Eight people live in my house. Our ages range from almost 2 to mid-30's. We are evenly split with regard to gender. We have people who love Legos. Others that love beading. Creating some Origami masterpiece will be happening at the table right along side someone using a sheet of stickers and then cutting them out "to make a card". You have to be careful where you sit on the couch as embroidery needles sometimes get "lost" and there is almost always a crochet hook or knitting needle poking out of the couch cushions. Bills that need to be called on get left on a certain spot on the kitchen counter, then everything else gets dumped on top of that.
Can you picture it?
Then add in that one of the people living here is severely stressed out by clutter and disorder and the other seven don't notice that they can't see the floor.
Any guesses as to who is Type-A?
Over the years I have struggled with how to still love my family even when my house is in complete disarray. I actually find it difficult to be loving or to sit down and play when certain areas in my house are all out of whack. I have searched for how to declutter better, but someone's feelings are always hurt by what has to go. I have worked on making the "put away" process as easy as possible (think many clear plastic bins and a label maker). Yet, despite my efforts, things still get a little crazy a lot of the time.
Inevitably, some items don't get put back where they belong right away. Sometimes a phone rang and I had to lay something down to answer the phone. Other times, as I was on my way to put something away I think of something else I need to do and take off to do it (I lovingly refer to those moments as, "Oh, look, a butterfly..."). It doesn't seem to take long after those items get laid down, that they develop a magnetic shield which draws all other not properly put away items to be stacked upon them. Before I know it, I no longer have a kitchen counter and I can't locate my car keys.
I have learned that when circumstances occur which allow clutter and disorganization to begin taking over, there are two responses I could choose. The first is ugly, sinful, and sadly, the one I chose for many years and sometimes still do; that is to become angry. When I choose this way I become the contentious women referred to in Proverbs that it would be more pleasant to live on the corner of the housetop than be around me.
Recently, as I have been striving to learn to be content in all circumstances, and while Paul didn't specifically mention them in his list in Philippians 4:11-12, for me that means being content in both a cluttered and disordered home, as well as in a orderly and well maintained one. So, my second response has become to get everything that is in the wrong place and dump it in a laundry basket. Yep. Pretty spiritual, ehe? Then, I hide it so I don't have to see it. And once a week I try to go through that basket and put things where they belong or throw things away or make a pile to give away.
I say all this to encourage you. If you come to my house in the future and you marvel at my tidy counters... just don't look in my room. The laundry basket full of unfolded clean laundry is sitting right next to the one full of stuff that was sitting on my table and kitchen counters less than three minutes before you rang my doorbell.
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