“There are far, far better things ahead than any we leave behind.” C. S.Lewis
{my images are free goodies for you to enjoy & share}
Spring is just right around the corner (yes, tomorrow is the first day of Spring). Do you have de-cluttering on your mind?
This week, in our Online Spiritual Whitespace Book Club, we’re talking about how the journey to make space for God in our heart — leads us to the inevitable place of facing the clutter in our homes — and our stories.
How are you welcoming Spring into your hearts? During a season in my life when stress and anxiety reached an all-time high, I never would’ve guessed that trying to de-clutter would lead me to uncover some very painful and forgotten memories. And this week, we hit one of those stories in my book Chapter 10: The Bookcase.
Today, I’m so excited to invite special guest, author and speaker Kathi Lipp, to share a soulful conversation about de-cluttering on today’s Soul Mocha Video.
Kathi Lipp is one of those honest and keep-it-real friends. Last year, Kathi and I recorded a podcast “Finding Rest In a World of Go” when my book released. I had so much fun, I had to turn the tables on her and talk with Kathi about her newest book Clutter Free: Quick & Easy Steps to Simplifying your Space.
I got Kathi to talk about stuff she didn’t even write about in the book! So, you don’t want to miss this! Enjoy! Click to watch the video below — Then read on to catch My 3 Rules to De-clutter approved by my therapist Dr. P.
H
ere below is an excerpt from my book Finding Spiritual Whitespace: Letting Go & 3 Rules to Declutter.
The Stress of Avoidance
Jesus wants us to make room for our lives today.
Jesus wants us to have whitespace. In the closet. On the shelves. In our hearts and in our homes.
In order to find freedom in who we are now, we must undergo the anxiety of letting go of who we’ve been. It’s the fear of being in need, the empty spaces we want to avoid.
We tell ourselves we need to save. We might need it later.
But the stress of avoidance only causes anxiety.
A Soulful Home
Rest is a journey of your soul now. Not yesterday. With the new space opening up in my house, I’m taking a new journey: a soulful home.
What colors feel restful and happy?
How can my home reflect beauty?
What are a few simple things that reflect God’s story in me?
How can I create an inviting space for family and friends?
I still miss my old things, but they are gone. So I look to the whitespace around me.
I’m learning to give myself permission to explore who I am as the beloved. Let’s create whitespace in our homes. Let’s say goodbye in order to say hello to the journey of the beloved. Making room for a soulful home.
More Than an Organizational Project
De-cluttering became more than an organization project. De-cluttering freed up space in my soul to awaken rest.
Getting rid of clutter is not easy. Letting go involves looking at what you’re holding on to and why. Sometimes, it’s time to say goodbye to what once gave you comfort, so you can face the place of empty and surrender yourself to what your heart truly longs for.
It’s what Jesus is whispering to me—
Yes. I know.
I have more than this.
For you.
[Bible Croissant] So do not fear, for I am with you;
do not be dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you;
I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. (Isa. 41:10 NIV)
[Share] ** Who can you share today’s encouragement with?**
[Try This] Volunteer your friend.
Know someone who is kind, w/a natural affinity for organizing a simple, restful home environment? Take a risk. Enlist her help to be brutally honest & gently de-clutter.
Bite-size de-cluttering.
Break up the de-cluttering project into bite-size pieces. My effort ended up taking six weekends: family room/dining room, master bedroom, the kids’ bedrooms, garage, laundry area, living room, and kitchen.
My high school friend Annette came to help me de-clutter.
Follow my friend Annette’s Three Rules To De-clutter
(approved by my therapist Dr. P):
1. Only keep what I use/need now (or the foreseeable near future).
2. Only keep/store what I have shelf/floor space for.
One type of item per storage space.
3. Let go of anything you haven’t used in a year.
Take pictures of what is harder to let go. Capture memories in a journal.
~~~~~
How is God prompting you to create a more restful space at home for your soul?
Pull up a chair. Click to share a comment.
For More Encouragement
Grab a copy of Kathi Lipp’s newslest book Clutter Free to simplify space in your house. Then, pair it with my book Finding Spiritual Whitespace to make space in your heart and story!
Beloved Brew Link Up
Whole-hearted Writing. You & Jesus.
Welcome to our Beloved Brews weekly link-up! Pour out a little love with your words every Thursday {publish any day. link-up on Thursdays}. Simply write a blog post from your heart about what God’s sharing with you and then share it here. Don’t have a blog? Share a comment. Visit thebonniegray.com to read the comments & share your voice too.
Optional Writing prompt: {write a blog post from your heart about what God’s sharing with you} or {share how you are welcoming Spring?}
Please use the Beloved Brews button in your blog post so others can join in with us {use this html code here}. When you link up your post, read & leave an encouraging comment on the post linked up just before yours. Thank you!
{photo thnx to Jeri Taira for sharing her #spiritualwhitespace moment on Instagram}
21 Comments
Bonnie,
I love this concept of decluttering for so many reasons! I’m trying to declutter from my life the lies I might have believed about myself for years that others might have spoken to me and aren’t necessarily true. I’m replacing those lies with God’s words of truth. It’s a process and doesn’t happen quickly but I’m realizing that God wants us to move all that clutter that’s accumulated in our souls out of our lives. Thank you for these words from Kathi (another great video!) and for helping us to bravely declutter our homes and our souls!
[…] “There are far, far better things ahead than any we leave behind.” C. S.Lewis {my images are free goodies for …read more […]
I’m such a hoarder. It drives me crazy, but the thought of getting rid of stuff really stresses me out. If I would just follow the rule above to get rid of anything I haven’t used in a year! My life and home would truly be changed. I’m in desperate need of whitespace in all areas of my life :). This was just what I needed today. Thank you!
Hi Bonnie,
Great tips for de cluttering our spaces and souls. The two things that have helped me de clutter in the past are:
1- when buying something new, throw out or donate (if in good condition) something old. Ie. buying a new pair of jeans, tossing out an old, worn out pair helps to minimize clutter.
2- paring down to keep the things that matter most. An interior designer echoed what Kathi said to buy/keep only things that mean something to us. ie. Bringing back sea shells to remember a wonderful trip.
Timely post with Spring right around the corner…
[…] at Beloved Brews, Thought-Provoking […]
So much in this post which resonated this morning. I spent time looking at Mary & Martha earlier. Martha was also “cluttered” by all she thought she needed to do for Jesus. I am realizing how distractions can often clutter life & quite simply, all He wants is us. Grateful to have stopped here this morning.
Oh, the stress of avoidance! You articulated that well.
I can not tell you how much I needed this today. I have been feeling overwhelmed with all this new season presses upon my spirit. All I feel I NEED to get accomplished and done yet as the sole parent of an almost 10 and the demands of life when will I find time and how will I accomplish the lists alone so I stress and feel as if I am drowning. At this point I am stuck today too exhausted to move forward for any of it. This makes me angry and frustrated and out comes the yelling and short mom. Something else I don’t like. ugh
Reading this fed my soul to say, you are not alone in this feeling and frustration and need and seeking for direction. Yes I need help to get started and to get it done. So I shared it with my group and let my heart struggle be known. That is a start as I continue to press forward.
Kathi, I LOVE YOU!!! As soon as you started speaking, my heart rung like a bell with the truthful resonance of your voice & heart! Thank you so much for sharing such a poignant story with us, and thank you for laying out, with such simplicity, the ways to de-clutter our homes and spiritual spaces.
Bonnie, I already Love You Too! I’ve been enjoying your very special book and the blog posts you’ve been sharing. I’ve been really liking the video series you’ve been putting up as well. Today’s video interview was particularly just what I needed to hear. Thank you for your sweetness and faithfulness as our Faith Barista!
This is such a great post and video, Bonnie. Clutter pings us–I definitely agree. Decluttering always makes a difference not only in my physical space but also my spiritual space. This month I’m working on cleaning my oldest’s daughter’s old room so it’ll be a better haven when she and her husband come back for weekend visits. So I’ll go spend a few minutes in there right now. 🙂
We also are cleaning out my late parents’ house this winter (my childhood home) so we can put it on the market April 1. It’s been close to overwhelming at times. We are making progress but still have a ways to go. Thanks for the encouragement!
What a great post today, Bonnie… thinking I have to pick up Kathi’s book! It’s funny, I just wrote a post this week about spiritual clutter, I’m thinking God has a theme going, lol.
What is not a coincidence is that my soul continues to crave rest, space to be, just with Him. Of all the things to nurture in the next week or so, I’m coming back to this.
You’ve been that breath of spacious air for me today, my friend, hugs and much love <3
My particular problem is that for nine years, since we sold our house in 2006, I have had things packed away in boxes that we have moved four times since then, and will move once again at the end of this month. Most of what is in the boxes are precious family photos, scrapbooks of memories of when our children were small, and of course, with the death of our oldest in 1991, have become even more cherished. I haven’t unpacked these boxes because of our tenuous circumstances, but I can’t stand not being able to look through them when I want to! We finally whittled Jeffrey’s things down to one small box, so I’m proud of that, but we still have his violin. I really struggle with that. I could give it to a child in need, but my husband cannot part with it, and I honor that.
We have done a great deal of de-cluttering, but I want to live my life, honoring the things I cherish in full view, every day. How can I do that if I know I may be moving again in a year’s time? Moving and moving supplies are expensive, so even if I unpack, I will need to store those supplies! I’m anxious right now and feeling a little overwhelmed because of the impending move in two weeks. Please pray with me that it will all go smoothly. Thanks again for the love and support! Great timing for me!
So. I haven’t read the chapter yet but have experienced decluttering. Over the past few weeks we have had an issue with toys all over the house, and my girls, ages 5 and 3, fighting over them. There was conflict between sisters, conflict between my girls and I, frustration from my husband, and just a general lack of peace and space to rest. So, the girls and I put everything in boxes and I took it all out to the garage. We are having a few days mess-free. We still have plenty of books and crafty things we can get out, but the toys that get scattered everywhere are gone for now. We talked about idolatry and how we were thinking more about having what we wanted at the cost of the feelings of others.
After we pass a little time our plan is to bring one thing back, learn how to take it out, share it, and put it away. We also hope to see what we don’t really miss so that we can give it to someone else who might enjoy it more. We, even my kids, are loving the whitespace and not having to spend so much time cleaning up! We are spending more time together enjoying spring!
I actually went through un-cluttering a few years ago when we prepared for our big move. I gave the kids their stuff from childhood holding on to a few items. I transferred home movies to dvd and copied them for each child. I gave friends and ministries useable items left from our sale. Ahh! it was so freeing. Now I continue to purge and it does feel so healthy. There are a few boxes in Colorado I will be going through when I go in May that my daughter has been storing. I am not even sure what is in them but it became clear after paying astronomically for shipping and having things broken that we needed to rethink this part of the process. I will pray my way through all of it and I know I will feel great when it is finished.
Thank you for todays conversation I loved it!
http://healingtakesalifetime.blogspot.com/2015/03/ptsd-anniversaries-and-triggers.html
Absolutely love the words you shared on the above image, “My soul isn’t designed to be cluttered, it longs for space to taste beauty, to breathe”. So much truth packed into so few words. My heart truly does long for these gifts. Thank you so much for sharing.
Blessings,
Kamea
my daughter forwarded this to me – I had been working on this for awhile – after reading this post I posted the large TV that was no longer being used and taking up space – from a home for it gave it away and blessed someone with it then the rest seemed to become easy – still clearing out over 50 years married so have much to clear
i’m so glad your daughter led you here, virginia… 🙂 thanks for sharing your story… how wonderful to hear you’re on the journey. keep going!!
Bonnie,
I just finished the de cluttering chapter and thought how brave you are to tackle this area. I didnot realize how the natural clutter is married to the spiritual clutter . I really felt your pain in that chapter.
I am an organize person and don’t like the feeling of clutter there is no room to breath, let light in or see that less is more!!!
didn’t either, Miriam, until I did it and experienced all it brought with God and me… so sweet to be able to share our journey together and blessed to know to meet between the pages!
I finally spent time with this post after saving it in the clutter of my inbox. Glance around my space calls loudly for decluttering. Tears come to eyes at thought of inviting someone in…who? Then sadness for no nice space to invite friends in if I don’t. Whisper a prayer for me. There are a few things I’ve been working on and this must be connected. I can do all things…(Phil. 4:13).
Still stuck! Have Clutter Free book. Maybe I can take some small steps. Spring is here and summer break is within sight…