I'm making some suggestions for how to manage our cluttered, busy lives. If you feel overwhelmed by your stuff and life in general, maybe it's time you simplified. How? Here are some suggestions:
1 - Be content with what you have.
2 - Give generously.
3 - Work hard and finish what you start.
You might say, "How will that simplify my life?" Well, laziness doesn't help anybody. If you make a habit of working well at whatever you get your hands on, chances are you will finish tasks, clean out clutter, earn some money, and maybe even help others. All of that is good.
Solomon wrote in Proverbs 6 to "Go to the ant, O sluggard, consider her ways and be wise...she prepares her bread in summer and gathers her food in harvest." Are you like the humble ant? Do you work hard at your job and put others ahead of yourself?
Paul wrote in Colossians "And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him." That changes my attitude about my work! If I'm supposed to teach my students in a God-pleasing way, then I will do my very best to serve them, be patient, and keep trying to find new ways to help them overcome learning obstacles. How could this principle change your work attitude?
I've helped many friends clean out rooms of their houses. Often we come upon piles of unfinished projects that they were once excited about, but never followed through with. I've taken home piles of mending, sewing, and other projects to help these friends de-clutter a room. I thought that if I jump-started the process, maybe they would keep it going.
If you start something, big or small, make yourself finish it before you move on to another project! And if you realize it's a lost cause, don't pile the stuff in your attic. Give it to someone else who can use it! That's the equivalent of finishing.
4 - Thin out your stuff.
This one is really hard for some people to do. We Americans have too much stuff! I can't believe all the storage units that exist now in our little town alone. How much stuff do we really need? Probably a lot less than we have.
Try this exercise - empty the contents of one drawer or cupboard, then wipe the shelves clean. Look at your pile and see what you can give to others, donate, sell, or trash. Only put back into the space what you really need and actually use. Start with a small area and then work up to bigger spaces. If you tackle one area at a time, slowly and steadily, you'll be amazed at how quickly your home can be clutter free.
Here's a kitchen drawer that I've de-cluttered:
I use the bottom of an antique cupboard for storing all kinds of small stuff using baskets, wire shelves and boxes.
The hardest part about this is all the decision making that goes with it. Some people have a hard time parting with stuff. If you haven't used the item in over a year, you probably aren't ever going to and you should get rid of it.
What if it's sentimental? "This was my grandmother's??" I've heard over and over again. Honoring the memory of a loved one does not need to fill your house with clutter. Your grandmother would be pleased if you cherish a few important items and really use them more than if you fill your attic and garage with boxes that collect dust.
Clothing!
I talked with 2 friends recently who thinned out their clothes by giving away a large portion to other friends who needed them. I was truly impressed.
If you don't have room to store all your clothes when they are clean...then you have too many clothes!! It's that simple. If your closets and dressers are so packed full of clothes that you can't even see what you have, start thinning it out. Make a pile of 10 items that don't fit, are out of style, or you know you're never going to wear again. Do that again and again until the piles are manageable. Donate to charity, give to friends, have a yard sale...you'll be glad you did.
Having too much stuff complicates your life, so pare down, thin out, give away, do what you need to do to simplify your life!
Part 3 next week:)
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