For the last year or so, I’ve been convicted about the need to downsize my life. I have too much stuff. Plain and simple. (And if you suspect I’m overstating the problem, check out my New Year’s resolution from 2008. Yeah. It’s that bad. Although I did manage to rid my house of Chicken Dance Ernie.)
My home isn’t the only place in my life that’s cluttered. My schedule is cluttered. My mind is cluttered. I don’t think my heart is horribly cluttered (which is probably why I feel so convicted about this), but that’s about the only area of my life that doesn’t scream “this is a seriously overextended woman who needs to get a grip!”
The problem is, I can’t get a grip. I’ve tried. And failed miserably. Over and over again.
I have begun to wonder if perhaps the problem is not that I need to get a grip–perhaps it’s that I need to release my grip. I am not sure what that would look like in my life, and pondering the implications is scary. However, it has become very clear to me that I cannot maintain the life I have created for myself. Not well, at least. Something needs to give, and too often the things that are put on the back burner are the things that are the most important to me.
Anyone else ever feel like their activities are inversely-proportional to their values?
So, I will be pondering. And praying. If any of you want to pray that God gives me wisdom and clarity in this process, I would be thankful and blessed!
In the meantime, I found this video inspiring (although perhaps a bit simpler for a single New Yorker to pull off than a family of six). Enjoy!
How about you? Do you feel like you need to downsize your life? Have you successfully transitioned to a more sane lifestyle? Share your thoughts in the comments! (Pretty please–I need all the help and inspiration I can get!)
I saw that video too, linked on The Radical Journey blog (a blog with a very interesting and engaging take from a young pastor). One thing I have come to realize is that I am better able to keep out the clutter if I refuse to acquire stuff in the first place. It took me about 2 years to finally decide to buy a black fleece pullover, even though I could have used it as much two years ago as I will this winter. We have two rooms in our house that are completely unfurnished. We used to talk about what we might get for them, but it’s funny how that conversation has not come up lately. And when our kids started moving away to college, we found that some of the clutter (plus a bed and pair of couches) became useful for them. I am also determined not to let them bring it back!
As for a cluttered schedule, I used to say yes to everything. Then I stopped. I’m really good now at saying no to other peoples’ ideas of what I should be doing with my time. If you are looking for a practical tip, I’ll pas son one that a friend of mine uses all the time. If someone asks her to do something (a committee, bake sale, whatever), she tells them she’ll pray and let them know. If they press for an immediate answer, she says, “If you need an answer now, it’s no. If you would like to wait until I can pray about it and give it consideration, I may be able to say yes.” I’ve used that one too, and it works really well for staying in proper focus and keeping priorities straight.
Hope this helps,
Tim
Hmm, defaulting to “no” or “wait” instead of “yes” doesn’t seem like a bad idea! Thanks for the tip. And wow–two unfurnished rooms! That’s not happening in my phase of life, but empty space sounds quite nice!
I come to this just after filling a bag full of CDs and books I’m getting rid of. Bags of clothes are piled up in my bedroom. I’m downsizing out of necessity now more than anything, knowing that I’ll be moving into a space half as big as what I’ve got now with twice as many people. I can’t believe how many times I’ve downsized before, and how somehow, *there still manages to be more stuff.* I don’t miss the things I’ve gotten rid of every time I’ve moved — I don’t even remember most of it, only that these piles of things to “go away” are very familiar to me, and I don’t know why I still keep having so much stuff after doing this so many times! (The thing is, I hardly every buy anything except books, but because I’m so frugal, people “shower” me with “free” stuff that then induces guilt when I want to get rid of it. But I’m developing a harder shell regarding that!)
I’m looking forward to living in a smaller space again — I loved how my one-room studio in Duluth, while very spacious, kept my stuff contained and didn’t give me the luxury of accumulating a ton of stuff. But I know it’s going to be hard, too, and I don’t know why, when at my deepest self I value simplicity so highly.
So … good luck to you, Jenny! If it makes you feel any better, you’ve never struck me as someone who has excessive “stuff”, so maybe letting go won’t be so bad.
Thanks Lacey! Yeah, my excessive “stuff” may have more to with my excessive family size than anything else.
But still, the biggest challenge for me is just finding time to go through and weed out what is no longer necessary. Schedule clutter strikes again!
And yes, you DO seem to be continually downsizing.
It’s a dyed-in-the-wool part of the Lacey I know and love!!!