If each object in your home carries a story, if you find it difficult to part with worn but dear items, if you prioritize quality and meaning over quantity, and if your decor tells your story, then you might be a sentimentalist...
Once upon a time, there was a world spinning at a frantic pace—technologies, social networks, a culture of productivity, waste, overconsumption... But there existed a group of people who resisted the buzz of modern life with strength: The Sentimentalists! Individuals with big hearts, full of emotions, who see in their objects encounters, memories, anecdotes, hidden stories that bring a smile to their hearts.
For sentimentalists, objects have a soul, tell a story, or even multiple stories, and these objects bring a unique magic to their interiors.
Where does this habit of associating emotions and memories with objects come from? For most sentimentalists, it often goes back to significant life experiences. Precious moments, impactful encounters, events that left an indelible mark. These experiences led them to give sentimental and emotional value to objects.
And then, since time immemorial, human beings have used objects to express their emotions and feelings toward others. This is what we call the language of love through gifts. This language, rooted in many cultures around the world, has been one of the earliest ways to convey love, affection, and appreciation. Objects given as gifts serve as silent witnesses to the emotional bonds and shared memories between individuals.
For sentimentalists, each object becomes a relic of past experiences, a bearer of emotions, and a constant reminder of the love and memories that connect them to loved ones or precious moments. Thus, objects transcend their mere material form to become guardians of love and human connection, embedding deep meaning into every decoration.
But Lily, isn't that being materialistic? For a sentimentalist like me, this comparison is probably the one that raises my hackles the most! Sentimentalists don't see their decor as a mere accumulation of objects but as an extension of their soul. They use their space to express themselves, tell their story, and create a place where they feel at home. Every decorative choice is an act of love toward their own identity and history. Materialists tend to accumulate objects for their material value; sentimentalists prioritize the meaning, history, and emotion behind each object. Materialists may be obsessed with quantity, while sentimentalists prefer quality. For sentimentalists, every decor item has a story to tell, a memory to evoke, transforming their space into a true emotional sanctuary.
Why does humanity need sentimentalists? Because they preserve memory and history. They create intergenerational connections and remind us of the importance of maintaining our connection with the past. Sentimentalists are the guardians of emotions and stories in decoration. They remind us that our home is much more than a space; it is a reflection of who we are, our memories, and our aspirations. By infusing a touch of sentimentality into our own lives, we can create spaces that are both beautiful and rich in meaning, where each object tells a story, and every corner is imbued with emotion.
We can all learn from sentimentalists! By infusing a bit of emotion and meaning into our own decor, we can create spaces that reflect us, soothe us, and connect us to precious moments. ♡