TIME to pare down, cut back, tighten the belt, embrace austerity. Settle in for a season of mellow minimalism. (Especially for anyone who went a little hogwild during the summer holidays, only to find monstrous school fees, heating bills, and those nasty pink property tax forms waiting for them at the end of it all.)
The only thing for it is to take black bags in hand, stuff them with all things superfluous (including pink forms) and fling them to the furthest recesses of the attic, if not onto the street. A huge clear out might just calm you down. Expel all clutter and chintz.
Two books just published may help you through such a period of revisionism. Jane Cumberbatch's approach to clean living is resourceful and economical, with good, practical advice on how to regenerate old furniture or jazz up awkward spaces. No fancy distressing or stencilling here - this is a woman who likes white on white.
For real inspiration, however, take a look at London Minimum, a hook devoted to the work of architects and designers whose clean, uncluttered rooms suggest that a life of clarity and precision just might he possible. At first glance, of course, such rooms appear merely empty. But do not be hasty in your judgment. Space and light cost nothing, remember, and visual tranquillity now there's something to aspire to. Not to mention the use of the finest building materials and finishes available.
It's not a concept for magpies alas, but one for those truly in a position to understand that less is more.