How to Declutter for a Simpler Life

Are you feeling overwhelmed with clutter in your life? You should come to my house! Clutter can be the physical stuff piled up that you don't know what to do with, or the emotional clutter that accumulates in a busy life because you don't have time to think.

Just talking about "decluttering" can cause stress. Well, take a big breath and keep reading... maybe you'll get something out of this.

Believe me, I know how important it is to declutter a busy life. Between juggling doctor's visits, all the extra chopping and cooking that comes with my cancer diet, plus keeping up with ministry details, I can get emotionally and practically overwhelmed. That's when I need to sit on my porch with a cup of tea. (Yes, even when it's freezing out... I sit in a sleeping bag.)

When I was a widow, I was my own boss. I prefer to keep things neat, but "neat" is of personal interpretation. Living alone, there was nobody complaining, "When are you going to get rid of this junk?" If I left a pile of stuff in some corner, I knew I'd get to it eventually. To neaten or not to neaten was totally up to me.

As far as emotional clutter goes, being a widow had its advantages, too. For example, I didn't have to explain a bad mood. Rearranging the living room furniture always pulled me out of the doldrums!

Not all "clutter" is bad ... Enter new husband... Say goodbye to rearranging furniture. Rob prefers things to stay the same. Besides, he won't let me move or lift anything. Robert also came with a boatload of stuff I can't relate to. How do you organize what you don't understand, like fishing gear and enough tools to stock a hardware store? (Who needs fifty screwdrivers, anyway?) The man has more clothes than I do. He takes such good care of his things; he has shirts that are forty years old. He also has an inventory of socks and hats that could put JCPenney out of business. Robert is the most agreeable man I've ever met, but try explaining to a linear thinker that I like to flow through life. It ain't easy.

Regarding husbands, I had to learn:

1. Just because you were married once doesn't mean you know how to be married to this man.

2. Plan dinner in the morning so you don't freak out at 5:00 when your husband asks what's for dinner and you haven't given it a single thought.

3. Cast your irritation on the Lord before it rolls out of your mouth.

4. Let love rule.

Years ago, the Lord gave me a recipe for life. My husband, Bill, and I were praying when the Lord impressed us with a word. He said, "Live Orderly, Simply, and Close to Me."

Orderly: I have discovered that I function much better when my surroundings are uncluttered. It lowers stress and creates a sense of being in control. According to WebMD, it helps minimize feelings of being overwhelmed and anxious, allowing better focus on tasks. I find that when I take time to neaten up my space before starting a task, ideas flow more smoothly.

Simply: I start by making a list (and try not to lose it). I don't write down big goals, like "declutter the entire house" (I'd quit before I got started if I did that.) I write detailed mini-goals so I can check off what I've accomplished and see my progress. For example, instead of writing "organize the bedroom", I write "organize the sock drawer," or maybe "locate your socks and put them in the same drawer." Keep it simple.

Close to Him: The Lord told me years ago, "Don't hoard your hurts." Emotional clutter chokes your prayer life. Cancer comes with its own brand of fear. I have to stay close to the Lord so it doesn't get a hold on me.

There's NO shame in clutter. Just pray for grace, and God will help you. By all means, don't compare yourself to others. I bought a Martha Stewart magazine ONE TIME. She never bothered to reveal how many people were helping to declutter her house. I'm going to follow my own advice and keep making a list. (I could make it easy on myself and just put a garage sale sign on the front door, then leave town.)

Where will you start? I'd love to hear your declutter plan... household, or emotional. Since I'm not allowed to rearrange the furniture anymore, I'll just keep casting all my cares on the Lord. How about you?