Encouragement for Cluttered People

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Jim Killam

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Perfect is the enemy of good. Don't give up on housekeeping because you don't have time every day to dust the tops of the ceiling fans. List priorities and then stick with the list, expanding it slightly when you're willing and able.

It is not good for man or woman to clean alone. Unless one of you truly wants to do all of the cleaning (ha!), make this a shared task and part of your daily or weekly routine. And get the kids involved. Our family sometimes does "search and destroy cleaning," where we all tackle a room together and see how quickly we can clean it, top to bottom.

Martha Stewart has a large, paid staff. No one lives on those TV sets or magazine pages. Don't let your expectations become unrealistic. If the magazines and TV shows discourage you rather than motivate you, steer clear of them.

Keep the Proverbs 31 woman in perspective. This passage is much more about character and reverence for God than it is about being a domestic engineer.

Value can be found not only in tangible things, but also in getting rid of those things. Sure, you might be throwing away an exercise bike that cost 200 dollars. Over the next decade, it might be worth that 200 dollars to be able to walk freely across your rec room.

Be selective in what you keep. Many objects hold sentimental value. Some are worth keeping—like your child's first pair of shoes. Some should be tossed—like your child's first pair of underwear.

It's all going to burn someday. Few, if any, objects hold real spiritual value. Enjoy your things to a degree, but remember that's exactly what they are. Colossians 3:2 says, "Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things." With that in mind, it shouldn't be hard to part with a few earthly treasures that clutter your home.

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Originally published in: Marriage Partnership, 2001, Fall

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