2009 at 1:39 am //
Your pesto looks perfect. ^ ^ Excellent partner for pastas or toasted bread.