“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!” 2 Cor 5:17
In May 2016, my husband and I returned from our ten-year anniversary trip to find our home infested with bed bugs. Thousands of them.
In two days, we emptied every closet and drawer, purging or packing up each item so it could be specially heat-treated to ensure we killed all the bugs and their eggs. In the process of cleaning out our home, I was shocked to discover the number of items I had held on to “just in case.” Outdated prom and bridesmaid dresses just in case I got invited to a fancy gala. Dozens of old tee shirts just in case I took on a new painting project. Twenty-seven boxes of teaching materials just in case I decided to go back to my former career.
At this point, I had clearly heard God’s call to share my faith and minister to others, but I was still tempted to return to what was comfortable (e.g. the public school classroom). I struggled with doubt, but God used a moment of prayer, a conversation with a friend, and this paragraph from Veronica Partridge’s book, Find Your Calling, to show me that trusting in His plan meant letting the other things go.
“I have a friend named Jen who worked in a preschool for years. She loved it and assumed she’d be in the education system for the rest of her life. Then she noticed an itch for more. Her marriage had a pretty rocky season, and she wanted to use her story to help others…Unlike others I’ve heard who talked about writing a book or starting a blog, Jen actually did it…If Jen had continued as a preschool teacher, she might have had a satisfying career. But she would have missed out on the calling that only she could fulfill. And millions of women would have missed out on the hope and healing they’ve received because Jen was willing to discern and pursue her calling.” 1
These words leapt off the page as God spoke deep into my soul. “If you want to follow Me, let these things go. I want all of you, including that which you’ve invested the most time and energy to attain. Set your own skills aside so that My power can shine through you. The more you remove yourself from your story, the more you live for My glory.”
I took a step of faith and sent a message to a friend to pass my materials to someone who could use them. I knew I needed to let go of my just in case to be fully focused on Christ and what He was calling me to do.
What is that thing for you?
What are you holding on to “just in case”?
What thoughts or things do you need to lay down so you can move forward?
Holding on to our “just in case” does more than distract and hinder us from moving forward; it stands in the way of others receiving the gift that comes when we are willing to pursue God’s call.
Chip Away
Michelangelo was 26 years-old when he picked up a chisel and set out to complete his masterpiece. Upon completion of the statue, when asked how he made it, he said, “It is easy. You just chip away at the stone that doesn’t look like David.”2
We can simplify our life by taking a chisel to the overcrowded spaces, overflowing inboxes, overcommitted schedules, and overwhelming thoughts that steal our focus from connecting with others and following God’s call.
Similar to Michelangelo’s David, we must chip away at the things that don’t belong – the physical, mental, and psychological clutter that distracts us from a Kingdom-focused life. We must chip away at the things we used to do, the places we used to go, and way we used to think. If we want to live in Christ and welcome the new in, the old must go (2 Corinthians 5:17).
In Nicole Nordeman’s song, The Unmaking, she talks about demolishing what once was to make room for a new way of living. Listen to the song here, taking note of these lyrics:
This is where the walls gave way
This is demolition day
All the debris and all this dust
What is left of what once was
Sorting through what goes and what should stay
This is the unmaking
Beauty and the breaking
Had to lose myself to find out who you are
Before each beginning
There must be an ending
Sitting in the rubble
I can see the stars
This is the unmaking
This is the unmaking
The longer and the tighter that we hold
Only makes it harder to let go
Love will not stay locked inside
A steeple or a tower high
Only when we’re broken are we whole
What happens now?
When all I’ve made is torn down?
The Unmaking
In the past few years, I’ve purged everything from outdated clothes to negative thoughts and time commitments that were taking away from what God was calling me to do. I’ve turned down offers for PTA president and Girl Scout leader in favor of prioritizing my family, my sanity, and a simpler way of living.
What do you need to knock down in your life to create space for a new way of living? Ask God to highlight anything in your life that stands in the way of you following Him and focusing on the things that matter most.
As we set out to declutter our life, the easiest place to start is with our physical environment. Reducing physical clutter is analogous to demolishing those first few bricks – it begins the process and builds momentum. It’s also been proven that eliminating physical clutter improves mental clarity, freeing up space to breathe, grow, reflect, and connect with God and others. Here are a few tips to get started:
1. At the end of each day, gather all the clutter in a laundry basket and put it away or throw it away. Encourage children to help by putting their items in a designated location.
2. Assign a designated location for each item in your home, such as a game closet, toy bin, and basket for incoming and outgoing mail.
3. Prior to holidays and birthday celebrations, clean out old or unused clothing and toys and give them to charity.
4. Before heading to bed, clear and wipe down counter tops, clean the dishes, and put them away so you can wake up to a clutter-free environment.
5. If you’re not sure where to start, choose the room in your home that is the biggest source of stress. To build momentum, begin with your purse or the bathroom where you’re less likely to be emotionally attached to items. To take massive action, start in the kids’ playroom.3
Simply put, too much clutter equals chaos. It overloads our senses, increases stress, and decreases our ability to focus. In most cases, the items we hold on to aren’t necessities, they can be better used by someone else, or they can be easily replaced if our “just in case” comes true.
Letting Go
After reaching out to my friend about passing on my materials, I received this response: “I mentioned it to another teacher and she wasn’t interested. They are all so overwhelmed.” Her response was further confirmation that I didn’t want to return to my old way of living.
This past week, I completed a second major clean out of that storage closet. I passed some items on to a friend, set a few I can still use aside, and purged the rest. Before dragging the bags out to the curb, I “sat in the rubble” between crates of old books and boxes of lesson plans and I cried. I had held on to some of those materials for 15 years.
Letting go was one of the hardest things I’ve had to do, but it was a necessary step to move in the direction God is calling me to go. What happens now? I’m honestly not sure. But one thing I do know is this: There is freedom in release. In letting go, we are free to focus on what lies ahead.
Call to Action: We can take small steps toward simplifying our life by decluttering our homes and workspaces. Download 10 Tips to Declutter Your Physical Environment, and choose one item to implement this week. Head on over to our private Facebook group for a behind the scenes look at my decluttering journey and to share how decluttering your home has helped improve mental clarity and create space for you to focus.
Additional Resources:
- The Power of Less by Leo Babauta, A Simplified Life by Emily Ley, or anything by Joshua Becker (The Minimalist Home: A Room-by-Room Guide to a Decluttered, Refocused Life will be released on December 18th)
- Weekly cleaning calendar to “chip away” at household chores each day so you don’t get overwhelmed. If you’d prefer to create your own calendar, check out this one.
- Home organization for the minimalist – tips for organizing each room.
- The Ultimate Decluttering Checklist based on Marie Kondo’s best-selling book, The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up.
- Minimalism: A Documentary About the Important Things (Free on Netflix, you can watch the trailer here. Consider what “minimalism” might look like in your home.)
References
1. Partridge, Veronica & Dale. (2016). Find Your Calling. Bend, OR. Dale Partridge, Inc.
2. TerKeurst, Lysa. Moore, Beth. (2012). Unglued: Making Wise Choices in the Midst of Raw Emotions. Grand Rapids, MI. Zondervan.
3. Van Kirk, Kelsey, host. “How to Run Your Home Like a Boss with Kendra Hessessy.” The Better Life Podcast, Season 1, Episode 16. February 22, 2018. https://www.kelseyvankirk.com/podcast/run-home-like-boss-kendra-hennessy
4 thoughts on “Demolition Day – Decluttering Our Physical Environment”
Amazing
Thank you, Naisha! What part most connected with you? Looking forward to taking the journey with you!