Less is More

I have too much stuff. Do you? I bet you do too. Last night I came across this on a web page:

less

Stop buying the unnecessary.
Toss half your stuff, learn contentedness.
Reduce half again.
List 4 essential things in your life, do these first,
stop doing the non-essential.
Clear distractions, focus on each moment.
Let go of attachment to doing, having more.

Fall in love with less.

I found myself sitting and re-reading this simple 8 line doctrine over and over again.

This morning it is on my mind yet again...fall in love with less! As I look around my house I am struck by how much stuff I do have, and I have less than some of my friends. What is this stuff that fills, inhabits and many times clutters up my life? Some of it is stuff that's sentimental - gifts from family and friends that mean a great deal to me. Some of it is stuff that belongs to my family, that, shock shock, has not made it back to the place it belongs. Some of it is stuff that needs to be sorted, shredded, recycled and tossed. Some of it is stuff that I have collected for years, that unfortunately I have now run out of room for and it is slowly taking over my house. And some of it is stuff that I am just too lazy to get rid or, worse yet, keep, because I - say it with me - might NEED/WANT/WEAR/USE it someday!

Stuff, stuff, stuff!!! Clutter, clutter, clutter!!!

It is everywhere in my house, my office and my life. Pondering all the physical clutter in my life has made me start to wonder about the other kinds of clutter in my life: emotional, mental, spiritual, relational, and physical. Is the rest of my life as cluttered as some parts of my house? I'm sure it is.

So my question now becomes, how do I begin the VERY daunting process of de-cluttering, and de-stuffing my life? The actual physical stuff of my life is probably the easier of those two tasks to accomplish, it's a matter of just getting started! Maybe, it's just a shelf or a drawer, and not the whole closet that I do, but today I will unclutter one part of my house today.

Decluttering my emotional, mental, spiritual, relational and physical life will be a LOT harder. First, I need to decide what is actual clutter and what is still vital. Then I need to figure out how to move those things that clutter up my heart, mind, soul and body up and out. Finally, I need to reorder the essential parts and try to use them daily, and keep ME uncluttered.

It is going to be a daunting process but one that I think I am ready to tackle. Will you join me?