Last week, as part of my usual service, I mentored someone over a video conferencing call. Isn’t technology wonderful? There I was in cold middle-of-winter Melbourne and there she was 6,000 kilometres away in the tropics. We laughed when the first thing we noticed as the video link started was that we both wore scarves in vibrant colours.
I wore mine to keep warm. Winter can finish now as far as I’m concerned. She wore hers to protect against the direct blast of the necessary air conditioning. Aren’t scarves wonderful?
Travelling in Istanbul
I have a penchant for a pashmina style scarf. I always take one when I travel. They are a light, versatile, portable utility, handy in any climate and situation. Sadly, like the rest of the world, I won’t be flying anywhere any time soon. I’m thankful that the past year had a distinct and unforgettable travel theme for me. I travelled to the US twice, to China and India, and even took a luxury cruise to Tasmania. How reckless! Along the way, I picked up a few more scarves for my growing collection.
I also inherited some scarves from my mother. There’s the silk scarf depicting the Vienna State Opera and the polyester paisley one. I can still see her wearing it with her car coat. Both are equally special to me. At a rough count my scarf collection now stands at 24.
I live in a small apartment. A growing collection of anything gets noticed. So if I’m going to collect scarves, I have to get smart about how I store and organise them.
Multi trouser hangers work well for pashminas. I can keep 10 pashminas and 6 other scrunchable scarves on one of those hangers. And they hang at the end of my wardrobe, right between my jewellery and skirts.
I can easily see my scarves, select the right one, and grab it in a hurry. At the end of the day, it’s just as easy to put them away where they belong, ready for their next outing. And that’s truly organised.
The Lesson
Organising is not about finding perfection. It’s about being able to use the things you want and need with ease.
Organising is also not a one-size-fits-all thing. One woman’s scarf collection is another’s shoe assortment, or makeup stash, or library of books. There are no rules about the “right amount” to own or even how to store them.
A good organiser creates customised solutions that deliver results.
