*Note: This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.
Read about Part 1: Uncovering the Costs of Clutter HERE.
There are very few books I have read more than once (and few movies I have watched more than once). (affiliate link) Clutter Free by Kathi Lipp is one of those books. Many people have defaulted to reading the other decluttering book, but I have a hard time remembering the title. 😉 There were some great ideas in that book, but I will have to agree with what this article said about it. Clutter Free is different because it digs a little deeper to the heart issue of clutter. We’ll see what we discover this month through Clutter Free, and figure out what “next step(s)” we can take to embrace and overcome some challenges of motherhood.
I’ll be sharing my reflections on this book through the month as we journey through what “HomeLife” is to you…and me.
I will be reflecting on some discussion guide questions, as well as some quotable quotes, from each chapter to keep it condensed, otherwise I am a pretty wordy mama.
5. Why We Buy
– It is challenging in this “stuff-obsessed” world to really discover what it would look like to live the content life Paul describes in Philippians 4:12-13. But the more I get rid of stuff, the more free I feel from the burden of “keeping up.”
– I’m not really a shopper, so I’m thankful I don’t have to deal with the temptation to buy, buy, buy, but I know having a budget and keeping the mindset of “less is more” can be a system to help support a clutter free life.
Some quotable quotes:
The problem, of course, is that buying things we don’t love or need leads us to clutter. And clutter is the opposite of where our heart should be…
But God is clear that when we surround ourselves with less stuff, we can have more of the things that matter: his presence, peace, contentment, and joy.
6. So Really, Why Do I Keep Doing That?
– Three things, currently in my home, that I neither need nor love are: cutting mats, extra half-used notebooks, and books I won’t actually read.
– The image I am wanting to portray that causes me to buy more, need more, and keep more is one of self-sufficiency.
Some quotable quotes:
…the world use three things to keep us reliant, trapped, and constantly seeking answers in the products that we buy: fear, guilt, and shame.
If you keep drilling down to what’s causing the need to acquire, see if it’s rooted in fear, guilt, or shame. If it is, deal with that emotion sitting in front of you instead of another thing you will need to deal with again later down the road.
7. Yet More Compelling Reasons to Buy Things
– I recently bought journals because it was on sale and I haven’t used them. They are nice to have around as quick gifts though. 😉
– I can shift my vision so that I can be more open to God’s plan for me rather than the one marketers and the world are pushing by practicing an attitude of gratitude with the things I already own. They may not be the best or the newest, but I can make do with what I have.
Some quotable quotes:
Stop the process of acquiring before you need to spend your space, time, energy, and money on buying it, storing it, and eventually getting rid of it.
8. There’s a Whole World of Better Stuff Out There…or So We Think
– If you had to make a list of the items you own, from memory alone, I would remember quite a large percentage of my possessions because I don’t really own much after these few years of decluttering. The changes I need to make to know what I have and shift my perspective about my stuff is to not worry so much about tomorrow and having those “just-in-case” items.
– We have never really been too spendy on things because we really enjoy an occasional good meal out and our annual trips to explore the world and/or our community, but if we were to be even more intentional about decluttering, we would have greater freedom to invite people over to our home without worrying about putting stuff away and leaving our home without worrying about potentially having stuff stolen. Some ways I can invite my family to participate is to see how they are able to bless someone else with things that they have that they don’t necessarily need.
Some quotable quotes:
We all know that things don’t make us happy. And things will never bring us closer to God or closer to people…yet I think putting a clutter-free life into practice is harder than it seems.
And that’s what this book is about – intentionally, purposefully, and prayerfully letting go of the things that truly don’t matter so we can cling to the things that do.
Your turn: Have you discovered why you buy stuff?
P.S. Next week I will be reading Part 3 on Why We Keep Stuff.
P.S.S. You can check out My 2017 Book List (specifically curated for the Work-in-Progress Mom) and read along with me this year.
*Note: This post may contain affiliate links, which means I’ll receive a tiny percentage if you make a purchase through my link at no extra cost to you. Read my disclosure policy here.