Friday, February 24, 2012

The Tyranny of Things!

I have struggled for some time now with trying to make a peaceful and organized home (mainly since Nate the Great arrived!).  I have absolutely worked my tail off day in and day out to keep a neat and tidy home.  During all of this picking up and putting away, meals and snacks must be prepared, served, cleaned up, laundry, ironing, school work, and kids actually need to be raised (by me, not the TV).  Almost every single friend I have says that I need to just let it go and not let a disorganized (sometimes appalling) house bother me.  This is something that I simply cannot accept.  I am certainly not obsessed with a clean house - but I believe that it creates a more peaceful environment for everyone...and that creates a happier mom.

I have tried cleaning schedules, I have tried cleaning one day a week...I have tried EVERYTHING.  It finally dawned on me that cleaning is not the problem - the problem is the THINGS.  Things are everywhere.  Some things are good and useful, but approximately 80% are not.  We have each accumulated an obnoxious amount of things that we (meaning I) simply move from one spot to another - often daily, but at least weekly.  So I have declared WAR!!!  I am publishing this post to keep me honest and hold me accountable for all of the threatening I've done to get rid of things.

I am finally doing it - we are having a monster garage sale that will be so big that the kids should get nervous that they might get sold next!  I am purging this house of all things baby - diaper changers, rockers, high chairs, strollers, chew toys - all gone!  I am purging each closet of the ridiculous amount of clothing (95% of mine is ill-fitting anyway) and will keep only what seems to never get out of the laundry loop (the 5 outfits we wear repeatedly since it just got cleaned).  I am purging the kitchen of never-used bowls, gadgets, containers and glasses.  I am purging the toys from the kids' closets and game room like there is no tomorrow.  I am purging the dust-mite collectors (also known as stuffed animals) with a vengeance.  Basically, anything that is not of current value or cannot be replaced (heirloom/photo) is out of here.

You might be surprised by my passion about getting things out of here so I will explain.  It goes so much deeper than an exhausted mom who has to pick up toys for 20 minutes before she can even vacuum.  Things are getting in the way of my most important relationships.  Things are temporal and the relationships with my children, husband, our parents and friends are eternal.  How many of us would love to grant the wish of a 5-year-old to go to the park unplanned without rattling off the chores that must be done instead?  How often would we like to extend an invitation to dinner to our dear friends or neighbors, but don't because we simply do not have the time to get the house ready and the meal prepared?  It has taken me a while to admit that I am not busy with things that matter - I am busy with meaningless things while the important things (people) get pushed to the side.  I am doing what so many of us are quick to criticize the career person who works to get ahead while not engaging with their family - same thing, different workplace.  When I logged my days, it became evident that I handled inanimate objects far more than I handled the gifts that God placed in my care.  That is my reason for this passion to simplify - people.  God has entrusted too much in my care for me to set aside for "just a minuted until I get this done".  Because when "this is done", it will be too late and "ok, I'm ready now" will be spoken to an empty house.  It will be then that I will not want the house to be so neat and tidy.

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