The Clutter Monster

• She looketh well to the ways of her household and eateth not the bread of idleness


• ...She worketh willingly with her hands

These last few weeks at home I've been working on taming the clutter monster. It's been especially difficult because I tend to over think things. I spend too much time planning and not enough time doing. I've been working on it a little along, but as I mentioned in my Philippians 3:14 Fridays post, this last week I've been spurred on by husbands energy and encouragement. I look around and still see so much that needs to be done--I think because this time, as I tackle one layer of clutter--the surface clutter--I haven't stopped, but have begun tackling the underneath clutter--the stuff in boxes and bags and closets and drawers. So when I'm tempted to get discouraged by all that's still left to do, I'm encouraged when I think of all that I've purged.

I've discarded, one way or another:

• Bushels of documents; boxes full of bank statements, paid bills, insurance papers for vehicles we haven't owned in years. Tax return from 1983. And every year since then, I'm sure.
• 20-year-old towels. I kept the ones that are only 14 years old. It's process, give me a break. Plus, we wouldn't have anything left to dry off with unless I used my son's college towels. Washcloths, I'm ruthless. Towels--old towels never die, they just move to the rag box.
• Outdated computer programs
• 13-year old T-shirt paint
• Half-empty spray paint cans, over 10 years old
• Two plastic containers without lids. And 20 lids without containers.
• Bathroom cleaners with 2 drops left in them
• Over the counter medicine that expired in 2005
• A prescription bottle with pills in it that was filled in 1998

I gave away:

• Our old computer, minus the hard drive, to someone who's computer is even older and is glad to get it to rebuild
• At least 30 books
• Miscellaneous crafts materials that I haven't touched in years
• A set of fake leather suitcases
• Printer ink from our old printer that broke, to someone who has the same model
• Atari game system and games, bought at a garage sale years ago, that still works as far as I know

And my favorite giveaway--a box of miscellaneous "pretties" that were just not "me" anymore. I wasn't sure what to do with some of these things--there was nothing wrong with any of them, they were perfectly good, I just didn't want or need them anymore. I didn't want to just throw them away; but who in the world could I give them to? I decided to start a special box, and once it got full, just drop it off at Goodwill or someplace similar. As it ended up, I showed it to the friend who got some of the other things from me, and told her to take it to see if any of the "girls" in her life--daughter, daughter-in-law, grand daughter, would like any of it. She ended up letting her grandbabies "shop the box" for things to give their mammas for Mother's Day. They were all tickled pink, babies and mammas alike! She was amazed at how well those kids knew the likes and dislikes and personalities of their mammas--even at preschool ages. (Her granddaughter went straight for the jewelry; her grandson, the "smell good") I was thrilled beyond measure that my little box of discarded items brought so much fun to someone else.

I still have a long way to go feel like my home epitomizes the dwelling of a virtuous woman. But I'm making headway.

Until next time...