Avoiding Clutter

 

“There was a man all alone; he had neither son nor brother. There was no end to his toil, yet his eyes were not content with his wealth. ‘For whom am I toiling,’ he asked, ‘and why am I depriving myself of enjoyment? This too is meaningless–a miserable business!'” Ecclesiastes 4:8

     I watched a documentary about a man who built himself a tiny house. And I learned there is an entire movement around the world of people building and living in tiny houses. Some do it for financial reasons, others for the environment, and some do so to live simply.

     My first reaction to this was: That is insane. How could anyone live in a house of 100-500 square feet? But then I thought about it awhile, and asked myself: Is that any crazier than one or two people living in 3500 square feet homes?

     I have a feeling the Lord would approve of the idea of living simply, and of finding a way to live an uncluttered life. Having a roof over our head, clothes on our back, food in our belly, and a bed to sleep in–what more do we really need?

    Living with illness causes you to continually re-examine the amount of clutter and non-essential items in your life that steal time and energy. We need to live simplified lives. We may not need to move into a tiny house, but we could improve our lives by living small, living simply. Indeed, that would benefit anyone whether healthy or well.

    People living in tiny houses cannot afford clutter. They are limited in their storage space, and must choose carefully what they add to their lives. By living in a tiny house they will never become hoarders, and they will never buy or collect nonessential items.

    We may not live in tiny houses, but we could benefit from their mindset. Do we really need to clutter up our lives with non-essentials? How often could we benefit by keeping things simple, avoiding clutter, and better managing our resources?

    I think everyone could improve their lives by embracing less and avoiding clutter. Quality of life improves when it comes to keeping our lives simple and free of unnecessary burdens.

    Prayer: Dear Lord, help us stay free of clutter and avoid unnecessary burdens. Amen.