My Journey to having More by having Less

I am just going to warn you right up front that this is probably going to sound like a rant.  And it is one, of sorts.  It’s a theme of thoughts that has been chasing around in my head for weeks, and I’m not really sure why or what to do about it, but from stuff I remember hearing, realizing that you have a problem is the first step towards making it better.

I am being BOMBARDED from all sides with the idea that

Less is More

Articles on Facebook, books that catch my eye, it seems like every mom blog I read, home school bloggers, friends’ lifestyles… I’m not sure if it’s trending and the “in” thing, or it’s just to me because God is trying to tell me something. 😛  If it is a trend, well I’m jumping on the bandwagon cause I think it’s a good one.  It’s something we need to constantly think about and work towards otherwise stuff just piles up, accumulating without our giving the ok.  Simply because we weren’t actively working against it.  It’s never something that can be ‘done,’ accomplished and crossed of your list.  It’s an ongoing struggle; a battle against our natural tendencies to gather more.  The victory will come only when we die.  Like the song says, You can’t take it with you when you go/I’ve never seen a hearse with a trailer hitch.

We all come to the end of our lives as naked and empty-handed as on the day we were born. We can’t take our riches with us.    Ecc. 5:15

Oh dear.  Now I’ve gone all morbid about this.  All that to say, it’s a journey.  And I don’t think we ever reach perfection, but that doesn’t mean we can’t learn tricks of how to better manage as we go through this life!

More is Evil Myth

More is not better.  {It does not mean you have worked harder, been smarter and it’s not a status symbol that you are “cool.”  It is not your identity; it just shows you are a good collector.} 

More is not bad.  {You are not better and holier than them because you live in poverty and deprive yourself of most things. // You are not an evil greedy rich person just because you have possessions and modern kitchen conveniences.}

More is just… MORE.

More to manage.  More responsibility.  Because it’s more to take care of.  More to deal with.  More to clean, organize, think about…

These days I feel burdened with my more.  

I feel weighed down by STUFF.

Maybe part of the solution to my homemaking struggles, my disorganization and my daily frustration to ‘maintain’ is to DE-CLUTTER.

I am so attracted to a minimalist life in pretty much every area.  But it is so. hard. to. do.  Capsule wardrobe.  Few toys.  Touch-it-once paper organization.  Simple kitchen.  Simple EVERYTHING!!!!!  I just crave simple right now!  It’s like nesting instinct, but not (I’m not prego).

Less STUFF = More LIFE!

I want TIME.  Time to have play dates, and walk outside.  Time to read books and just sit and think {without feeling guilty about wasting time}.  I want to have time to cultivate relationships with people, write on this blog, and enjoy walks in nature with Olaf and Maple.  I want time to just look my kids in the eyes and be silly!  I don’t want to spend the entire day doing mundane {but important!} household tasks!  I want my home to be orderly and manageable without it taking all my time!

I want JOY!  Taking care of STUFF stresses me out!  The laundry is never ending, my to-do list never done {frustrating}, and there are always organizational projects I want to get done because I feel like I’m living in piles of STUFF!  Does that sound like a wonderful and enjoyable life??!  We already know that things might bring temporary happiness, but they are not the source of true Joy… So if it’s too much to manage, some of it must GO! 

I want FAMILY!  Some amount of stuff is necessary.  But I never want my kids to feel like ‘things’ were more important than them.  Or there was too much to do so I never focused on them.  I want quality relational skills not damaged by technology gadgets.  I want creativity unhampered by too many toys.      

I want FREEDOM!  I want to break free from the ideal that more stuff brings happiness.  Oh my goodness!  That is SO NOT TRUE.  If it is, I’m not feeling it, people!  And I’m drowning in stuff!

You know what?  I have too many clothes.  I don’t wear them all.  But some are sentimental.  I just called clothes sentimental.  I probably won’t ever fit back into the shirt I wore when Ben and I were dating.  And if I do?  I could buy a NEW SHIRT when the time comes.  Christmas decorations?  *sigh*  Well, I guess I do need a box for those… but only one!  Baby paraphernalia we probably will need again, so I can’t get rid of everything, but it can hide in the basement.  But old raggety-ratty-tatty rugs?  Stained washcloths?  Extra kitchen accessories we don’t use?  Things we bought at garage sales thinking ‘Maybe someday we’ll have a need for this, and if not, we’ll sell it,’ except we never sold it?  Oh boy, I have work to do!  And where oh where to start??!

I need an accountability group.

End rant.  {Thanks for listening!}