Do you ever feel like you're just drowning in clutter? Straight up fighting to get air from under the dirty dishes, piles of paper, laundry.
And books. So many books.
And it seems like I'm not alone. So many women on my instagram feed and blog roll are fighting the good fight against excess mess and excess stuff.
Two of my favorite ladies have talked about it this season.
Ruth (who is simply amazing) shares her perspective in At The Root of Clutter.
She starts off saying something that hits me hard.
And so I purchase baskets, and boxes, and labels, and sorters. And they help. But sometimes a chaotic home is a reflection of a chaotic mind, and sometimes a chaotic mind is a reflection of a chaotic home. Do you know the vicious cycle I speak of? Buying more tools for organization doesn't simply make the mess go away-- not on the dresser, not in the closet, and not in our overwhelmed minds and hearts.Oh.my.gosh. Truth right there. I can't help to feel anxious when I come home to a messy house - and I can't help but let my home go when my mind is elsewhere.
But how do we find a balance?
So many times I've looked where it seems Ruth has looked. I think "how can I better organize ____" and I come home with the tools that I think will help.
When really, I need to get to the root of clutter and send things out the door instead of bringing things in.
Rachel from Finding Joy (one of my daily reads) says what I need to hear in the first sentence of her post Clear the Clutter.
Stuff can suffocate joy.Oh my.
Rachel goes on to talk about taking charge of the clutter so it's "easier for us to operate out of joy."
I want to operate out of joy!!
I've done quite a bit already. Donated duplicates. Thought critically about my closet. Tried to limit my sentimentality towards objects and think more about function (which is really hard for me).
Just because it's cute, doesn't mean it has a place in my home.
How have you struggled against clutter? And if you haven't, well, I'd love to know your secret.
Told you we had a lot of books.
Yes. I am much older than you but still struggle with clutter. One trick I use is keeping a carton somewhere in the house, closet floor, utility room, doesn't matter where. When a garment doesn't fit, a gadget in a drawer hasn't been used in living memory, when an item or piece of clothing is upgraded the non-functional things go directly into the box. A charity called Purple Heart calls me periodically and pick up the boxes in front of the house. I think it is difficult for most people who aren't born minimalists. Good luck!
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