I’ve learned more about life in the last five years than I did in the 33 before that. After having Emma, I learned to be more patient, more forgiving, more flexible, and more able to operate on just a few hours’ sleep! I’ve certainly NOT arrived! I’m just learning a little more every day.
Tonight I was giving Emma her bath, and I asked her if she wanted some bath toys to play with. She answered, saying that she did, but “not too many, Mommy.”
I didn’t think much of it at the time. I just threw in four or five little floating toys. But the more I thought about it, the more I was able to take a little life lesson from that bath. How many toys does she need to make her happy? Does she need a whole bathtub full? Or does she feel a little overwhelmed when there are too many toys floating around her. It doesn’t leave her much room to “swim” when she’s surrounded.
And what about me? How many gizmos, gadgets, knick-knacks, and other “toys” do I need? I can tell you from experience (and from sitting at my cluttered desk right now) that being surrounded by too much stuff makes me feel like I don’t have room to move. I’m less productive and less creative when there are piles of stuff invading my space. My sense of peacefulness is disrupted.
I’ve also noticed the opposite situation to be true. A few weeks ago, I filled several bags with items to give to my daughter’s school for a rummage sale. I cleaned out a couple of shelves in our extra bedroom and came out with two shopping bags full of stuff that we no longer used, loved, or wanted. I felt a sense of relief as those bags made their way out the door. *Whew!* Less stuff for us to deal with.
I usually explain away my clutter, letting everyone know that there’s not a single closet in our whole house. {Nope… Not one!} That means that we live WITH our stuff all the time. There’s no shoving it into some extra bedroom closet here! I used to think that having no closets was a curse, but maybe it’s a blessing instead. It makes me see the stuff we have rather than hide it away. I’m more aware of it, so I can deal with it.
We’ll be moving in a couple of months, and that means that I’m already starting to pack up the things we use less often. I’m going to be taking serious stock of each and every item that gets packed into a box. Do we love it? Do we use it? Do we need it? Does it bless our family? Or does it get in the way of our goal of having a peaceful home? There will be some serious de-stuffing going on here! By surrounding us with less stuff, I’m hoping to surround us with more contentment with what we have.
This post is linked to:
:: Works for Me Wednesday hosted by We Are THAT Family
:: Frugal Friday hosted by Life As MOM
Great post. I like the minimalist approach too.
Thanks, Julie! I’m hoping to head down that road more and more.
A friend had to help me declutter and organize because I struggled with throwing ANYTHING out. That was over 12 years ago and I haven’t had to declutter again, but I work on it regularly!!! There is a great DVD by Peter Walsh called ‘It’s All Too Much’ which is fabulous! Great post!
What a good friend to help you declutter! And to be able to maintain it for 12 years is great. Good for you!!
Ugh, I am incredibly overwhelmed by our stuff. I try to declutter, but more just arrives. I don’t even understand how it happens! I’d love for someone to just come through my house and throw out everything I won’t notice is missing, because when I try, I always justify keeping things.
Hey I’m your newest follower by the way!
I’M WITH YOU, Heather! I keep thinking that my stuff is having stuff babies!! I know that it’s because I keep bringing things home with me. Just look at what arrives in the mailbox in a single day. If I don’t deal with the papers right away, they end up in a pile. Then I have another pile to deal with. I’m just fed up…. which is a good thing!
Thanks for following, by the way! 🙂 Glad to have you along!
I am overwhelmed by my things and yet I detest being called a hoarder.
10 years ago I was a married homeowner. A home with 4 bedrooms. The kids grew up, we divorced and I have pared down to one bedroom now. I have bad health and live with a son.
I know I still have too much stuff. I know I want to get rid of it. The beginning step is the hardest.
It hurts to realize that your memories mean nothing to anyone except yourself. I know once I get going… tossing and throwing out things that are no longer needed I will feel better.
Thank you for the post that made me think I need to attack my stuff again.
Love to all, Grandma Patty Ann
It’s hard to part with things that mean a lot to you. I find myself reshuffling a lot of those kinds of things. Maybe it would be fun to share the stories of some of those things and then pass them along to the younger generations. Then they’ll have the story to go with the item. Your memories are a precious thing to share!
Great post. Less is definitely more!!!
I’m starting to learn that, Cheryl… Slowly but surely!
I recently did a whole house clean out and yard sale. It made me feel so much better!
I think that we’re going to be doing a whole house clean out as we’re packing. I don’t know if I have a yard sale in me or not… Maybe just some trips to drop off bags for donations. 🙂
It is so hard to let go of stuff! Why? I guess there is an emotional attachment. We moved to Virginia from California four years ago. Before the move, I cleaned out everything. We got rid of so much stuff! I was not going to pay for stuff we never used to be transported cross country. I had a goal of keeping the clutter down. Well, two kids later and we are back at stuff and clutter everywhere. It is driving me crazy! I really need to make some time to get rid of it.
Thanks for your post!
I’ve been noticing that a lot of our day-to-day clutter is Emma’s. She’s bringing papers home from school and Sunday School. I’ve been trying to get better about picking and choosing what stays and what goes. I just cringe when the sweet cashiers at Kroger hand her a whole strip of “I’ve Been Krogering” stickers. I’ve been a little sneaky and thrown them away lately. She has a nice stash in her sticker drawer.
Thanks for sharing your declutter/reclutter story. It makes me realize I’m not alone!
We are doing the same thing! We may be moving in a bit and it is just very important that we get rid of all of the ‘excess’. I just feel so much happier without it. 🙂
I would love for you to come link up at my new “Encouragement is Contagious!” linky party! You can share your favorite posts from someone else’s blog to encourage them, and share your favorite from your own blog and get lots of visits 🙂
Have a great day!
Melanie 🙂
I agree that getting rid of the excess helps us feel happier about our surroundings. I hope you’re able to shed a lot of ‘stuff’ as you’re packing up too!
so true. thanks for this!
I have found myself many times complaining about lack of storage space, but as we have tried to sell our house we have had to simplify – it is amazing to see how much stuff you really don’t need.
Oh so true! I just read an article today about someone who added up all the time she spent looking for things because of the clutter. She gained a whole day each week by just getting rid of a bunch of stuff and having less to hunt through when she needed to find things. Amazing.
Thanks so much for linking up to the “Encouragement is Contagious!” linky party — I’m so honored that you stopped by! Please come again and link up next week! 🙂
Have a wonderful day!
Melanie
Thanks, Melanie. 🙂 I appreciate the reminder that encouragement truly is contagious!