It’s Just Stuff
More Life Lessons From Cleaning Out My Closet
I have written already once before about the process of decluttering my closet (and basement and garage and kids’ rooms). It’s a really big undertaking. Time consuming. Exhausting - both physically and mentally… especially when you are working on it with three kids around. Most of the sorting ends up getting done at night. Progress is slow. But when it’s finished? So rewarding. Does anyone else go back into a closet or room a few extra times after recently decluttering to bask in how amazing it looks and feels? Only me?
When I wrote “Lord, Declutter My Heart”, I was experiencing a steady flow of thoughts. When I work with my hands, my mind is busy. Making parallels. Sorting itself out while I sort items and clothes…
This post was born out of another burst of thoughts I had when I was cleaning out my closet.
I have a simple process for sorting and decluttering. When I go through clothes, I pick rarely worn tops off their hangers one by one and toss them into the donate box. The first time through not much is ending up in that box. Nostalgia kicks in and the hold on what belongs to me is strong, even if I only wore the shirt once (or never at all!). Then, I go through the row of tops again. I am able to make a few more decisions — realistically getting rid of what I don’t wear. Then… I go through it again. And this is where the sting occurs… because I am not just getting rid of things I never wear that I don’t care about… I am letting go of items of clothing that meant something to me at one point.
On this day during the sort, when I came to one of my hoodies, I stopped. I remembered how a few years ago I was absolutely FIXED on it. I begged Jared to get it for me and sure enough it showed up Christmas morning. But here I am, decluttering six years later trying to remember the last time I wore that hoodie, or if I will ever wear it again.
Do I like it anymore?
Should I donate it?
I feel like I can’t get rid of something I wanted so badly at the time!
It was a gift!
The whole ordeal caused me to pause and think about my current desires… For better clothes, purses, gadgets, cars… Stuff. Sometimes I dream about the kind of furniture I wish I had or home I desire.
It’s all so… material.
These things? They come in and out of style. My desires? They change too.
Anything I want so badly right now, if I got it, would I be tossing it into the donate bin six years later? Annoyed that it’s taking up so much space?
In that moment while wrestling through whether or not I should keep a sweatshirt I learned a simple lesson.
Hold your possessions loosely. It’s just stuff.
Living Out His Light
Perspective shifts like this help me be more mindful — that I need to pause before purchases, be grateful for what I have, and not allow my desires to become idolatry.
Every material need met is a gift of God’s provision. It’s also wonderful that we can be generous by donating what we do not use anymore!
How do we live out the light of Jesus regarding our material possessions?
We place our hope in the gospel of Jesus Christ, rather than things which are temporary.
We steward our time, resources, and stuff in a way that glorifies Him. Of course we can have and enjoy our things, but they shouldn’t be our ultimate. We live generously. We are thankful, not entitled. And any dreaming about the future we do involves placing all of those desires before God in surrender to his will.
Praise God that the gospel, his word, his truth ENDURE for eternity — bringing us the ultimate fulfillment our soul needs. Curing the depths of our desires. Satisfying our craving for joy. His soul satisfying joy can be a tangible reality in your life - all you have to do is ask him for it. (See Matthew 7:7-11)
“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
What about you? Have you been swept up in the culture of materialism, believing the next purchase will satisfy the desires of your longing heart? Turn your eyes to Jesus — he offers life.
And finally, for those wondering, I did keep the hoodie. (For now 😉)
Thank you for reading, friend. Talk soon. -Sarah ☕️
