Spanish Colonial Remodel Rustic Dining Room, San Diego

Inherited stuff. Oh, this one is tough. I think it can help to think of the loved one whose belongings you now have as they were — in other words, as a person struggling with editing their own possessions, just as you are right now. Grams certainly wouldn't want you feeling weighed down by her china set, would she? Be honest about your feelings about the stuff you have inherited. Are you ever going to use it? Do you love it for what it is, or do you love it (and hold on to it) only because you loved the person who gave it to you? My advice is to honor your feelings but respect your space. This might mean keeping a single soup tureen (the one you remember from all those Sunday dinners) and passing the rest along to another relative who really wants it, or selling it on eBay. If you can't come to a decision quite yet, put it in the "later" pile.

We usually think of flowers and candles when decorating a dining table for guests. But a pair of antique Staffordshire dogs can take center stage and work a different kind of enchantment. Experiment with mixing your favorite figurines, a special pitcher or Chinese ceramic fruit into the decorations for your dinner table. It’s a lot of fun.

How to know if you are ready for a death cleaning, no matter your age or health. When the amount of stuff you have feels overwhelming and the thought of tackling it is exhausting, you can use Magnusson’s advice. “If you can’t keep track of your things, then you know you have too many,” Magnusson writes. “When someone cancels a weekend visit or a dinner, you feel grateful instead of disappointed because you may be too tired to clean up for their visit. The problem is that you have too much stuff to deal with. It’s time to change your way of living. It is never too late to start!”

GEntle art of danish death cleaning!

staffordshire dogs as centerpieces

Dogs on table or big next to fireplace