Happy New Year!
Welcome to 2024! I can’t believe another new year is here already. It seems like we just celebrated 2023.
Resolutions
Do you have any New Years resolutions? I usually don’t but this year I do. I need to declutter -tone it down. Simplify.
It’s hard though. I tend to feel overwhelmed. Do you ever feel overwhelmed by the amount of clutter that you just don’t know where to start? Do you know the Bible has something to say about clutter?
Luke 12:15
Then he said to them, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.”
Let’s face it. Wanting all that stuff is greedy.
Philippians 4:12-13
I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want and I can do all this through him who gives me strength.
We need to be content with what we have.
1 Timothy 6:6-8
But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that.
If we are clothed and have enough to eat, we must be content with that.
Hebrews 13:5
“Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.”
God tells us to be content with what we have because He will never leave us or turn away from us.
1 John 2:15-17
“Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them. For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever.”
If we love our stuff too much, then we don’t love God. Basically, when it’s our turn to die, we can’t take it with us. All that stuff would be a distraction from worshipping God.
Matthew 6:19-21
Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
God wants us to “collect” heavenly treasures rather than all the stuff you collect on earth. Our stash on earth invites bugs and rats to infest. Where our stash, aka treasure, is, that is what we love the most.
Proverbs 15:16
Better a little with the fear of the Lord than great wealth with turmoil.
It is better to have respect for God than the stress that comes with all the hoarding.
Romans 12:2
“Do not conform to the pattern of this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”
Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you.
1 Timothy 6: 17-18
Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share.
This talks about being generous and willing to share. We’re not to place priority on having so much stuff but to put our focus on God.
Ecclesiastes 3:6
A time to keep and a time to throw away
Did you know God even talks about throwing things away? The ESV says “There is a time to get rid of what we no longer use. It can be a good thing to discard or to recycle.”
Luke 12: 15-21
Then he said to them, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.” And he told them this parable: “The ground of a certain rich man yielded an abundant harvest. He thought to himself, ‘What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.’ “Then he said, ‘This is what I’ll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store my surplus grain. And I’ll say to myself, “You have plenty of grain laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.”’
But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’ This is how it will be with whoever stores up things for themselves but is not rich toward God.”
Watch out for greed. Life is more than just a bunch of possessions.
You know, I never really connected hoarding and clutter with greed. I related it to possible laziness but also depression which is a problem with me.
Want to know five easy things to do for a friend with depression? Click here.
So how do we go about decluttering? This is something I will be working on along with you. We can do this together!
Pencil it in!
Make an appointment to start your decluttering on your calendar and stick with it!
Start with your holiday clutter.
Recycle anything you don’t want or you don’t use. Try to condense it into fewer boxes and put them in one place so you can find them easily next year.
Get rid of any unwanted gifts.
Regift them or donate them to a reusit shop so someone else can enjoy them.
Go through your storage place
Clean out the clutter and make sure there is enough room to store all you wish to store.
Do a good, thorough cleaning as you go through each area.
When was the last time you vacuumed that corner where you had all your stuff accumulating?
Dispose of any junk or trash.
If you have any large items, you can call in a junk service like 1-800-got-junk. They will take just about anything that is not hazardous or can be safely lifted by two men.
Get rid of duplicates or anything not used over the past year.
Chances are, if you have not used it, you won’t use it.
Digitize nostalgic items
You don’t want to throw away Little Bobby’s picture of two cows? Take a picture of it!
Do not keep things out of guilt.
If Aunt Mary’s quilt is just taking up space, get rid of it!
Put things away where they belong.
You need a place for everything and everything in its place. Whenever you are done using something put it back in its place. Make sure everything has a home.
Think Vertical Space
If you have higher ceilings, you can use that extra space for storage, I had seen someone who put two shower rods across her bathroom ceiling for extra bulk storage space.
How’s your spending?
Perhaps you need a thirty day spending hiatus to get you spending on things you don’t need under control.
Well, I believe we have some great ideas to start the new year off. Perhaps I will check in later to see how you are doing and to show what I have done. Have a wonderful new year!
