New Year's Minimizing Inspiration

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HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

What a glorious gift we are given each January 1st! Whatever happened last year is in the past. It will never be re-lived. But 2025 is still ahead of us, waiting to be explored, lived, and walked through day by day, God willing. 

It has been a long time since I posted anything to this blog. I could give all kinds of reasons for my absence here, but instead, I just want to say hello to all of you and hopefully encourage your hearts in this time of new beginnings.

How is your minimizing going? If you are like me, clutter has a way of creeping back in, no matter how hard I try to keep it out. I really don't know how it happens, to be honest, because I am so careful about what comes in. Instead of kicking myself for allowing it, I have decided to pick myself up by the bootstraps and start anew, clearing out the unwanted, unused, and unnecessary, and start the new year out right.

I am implementing these tried and tested strategies that will benefit you, too! Want to join me?

1. Start small. My energy levels are pretty low right now, so I can't bite off a big portion at a time. But I can tackle one drawer, shelf, cupboard, or closet, making sure not to remove more than I can realistically get done in an hour or so. 

2. Correlate item numbers with days. In other words, today is the 11th day of January 2025, so I will get rid of 11 things today. It can be as small as a piece of paper or as large as a piece of furniture, but by the end of today, the goal is to be able to say 11 items have left our home. I will start again tomorrow, but the number of items I need to get rid of tomorrow, January 12th, will be 12. Do this each day, up to 31 items on January 31st, then start over again with one item on February 1st. Continue this through the year 2025, and you will be amazed how much lighter you and your home will feel on December 31st. It is easy, doable, and manageable and makes a big difference.

3. Buy a notebook and make dated, numbered lists. Do this ahead of time. It sounds like a simple thing to do, but believe me, it will hold you accountable and keep you motivated. There's just something about lists that hold our feet to the fire. Here's how I do it. At the top, list the month. Then, write down the days of the month on the lines beneath, leaving the number of blank lines that correlate with the day of the month. For example, write January at the top of the page. Then write a #11 for today's date since we are starting this on January 11th. Leave 11 open spaces beside/beneath the #11. On those lines, write down each of the 11 items you get rid of today. On the next line, write a #12 for tomorrow's date, January 12th. Leave 12 blank lines beside/beneath the #12, so you can record each of the 12 items you will get rid of tomorrow. Do this for each day of the month. If you start on the 1st of the month and the month has 31 days, you will have written down and removed 496 items from your home in one month!

4. Keep boxes or other giveaway containers steadily available. Make sure they are in an out-of-the-way space to prevent them from becoming a source of more clutter. As soon as a box is full, close the lid and take it to your vehicle. As soon as possible, drop it off wherever you donate. Get more boxes or other types of giveaway containers, and start filling them. Repeat continually. An easy way to get empty boxes is to ask for them at Walmart, Dollar General, and grocery stores. Even if they have already crushed the boxes, they are easily reassembled with packaging tape. Note: The one exception to immediately removing an item from your home is if you are feeling hesitant about letting it go. In all our years of minimizing, there have been very few times that I have regretted getting rid of something, but it has happened a few times. I have learned that if I am feeling unsure about an item, it is best to put it in a separate box and let it sit for a few months. If I still feel hesitant after some time has passed, I keep it. If I feel no emotional response upon seeing it again after a while, I can let it go.

5. Tackle every single holding space. Every drawer, shelf, cupboard, closet, basket, bin, clothes hanger, nook and cranny, anything that holds stuff. Don't leave any space untouched. Even if you know you minimized it in the past, each area deserves a fresh look. You'd be surprised how your wants and needs change over time and how differently you may view an item later. Nothing is off-limits or safe from scrutiny. Touch or look at every single item in your home. 

6. Finish one room before moving on. This will keep you focused and on track. Don't move to another room until every single item has been examined in your working room. Start in a small room, like your bathroom. Go through each cupboard, shelf, and drawer before you move to another room. Knowing one room is completely done is gratifying and brings a sense of completion and accomplishment. It doesn't matter how long it takes—hours, days, weeks. Just stick to that room until it is done, then move on to the next one. Repeat the process in that room, then move on to the next. 

7. Utilize permanent holding spaces. Make sure you are maximizing the use of drawers, closets, and cupboards that are already permanently taking up a certain amount of space in your home. Assess organizational bins, gadgets, and accessories. Do you really need them? Could you remove the items from them and move them to a permanent holding space? Is there room in a drawer, closet, or cupboard to hold what you are storing in an added organizational space? Sometimes, things purchased to simplify our lives and homes end up complicating and cluttering them instead. 

8. Apply Luke 3:11 to everything you own. "He answereth and saith unto them, He that hath two coats, let him impart to him that hath none; and he that hath meat, let him do likewise." I'm not saying there aren't times you legitimately need two or more of one item. But think about it. How many pairs of shoes can you wear at one time? How many coats, boots, or pairs of gloves? How many blenders, casserole dishes, blankets, towels, and vehicles do you need? Remember, holding on to excess "just in case" could be cluttering your life and home and also preventing someone else's need from being supplied. I have never seen a time that God did not supply our needs—when they arose and as much as was required, even when we had let go of our "just in case" excess. The same God who has taken care of you in the past will continue to do that as long as you live, and He loves a cheerful giver. 2 Corinthians 9:7

9. Examine your heart. If you are holding on to an item you don't need, want, or even like, ask yourself why. Is it because you feel guilty for letting it go? Do you cling to it for security instead of trusting God to take care of you? Do you own it because having it in your possession makes you appear a certain way to others? Are you more concerned about impressing others than living the simple life God calls you to live? How much would it hurt if Jesus asked you to give it up? If it were destroyed or stolen from you, how would you react? Tough questions, I know, but it is important to remember that heart issues drive everything we do, and everything springs from the spiritual. "Keep thy heart with all diligence, for out of it are the issues of life." Proverbs 4:23

10. Be committed. The notebook will be your friend if you will allow it to be. Keep it out where you can see it every day. Do your best to stay on track, but if you miss a day, forgive yourself, give yourself grace, and just start on the next day's number of items. Keep going, and look forward to each new day's progress. If you need an encourager on your journey, feel free to email me anytime at homespundevotions@gmail.com. I'm here, doing the same thing, trying my best, just like you.

May God's richest blessings and peace fall upon your life, home, and soul this year. May you grow in your walk with Jesus more than ever before, and may He walk extra close to you every step of the way. Keep encouraged. He is coming soon!