Day 11 {clutter}

Welcome back to Day 11 of the 31 Day Writing Challenge! I'll keep this short and sweet! I promise.

I've spent the day gathering {clutter} and I am quite ready to climb into my the sweet freshness of my flannel sheets. I've felt all day like I've worked so hard and accomplished nothing - even if the garbage can is filled with the dust bunnies I chased down and rounded up! 

clutter

[kluht-er]

verb 

1. to fill or litter with things in a disorderly manner.

noun

2. a disorderly heap or assemblage; litter.

I often feel so out of sorts when our home is messy and cluttered and I do try to keep a certain standard of clean, but when I deep clean a room it's always astounding how much I can get rid of without missing any of it. I've left things in a mess too long and so it will probably take the rest of the week month to finish what I've started, but it feels good to have some areas more orderly and clean. 

Years ago I read a quote from Dr. James Dobson that said a home should be clean enough to be healthy and messy enough to be happy. 

Our home is quite obviously very happy! 

One of the reasons there are so many blogs, businesses, books and videos centered around de-cluttering is because we have way too much stuff, and we become enslaved by it. It's a burden to have more than we need - it must be stored and maintained - and it takes up space. I read some minimalist blogs and I'm intrigued by the freedom they find in having very few possessions. It's interesting that we have a societal norm for clutter and cleanliness - we put limits on what is acceptable and what is beyond. Compulsive hoarders are labelled with anxiety disorder or obsessive compulsive disorder but minimalist often receive the same types of labels. 

Our struggle with clutter might well be a spiritual issue. God is a God of order - not chaos. Since we are made in His image, we too crave some order. Rites, rituals, traditions - they all appeal because we like order, routine, predictability - to some degree or another. Also we often give in to the pressure to have more, often equating having nice things, well cared for and clean with prosperity and happiness. I know that when I am hanging on to things that I really do not need and will not use that I am not fully trusting God to provide for our needs in His good time. I strive to find a balance between looking well to the needs of our household and trusting that He who clothes the lilies will care for me.

So today I gathered {clutter} and Monday it will make it's way to the donation box. Though I am tired and achy from all the hard work - I am happy to have at least a few hot spots checked off my list. If you are wanting to tackle clutter with a friend Jen from Balancing Beauty and Bedlam is doing a 31 Day Clutter Countdown. I'm sure she'd be happy to have you join in!