Confessions of a Recovering Stuffaholic
It’s the phrase I say oh, too many times to count. You often hear of parents talking about how much patience it takes to parent. The sleep-less nights, the tantrums, the repeating of commands. I am sure you can think of one thing that takes a bit of patience. But have you ever thought about…
I was having one of those heart-to-heart conversations with some friends recently. A conversation that really had my wheels turning. A conversation that caused conviction. A conversation that required change. Culture is something Dan and I have many candid conversations about. Our couch is loaded with discussions on how we can continue to live for…
What: Washing Clothes Why: Have you ever thought about how much you spend on washing your clothes? Have you ever thought about how you could save money, even when it comes to washing your clothes? There is something to be said about candles that smell like “fresh laundry.” How do you maximize the freshness, yet…
Over the past few years, I have been reworking and tweaking my wardrobe. If you know me, clothes aren’t always a high-priority for me, though I have these secret thoughts of wanting to be more fashionable (don’t we all). When I decided to bite the bullet a year ago and create my own version of…
Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ…
You have heard it said 1,000 times – JUST SAY NO! Easy for others to say right? They aren’t in the situation you are in. They aren’t living the life you live. They aren’t the ones who have to live with the reprecautions. Saying no is something I struggle with; I am a people-pleaser. Always…
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Wow, this is really inspiring!! I am doing a declutter project myself these days, and its hard. But I notice that it makes me so much less stressful! Its worth it. I thank God for helping me through it 🙂
Thank you! Isn't decluttering such an inspiring yet difficult job in itself? You are so right though – it DOES make you less stressed! When you don't see the clutter, when you don't see all that you have, our minds aren't filled to overflowing as quickly. God inspires and shows Himself to us in ways we never expect :)! Thanks for sharing! If you want, share your story too!
I found you through a link on Pinterest. I too, like you have been 'decluttering'. It actually started about 5 or more years ago, and I continue to declutter and question whether or not I need to purchase an item, or why I need an item I already own. Ridding one's self of unnecessary items does so much more than free up physical space, it all frees up one's mind to be open to new possibilities in life. It not only 'lightens your load', it can also take weight off your shoulders. I never thought I had a cluttered home, as my 'treasures' were pleasingly arranged and well-organized. What got me on the 'purging' track, was reading decuttering books by Don Aslet… wow, what an eye-opener. I realized how much energy I was expending by dusting, arranging, and protecting my 'things'. Get rid of the things, you gain mountains of time, storage space for what really needs to be kept, and most of all, peace of mind and lack of mental stress. I could go on and on about all the reasons why it's great to live a more simple life of only having what you need and truly love. We live in such a saturated culture of buying and wanting. Print ads and media entice us and fool us into thinking what we may have just purchased, just isn't quite enough or good enough. Our clothes are good enough, our car isn't good enough, our house isn't good enough. We think we will find fulfillment in 'more', but even after we acquire more, the only thing we have more of is discontent and perhaps more debt. God requires us to be good stewards of everything He has given us–our health, our children, our material possessions, and our money– after all, He really is the owner, and we are the simply 'using' it for just a season of life. I encourage your readers to honor God by using what He has given us for His glory, whether it be to share, or to give away. Thank you for your tips, I have read quite a few posts, and they are inspiring, in fact, I have another pile started of items to pass on to others. One little thing… I don't follow the 'one in, one out' rule, as I feel that is actually not progress. I follow the 3, 5, or more things out, and perhaps only 1 item back in. I've also found that limiting TV viewing, magazine reading (very difficult for me as I like to decorate), and 'just looking' in stores, is a very important key in not purchasing more unnecessary 'stuff'. Be creative and make the most of what you already own, be it what food you have in your pantry, the clothes you own, or the decorations you already have (perhaps stored away!). Again, thank you for your tips for becoming more content with less. As the Apostle Paul said, "I have learned to be content with little or much…" (loose translation!).
Joy, thank you so much for sharing this and for sharing your heart! You hit it right on the dot in so many ways. Our culture does steer us in the wrong direction at times, trying to entice us and tell us what we need, instead of really taking inventory of our own stuff and realizing we have WAY more than what we need! I LOVE your 1 in, 3-5 out rule! Decluttering does free up so much more than just physical space, like you said. I have literally felt much lighter in many ways, since decluttering every room. It is such a good feeling, isn't it? I love your reference to Paul – talk about being content in tough circumstances! If Paul can do it, I should be motivated to follow :). Thanks again for your words and feel free to share as many posts as you would like 🙂