How Many Coffee Cups Does One Person Really Need?

I was watching one of those decluttering shows on YouTube when the hostess finally snapped and announced, “Come on, ladies. No one needs fourteen coffee cups.”

Well. I felt personally attacked, even though she was not entirely wrong.

Morning Blanket and Starbucks Coffee Mug

Living in an apartment has changed the way I think about “stuff.” In a house, extra things disappear into closets, guest rooms, garages, or what I call the “I Might Need This Someday Witness Protection Program.”

Apartments are less forgiving. Every object has to earn its valuable square footage.

I happen to love white space around me. Too much clutter makes my brain feel squeezed. So I try to keep my decorating under control. My seasonal displays are mostly limited to one medium-sized bookshelf, with occasional overflow onto the kitchen counter if things get especially festive.

This system works beautifully until I walk into a thrift store. Suddenly, I become a woman who absolutely needs a lava lamp at age 76. Or a giant painting I have nowhere to hang. Or another Starbucks mug.

Now, in my defense, Starbucks cups are the perfect size and weight. Some people collect fine china. I collect emotionally supportive beverage containers.

Both Starbucks Christmas 

And many of mine are seasonal. Pumpkin mugs for Fall. Christmas mugs in December. Bright floral mugs in Spring. Pulling them out each year feels oddly comforting, like greeting old friends who only visit during certain weather conditions. 

 

Easter Rabbit - not Starbucks

I tell myself this is not clutter. It is just rotating joy. Still, the YouTube lady may have a point. If I buy one more coffee cup, somebody in this apartment may have to move out. Probably me. 

More later ...