Photo Credit: Unnar Ýmir Björnsson
We live in a consumer-driving society. Buy more, have more, store more, save more, more, more more!!
Corporations make millions off of “stuff” and then turn around and make even more selling “stuff to organize your stuff.”
I’m by no means a minimalist to any extreme. I have (had) plenty of stuff but the lesson that stuff creates stress has become very real to me the past few weeks. As I type this my family and I are living in a 31-foot travel trailer for at least 5 months. A car lost control and landed very close to our house setting the house on fire.
Talk about decluttering.
We spent 5 solid says sorting through our house and the fire-caused debris inventorying everything we owned.
There are several miracles and testimonies to speak of from this ordeal. But one thing that struck me as I prepared to write this post was that clutter that is now gone from our lives. When we move back in our attic and basement will be empty.
No more boxes of old stuff I was keeping for the “someday” or old Christmas ornaments I was keeping only for sentimental value never to see a pine branch again anyway.
Sure, we will accumulate things as we live in the camper and we will buy replacement things for the house. Overall though, I am preparing to not reclutter my house with unnecessary stuff.
I want my life to be free of clutter, I want my mind to be free of clutter too.
Why Clutter is Mind-Dangerous
Photo Credit: Michael Basial
Clutter can consume you mentally – How often do you think about the stuff in the spare room that really needs to be handled? When we think and think on something that bothers us that irritation typically spills into other areas of our life. We end up snappy with the kids, distant from the husband and the dogs gets on our nerves.
It can overwhelm you – Do you find yourself mentally planning the removal of unwanted clothing from the back of your closet only to overwhelm yourself and then never do it? This can quickly lead to a feeling of hopelessness.
It can exhaust you – Do you feel exhausted just looking at the attic or garage? Clutter is a visual strain. Seeing so much stuff, even if no one else knows it there, leads to stress in your mind. Stress as we well know can lead to physically illness.
Free Your Mind
Having less stuff frees your mind to focus on what is important rather than focusing on the stuff.
Do you feel like your stuff has control over your life rather than you having control over your stuff?
When we are constantly consumed in our minds with cleaning, straightening, organizing, selling, donating and managing stuff we take away from time we can be focusing on God and our family.
Take steps today to regain control over your things and find a healthy balance between saving stuff and donating, selling or even refusing to take on more things.
You can find some tips on de-cluttering in Jennifer’s article here.
For some ideas on Christian Minimalism check here.
Clutter takes up more than just the space in the attic. Clutter can affect you physically, mentally and emotionally. You can become so overwhelmed with the stuff in your life that your mood and attitude are affected.
Do you struggle with the mental strain of clutter? What is one thing you can do today to reduce the clutter?
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TESTING!
