Too Much “Stuff” Can Cause More Grief

Clutter All Around

I’ve spent all summer going through “stuff” at my house, my mom’s house and even my grown kids’ houses and I’m physically exhausted! I’m mentally exhausted even more! “Stuff” has become a dirty word for me. Stuff is anything that is not a necessity, and that’s even ambiguous. It’s the excessive accumulation of belongings, home décor, previous gifts, keepsakes, and many unknown and unidentifiable objects. I believe we all have too much of this stuff and it can overwhelm our homes, closets, kitchen drawers, garages, offices, yards and our entire surroundings. It can even overwhelm our entire being!! Truly. Where did it all come from?! I even have other peoples’ stuff! All of this clutter sets the tone for my life and I get confused and overwhelmed. I feel icky and irritable when the clutter takes over my surroundings and my life; it dominates my space and even time. Time is my most valuable commodity right now and I’ve realized I’ve been handing it over to the maintenance and eternal upkeep of the stuff. It has to be cleaned, gone through, sorted, organized and reorganized and it’s a contestant reminder there is more to do than I have time. It’s all so frustrating. The more I thought about this clutter all around in my life, the more I realized that I was also hoarding unwanted “stuff” mentally, emotionally and spiritually…which may be the most detrimental “stuff” of all!

Why Keep Negative Stuff?

I have been somewhat successful in purging my garage and my closets, but what about my heart? I realized how all that junk in and around my home was bogging me down so released it, but I was still clinging to unwanted hurts of the past and emotional stuff that was weighing me down even more. Why is it so hard to get rid of things we don’t need and don’t even want? These things serve no good purpose in our lives; they only contribute to the confusion and grief we feel. It’s time to let go and clean house! No more relentlessly toting around the unwanted emotional, mental and spiritual junk of your life that adversely affects your being, your health, your attitude and the people you love. Some of us may carry this mess into every aspect of our lives where it can taint relationships, affect work performance and hold us back from our God-given purpose. Why keep this negative stuff? It’s time to let it go.

Time to Purge the Unwanted

I purged my surroundings from the excess clutter and all the burdens it held. We released and began to experience the freedom from the bondage “stuff” brings. Maybe you need to release yourself from the physical excess in your life and also start working on your emotional, mental and spiritual unwanted stuff? If you want to increase your joy, energy and peace then it’s time for you to purge the unwanted and unnecessary stuff from your life… all of it! Start by making the healthy decision to sort through all of your clutter in your surroundings then take inventory and examine your heart. Are you carrying the extra weight of grief, negativity, anger, or animosity? Does your heart feel heavy? Is it cluttered with old and unwanted memories? Are you storing junk from the past? Do you harbor unforgiveness? Do you hold on to anger? Does bitterness or negativity clutter your mind and heart? Is guilt and shame taking up space that could be occupied with joy? Release all of the undesirable, destructive and negative things in your life, which drains you and leaves you overwhelmed, irritable and exhausted. Remember, “stuff” is high-maintenance; it demands attention, time and energy.

Lighten Your Load into Freedom

Free yourself from hurtful emotion and negative thoughts; purge them to allow room for optimistic ideas and positive feelings. Let love replace hate and hope replace despair. Get rid of the old clutter to make room for the new, orderly way of living! I don’t have power over some things in life, but I can definitely control the amount of possessions I have. I can also regulate the things I keep in my heart and the ideas I let my mind dwell on. You too can choose to lighten your load today and release your heart to experience a life of peace, joy and freedom.