I’ve been de-cluttering the house again. How in the world do we collect so much stuff that we just have to get rid of? A lack of self control? Too many kind family members? To much procrastination? 

I’ve started to think that the main reason homes stay cluttered, beside the obvious reason of bringing too much stuff in the house, is that we major on the “What Ifs”.

What if I need this plastic chicken salad bowl and lid to put food in for Nana when she comes over next week?

What if I find a use for this 3 feet of twine?

What if I throw this old hairbrush away and then the dog’s brush breaks?

What if I give this suit away and then wish I had not?

What If ?……..

The What Ifs keep us tied up and under their control when it comes to getting rid of clutter. We are paralyzed with fear that we won’t have what we need. And that is really strange when you think about how much even the poorest people have in this country.

In the late 1920’s and early 1930’s the world experienced an economic crisis. In the U.S. it was known as the Great Depression.  Because there simply was not the great amount of STUFF in production during that time, people ran out of, wore out and used up things and then went without.  Money was hard to come by and it didn’t have much buying power.  So people made-do and did without many things.

Use it up.
Wear it out.
Make it do…
Or do without.

We don’t really live by that little poem today. We go buy what we need, maybe we go to the thrift store and find it for pennies, but what we want is usually right at our hand. In general, we live in a disposable nation. We throw away things because they have outlived their usefulness and we store things because they might have some use in the future. Its mixed up.

Today, in 2012, we are experiencing another kind of economic crisis. Again, money isn’t buying as much but the crucial difference is that there is so much STUFF available to everyone. Even in the form of used stuff like clothing or kitchen appliances, stuff is available to everyone.

So then why do we fear somehow that we won’t have what we need?

If we are Christians, then why do we fear this at all? Do we not believe that the Lord will provide what we need? Is it that we are confused about needs and wants? Do we think we are entitled to have certain things in life?

If you’ve ever gone without something you needed, you understand that fear or anxiety. Some older folks who lived through the Great Depression still have hoarding tendencies. At the end of the day though they understand that the world is a different place and that things are more readily available today and that the hoarding is not necessary but a reaction to fear of the future.

Other people store food and household supplies for the future. That’s a different thing. They eat out of their storage and are prepared for disaster. Its a very Biblical concept to prepare for the future and at the same time rely on God, praying and preparing.

We make excuses about decluttering.   I have a family member who doesn’t really want to get into the decluttering mode and that would make it very easy for me to toss the whole idea and forget about decluttering, even though it desperately needs to be done.

Ever.

There are some Pack-Rat tendencies there.   I have friends who want to declutter but they have a family member who isn’t on board with it.  What I’ve learned is that I can declutter my own things.  I can create peace in my personal environments like the kitchen, my side of the bedroom, the bathroom…. without disturbing the clutter needs of other family members.  My efforts usually translate to other people in the family being more conscious of their clutter and try to declutter too.  Even if my efforts don’t wear off on others, my own spaces are clutter-free and more enjoyable to use.

I am going to keep on with my efforts at decluttering but more than that; I am going to try to live without bringing in all the stuff in the first place.  I want to trust God to provide me with what I need on a daily basis and not be afraid to give away what I am not using. I want to be able to do without when I need to, use it up until its worn out before I throw it away or replace it.

I don’t want the What Ifs to rule me or my belief that God cares about me and will provide my needs. I don’t want to give in to fear or anxiety about the future but to cast my cares on the Lord and rely on Him.

What about you? Are you decluttering? Are you afraid to get rid of your stuff? Why do you think that is?