Overheard

THE MOTHER-DAUGHTER DUO OFFER GENERATIONAL TAKES ON HOME-LIFE DILEMMAS OVERHEARD FROM PERFECT STRANGERS. THIS MONTH: PARING BACK BELONGINGS.

- By ISABELLA WALKER-SMITH & MELISSA PENFOLD

Isabella: I am not a particularly nostalgic person and religiously do stocktake and seasonal chuck-outs of belongings at home – much to the dismay of my husband, who is constantly asking where everything has disappeared to. I find it deeply therapeutic to cull pieces, and this is not limited to physical items. A digital cleanse is just as good for the soul. I consider my digital footprint too: subscriptions, stocks, iCloud and camera rolls. Do I need it all? I make digital photo albums at the end of every year, so my son can enjoy them one day, then I simply let the rest go.

When I am on a cleaning rampage, I am brutal but practical. If I haven't worn a dress, used a face cream or sat in a chair, it's out. That's not to say I don't keep the good stuff and enjoy it daily. I use my mother's wedding china (Wedgwood 'Wild Strawberry') every day, which, mind you, she wanted to bin. Go figure.

Ask yourself: does it matter to me in this life and will it matter in generations to come?