Sometimes there's too much stuff.
I can see it all around - toys here, a paper stack, a purse on the ground, a pencil thrown about, play food, a coat on the rail, magnets, and stickers, blankets, books, hats, shoes, ornaments, dishes -- it's all here. Driving here, meeting then, memorizing this, buying that. All needing to be managed. Taken care of.
The stuff tries to chip away at joy.
Yet, then, when I look, I'm almost afraid to get rid of it. Hesitant.
Maybe we'll use this book for math.
This game would be great to play.
I remember when they wore this sweater.
What if we can't replace it?
There's the real root, the real reason for the stuff that takes over. It's this deep seated fear of not being able to have what I think we need. So then I start to create reasons to keep something -- instead of being okay with releasing it.
Stuff is just stuff is just stuff.
And all that stuff, all of it needs to be managed, needs time, and honestly -- it pulls me from those that I love best. I'll get irritated at the little boys with their messy room full of way too much to deal with. I'll get frustrated that the kitchen counters have papers on them, or cookbooks, or games. I lose the stillness, the peace, the quietness, the joy in the everyday when I allow managing of stuff to cause a frenzy in my life.
I cannot live in fear. I cannot allow the idea that the stuff is irreplaceable dictate keeping it around. More does not always equal better. The stuff isn't mine anyways. It's all the Lords -- and now, right now, I'm feeling as if I'm to start letting go of what I think I need so that room can be made for what the Lord knows I need.
I don't want to cling so tightly to things, or ideas, or agendas.
Sometimes less is more. There's more space for family, and laughter, and joy -- space that would be taken up in cleaning, sorting, folding, throwing, getting frustrated by, tidying, re-arranging, complaining about, organizing -- less stuff cultivates real room.
And me, a mom, with more time that can be spent intentionally with my family.
So, once again, I weed out extras.
And in weeding I find space, real room, and joy.
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what are your best strategies in creating boundaries with stuff?
21 comments:
Wow ~ I feel just this way so much of the time. In the past week we started cleaning out STUFF we no longer use and gifting it to people in our homeschool group: a hermit crab habitat, a Thomas mega block train set; things that will bless others (and us by removing the stuff!).
I loved this post!
Stuff, stuff, STUFF! I generally purge at least once every 2 months, more if it's driving me crazy :)
I literally was looking around my house yesterday at all the stuff. It was everywhere, it was slowly closing in on me and was driving me crazy.
I can so relate to this line: I'll get irritated at the little boys with their messy room full of way too much to deal with.
I think I'll go clean out my girls rooms so I can stop yelling at them for something that is too big for them to do.
I have been following a rule for a bit now... if I have the thought to get rid of something then I need to come up with a hugely compelling reason to keep it. My reason cannot use the worlds IF, MIGHT, COULD, MAYBE. Usually it ends up in the donation box. If I think of the item again before it goes... then I revisit my reasons. IF not - then off it goes.
Several years ago I worked with a professional organizer. My house looked like it was ready for a TV crew and team of pros to come in. I literally begged God for help and He sent Penny. She taught me that things rob us of peace, that clutter chokes out joy. She also taught me that every single thing in my home needs a PLACE and a PURPOSE. If it has a place, the purpose can be joy or it can be practical, but only if it has a place. I'm on this journey yet again as we prepare to expand our family and need another bedroom. It's liberating, but I do find myself facing those old fears of not having something when I need it all over again.
I go back and forth too... do we need this to we might need it one day! I HATE clutter and mess yet with kids, the clutter and mess is what makes our house a home. I have to remember that one day, my house will be simple. so I must embrace the mess today. for a little while. and teach my kids that it is fine to get rid of things. that things aren't important... family is. so yes, I totally understand!
Rachel-- you must have read my HEART this morning... I woke up just wanting to find simplicity and found myself de-cluttering virtual and real life worlds... Just to find that simple joy! Thank You... your words hit my heart so strongly this morning! as they always do!
i'm all about this, right along with you, rach. i think the less you have, the more loosely you hold on to it. i think about us having more money and all the stuff i'd buy with it... and then it's all so materialistic and would strap me to this world all the more. the best thing for simplifying? not making much money to spend! haha!
Yes, extras. That is what the Lord has been saying to me. Getting all of that off of my plate allows for much, much, more.
Rachel, I started cleaning out months ago....in a book I read...one of the TJED books, it talks about keeping two bins in your home...one for donating, one for trash...and I've been doing that...books, toys, etc...it's all been going somewhere...and when we go the store, the kids already...no longer ask for more stuff...they ahve everything they need..inside/outside...we have each other. This Christmas, my friends think I'm a loon...we purchased one family gift...that's it..everything else will be from friends/family...gifts we are giving..are being made...the 'stuff' that takes over our lives causes clutter...more to do..than to enjoy, really...it's all about relationships....and I'm so thankful for your friendship! Less clutter today...it's going to mean more time for my friends, for my relationships...and I LOVE that!
Love this! I had the bug to declutter this morning, but didn't really go with it. Your blog was just the encouragement I needed! Thank you! I also enjoyed reading everyones comments.
Well said! Thanks for the encouragement. I've been sorting through "stuff" just this morning, laughing about how it ends up unused in the same spot after a while.
we just had a birthday party for the kids and of course Christmas is almost here, so I'm going to get rid of a lot of our toys and "stuff" to make room for the new stuff they have.
You have NO IDEA how much I love this post!!! But I will try to explain, --it is perfect, it is essential, it is Truth with a capitol T. It is godly, it is heaven-bound, it is spiritual warfare, b/c satan wants us to CLING to things, and to cling to OUR AGENDA'S. he really has a way of getting in there, yuck.
do you read Henri Nouwen?
While you de-clutter, sing {to the tune of 3 Blind Mice}... "Too much stuff, too much stuff. More than enough, more than enough..." and then it was something about it falling out of the closets and so on.
I've remembered the essential part ;-) {with credit to a listener of Elisabeth Elliot/ Gateway to Joy many years ago}
I must find time to deal with the s.t.u.f.f. overwhelming this house of ours! Have you ever built a NEW house, and then moved in before it's really finished and ready for stuff? :p
More bookshelves ...before we open the gift box of new books would help ;-)
"It's this deep seated fear of not being able to have what I think we need." I relate so well to that. So often I feel that I do not deserve the life I have and at any moment it can all just disappear. I hoard too. I am really trying to slowly get rid of stuff because we have too much, others would be able to use some of it and quite frnakly it is becoming "clutter".
I LOVE getting rid of stuff :) Sometimes, I just look around because I'm feeling claustrophobic and I'm disappointed because I think we've already whittled down to the bare essentials - and, then I find something else that isn't essential :)
Isn't it funny how fast stuff can just creep in and take up all of our time and space and cramp our style :)
Know that I'm here lifting up thoughts and prayers.
Psalms 107:28-31 Then they cry unto the LORD in their trouble, and he bringeth them out of their distresses. He maketh the storm a calm, so that the waves thereof are still. Then are they glad because they be quiet; so he bringeth them unto their desired haven. Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!
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You said it beautifully!
It's like you walked into my house!
Thank you for opening my eyes to the root of the problem, the fear that keeps me from getting rid of it. I had just thought about something in my cabinet that I never use & thought how maybe someday it will be needed. Actually, I think I'm storing it for my mom but she probably wouldn't miss it either. ;)
My way of creating stuff-boundaries arrived uninvited. We have lost our possessions TWICE to hurricanes (flooding and tidal surge). Therefore, we released our grip on stuff and found that clinging to the temporary only brings heartache. It's not worth it. The hurricanes became blessings, in disguise.
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