Many of us purchase different items to display in our homes and these items begin to define us, crafting an identity that we wish for others to see. We turn our homes into a show of what we value, do, and wish to be. We have created a connection between ourselves and these collections of inanimate objects.
This attachment seems to begin during our “tween” years. According to a 2007 study by University of Illinois Psychology Professor Lan Chaplin, children from ages 8-12 were found to have the highest attachment to their material possessions due to a lack of self-esteem found in this age group. This attachment is likely to carry into adulthood as we begin to more consciously see ourselves in these things.
When placed inside one’s home, these objects serve as a sort of blueprint for who the owner is. Ideas begin to form about what their interests may be, what kind of job they have, and what they value. By displaying these items, one will open up parts of themselves to their friends, family, and occasionally complete strangers. In these images, various people are displayed with their possessions opening a window into their everyday lives.
