I am not a stuff person by nature. I’m a like the counters empty, and the cupboards organized, and the toys totally sorted, and there’s extra space in that drawer type person. But, now, I’m feeling choked by too much stuff.
Stuff. I don’t even really like that word. Stuff.
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I’ve been mulling over the issue with stuff. Of course, we are inundated with the idea that we need to continue feeding our insatiable need for the purchasing of more things. Every single item in that Target cart will have to find a place in one’s home. I could go through and purge every room to help alleviate the stuff. Which, of course, I need to do. But, I think the issue with stuff is deeper.
It involves not allowing happiness to be defined by the amount of things that fill one’s home, or cart, or bookshelves, or garage. In fact, all those items, I believe, pull away from one’s happiness. The excess stuff creates anxiety, discontent, and lack of peace.
Why do I like the clean counters? My eyes can rest there. It’s calm and order in the midst of a busy and active life.
But, then, how does one move from the irritation of too much stuff to the discipline of managing and letting go of stuff? It’s trust — having faith that one doesn’t need all of those potentially needed things to be content. The idea that stuff and things creates contentment is a double-edged sword. Initially? There’s the happiness. Then it moves to management. Then irritation. Then the overwhelming feeling of living with too much stuff.
It clutters the mind.
So here I sit. In my home that’s flirting with too much stuff. I need a system, a routine, a plan. First- Prepping my heart to let it go and recognizing how excess can create chaos. Second – An intentional effort to remove items from my home and not allow emotions to dictate whether it stays. Third – An even more intentional effort to not bring more into my home. Fourth – The establishment of systems to maintain a level of order. Fifth – Start over again with step one.
Too much stuff — meet my word — resolute. I’m determined to root you out.
Less is more.
Less stuff lets me spend more time with the real important.
What are your strategies for dealing with stuff?
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23 comments
I think stuff really makes us very unhappy. We’ve been in a very decluttering and dejunking mode at our house and it is freeing. My husband and I want to be able to take advantage of whatever God has in store for us… if we had some amazing opportunity in another state or country tomorrow, how much STUFF would we have to get rid of? I think all the stuff keeps us from doing God’s will in our lives.
Our last move entailed a fifty three foot truck, and they had to bring another one for the overflow – excess much? Now we have been in this house for nearly five years (a long time for us) and I am itching to clear out, start again and simplify … just the word simplify is like music to my ears!)
Oh my word! Do I ever understand this!!! Last night I was watching American Idol with my family (and some friends) and during the commercials I began to get up to de-clutter the room. The “stuff” has begun to drive me MAD!
I’ve (we’ve) been so busy with book/ministry related stuff that the house hasn’t been kept as clean and it’s been an eye opener to how much stuff we’ve (once again) accumulated.
I’ve done many posts about this very thing and Sister! I’m feelin’ ya!
Here’s to getting our stuff under control (and out of the house!)
Love you Rachel!
Lynnette
I was just talking about this with my friend Anne last night. I said, “I bet have ONE MILLION objects in my house. If you counted every paper, every article of clothing, every dish, every THING in a drawer or box. How can anyone manage a MILLION things? REMOVE! REMOVE! REMOVE! Is my cry. Definitely, trust is THE issue in dealing with stuff. Lord, help me trust in Your Provision and let go of the stuff that so easily entangles.
Can I just say that I absolutely LOVE this post? I am all about simplicity and appreciating the finer things in life – such as family and the basic necessities. Everything out? It’s clutter. Both physically and emotionally. It gets in the way of family, etc.
You have no inspired me to look around and de-clutter (even more than I already do/have).
That final step in the process….’start over again with step 1’…that pretty much sums up my battle with STUFF. I start to declutter and organize and rearrange. I make progress. I move on to the next area. I look back only to discover that the area in which I began is once again cluttered and disorganized. I am probably as much to blame as the rest of my family, but I really need to find a way to encourage them to join in the process of getting it all under control. Wish me luck with that. 😉
Oh, this is wonderful Rachel and needs to be published for all to read. No joke, it is so easy to become a “slave to our stuff” and I’m afraid that’s where I am. You are so right, it causes anxiety.
Thanks for such a well written, well said entry! Happy day my dear!
Great thoughts on stuff. I think that some people–like me–need to find the reason they collect stuff. Is it because of insecurity, growing up dirt poor, greed? Once the root of the problem is identified, it is easier not to be a collector.
Truly great post! I have switched gears . . . to the mass exodus of “stuff” in my house. I am on a mission to keep only those things which are used / useful and ditch/donate EVERYTHING else.
I was inspired by your blog post to get back on the horse of “chunkin’ stuff” so thanks for that!!
Adding a thrid child into my home has caused me to go crazy. Stuff is everywhere. Baby stuff. Toddler stuff. 5 year old stuff. I’ve been trying to organize and get rid of the stuff we don’t need. But it’s been a slow process…
when I go to put something in that cart I try to always say is it a want or a need. This helps me decide if it should go into that cart or not. It helps eliminate lots of ‘stuff’. Not perfect at it for sure!
it is such a continual battle, isn’t it? less clutter does equal less stress, i am certain! and i love getting to teach our kids about having treasure in heaven rather than on earth!
Oooooh – good, timely question, Rachel. I was just writing today about how I have started to deal with stuff (i.e. all my kids’ clothing) my donating what we truly don’t need.
The more stuff we have, the less content we are. I think of the Mary and Laura Ingalls being delighted when their Ma allowed them to use her thimble to make patterns on an icy window.
Sometimes it’s due to being indecisive or overly sentimental about an item but the Lord has convicted me that I need to just get rid of things and enjoy simplicity. It’s working (slowly) and hopefully helping my kids to see the same thing.
This is so true. I’m a less is more personality as well, but I’ve not always been this way. Our house burned down my first year at college, and although there are a few things we miss, I was amazed how little of it we even knew was gone. There was so much there that was unnecessary!
Also…cleaning goes much much faster without stuff on the counters and floors. I’m living for the day when my kids are old enough to be done with toys!
I am SO with you! We’ve been taking a closet or a room every weekend for the past few weeks and PURGING, getting ready to have a yard sale in the spring. I can’t stand the clutter – it makes me so anxious and unsettled. The older I get, the more I find that I (and my children) are actually happier and more content with less. I try to remember that when I’m shopping at Target because oh my…I love Target!
And if we don’t have enough stuff for a yard sale, we regularly donate to an organization called Clothes Helping Kids. They COME TO YOUR HOUSE and take away your stuff, sell it to a thrift store, and then use the money for Big Brothers/Big Sisters. I love them!
this is spot-on, Rachel. Thank you for expressing the thoughts of my on heart with such descriptiveness and earnestness.
I toss it. I’m a tosser like that. 😉
Wow…. You are not alone. We have to much stuff here too…. I’ve been decluttering, but it just seems like a drop in the bucket. I’ve been thinking less is more and one of my goals for this year is to work towards having less. We will be much happier.
It is very true. The more we have the more we want and it all creates anxiety, unrest and clutter. When my house is cluttered, my mind feels cluttered and disorganized. I usually try to weed out a lot of the unnecessary stuff in winter.
I agree. Stuff can be a huge stumbling block. I like things neat and clean too but with so much stuff around, it’s really hard to keep it that way. This post is allowing me to really see where there is a need for me to let go of some stuff and de-clutter.
If I had a plan…I wouldn’t have all the stuff now, would I?! ;o)
Look to the Lord for all things! He’ll always be with you! Praying!
Isaiah 40:28-31 Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding. He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall: But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.
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“Stuff” is stressful and cluttering of not only my physical space but my mental space, too. I have started a house-wide purge, trying to eliminate the “stuff”. My biggest struggle isn’t getting rid of the “stuff” in the house {though that can be difficult at times}, but in keeping more “stuff” from coming in our home {especially around birthdays and Christmas}. It’s a constant battle and a constant balance.
I absolutely agree… I’m in an on-going process of getting rid of ‘stuff’. Because even if you try to avoid it, there will always be ‘more stuff’.
When we moved to China – without our stuff – I never missed *anything* at all. So we can do without. Which feels very liberating!
And you are so right: less stuff lets us spend more time with the real important!