Tuesday's Tip

Clutter.  Everyone has it, to one degree or another.  We are going to move before too long, and so we've been giving some thought about what we need to keep vs. what we need to purge.  I think it's good to do that on a regular basis, whether or not a move is in the picture.

Think about how much time is robbed due to clutter.  How many times do we move "that" pile over to another spot, because we need the present spot that the clutter is occupying.  What about that pile that is quickly shuffled to a back bedroom, as we get ready for company?  (Admit it, you know you do it. :) )  Sometimes the clutter is made up of necessary stuff - a project that we are involved in at the moment that we want to work on as time permits.  Sometimes it's neccesary paperwork that we haven't taken the time to file, or even worse, there is no designated place for it.  I'm speaking to myself here - I need to do better.  Purge it or organize it, but do SOMETHING with it, besides shuffle it.

Think about how our clutter robs our time; time which could be spent doing more important things.  Sometimes people have so much clutter that they don't feel comfortable using their home for hospitality.  Sometimes we spend so much time shuffling and cleaning our stuff, while our kids are really needing some attention.  Think about how much money our "clutter" represents. Do we really need all of this stuff? It has been very noticeable, when our family goes back to the States for a visit, how much time people spend talking about their stuff.

Living more simply can be liberating in a number of ways: 

• We just might discover that we have more money for those more important things by not buying so many things that tend to clutter up our house, which simply provide another surface where dust can accumulate.
• Our time could be spent focusing on more important things, if we don't need to spend so much of our time shuffling, sorting, and shifting our clutter.
• Have you ever misplaced an important document, only to find it in a huge clutter pile?  Just think what a bit of decluttering and organizing could do for you sanity!
• We could be more free to practice hospitality, because with less clutter, we might be more willing to invite someone over on a moment's notice.

I'm not suggesting we need to live a life of asceticism, where we must deny ourselves any pleasure, but I do think that we could do better at decluttering our lives. 

On that note, I think I'm going to find a pile to sort. :)