I work out of an office. Most days, it’s just me. However, from time to time, I host a few others.
For that reason, I keep a set of four coffee mugs around. I drink coffee most of the day when I’m alone. And if there’s a meeting happening, I’m certainly brewing a fresh pot for anyone who wants it.
Yesterday, I noticed something out of the ordinary, despite working alone all week, all four of the coffee mugs were out of the cabinet.
One was next to me with fresh coffee, two were dirty in the sink, and the fourth was sitting on the counter, next to the sink.
It has been a couple busy days—the first week of the Uncluttered Course always requires a significant amount of my energy. And we just started up this Tuesday. Because my days have been full, I’ve fallen into a common trap:
I didn’t need to wash my coffee mug because there was a clean one still in the cabinet, so I just left it out dirty.
We do this all the time.
When life is not busy, or my attention is not divided, it only takes a few short seconds to hand wash my coffee mug and put it away before I leave the office. So I often do.
But during this busy week, when my attention was divided, and there were other things on my agenda, it became too easy to leave the cleaning task undone—even though it would have only taken a few seconds.
This is how our excess possessions lead to a messy home. When we have more than we need, there is less incentive to clean up along the way. And when our attention is pulled from one thing to another, this excess gets left out all too often.
Much of the mess in our home is a result of having too much stuff.
Just think of the different ways this plays out in our homes:
• We leave dirty dishes in our sink because we can grab a new one from the cabinet.
• We don’t clean our pots and pans or spatulas because it’s easy to grab a different one.
• We leave out the blanket in the living room because there’s another one in the bedroom.
• Our dirty clothes piles grow taller and taller as long as there’s something clean to wear in the closet.
• Our kids leave their toys out, all over the house, because there’s always another one they haven’t played with yet.
• Rubber bands and pens and paper clips collect in our junk drawer—way more than we’ll ever use.
• Coats gather by the backdoor because everyone in the house is wearing a different one today.
• Books and magazines and newspapers pile up on our counter because there’s always a new one to read.
• Phone charger cords can be seen in every room of the house because there’s always another one in the room we are heading to.
• Our linen closet shelves fill up with towels and sheets because there are so many that rarely get used.
• And the list goes on and on: tools, board games, yarn, shoes, sporting equipment, DVDs, video game supplies, purses…
For me, in this specific scenario, it didn’t take long to wash and dry my coffee mugs and put them back where they belong—eliminating the small mess.
But in our homes, it’s a different story.
The average American home has over 300,000 items inside of it. That’s a whole lot of excess… and a lot of mess because of it.
If your house is messy all the time, maybe you’ve got too much stuff inside it. Owning less will help you keep it clean, among other benefits.
My father used to tell me I was just lazy. In the post WWII era, we try to be more respectful with kids. I think I am still, underneath it all, kind of a slug with a short attention span. Sadly, I do take a new cup and leave unwashed ones by the sink. And so on. Today I probably qualify for some three or four letter syndrome. ADLD. Maybe I should write a book!
This is so true. I have given away a lot of mugs because we don’t need them and someone else probably does. Less to wash and less clutter leads to a clearer mind. Slowly working towards decluttering my home and feeling great!
We had a huge collection of Christmas mugs in our church resale shop. Someone came in and bought all of them so the residents of a nursing home each had one for their hot chocolate. What a great idea and they were getting used.
I totally agreed..pls find another page to comment.
I do fill up my dishwasher before bed every night, but I do need more than one teacup. Everyone makes me feel a special feeling of joy either in color, saying or just size bc of the liquid it can contain. I do love your post❤️
Very well said! The less we have, the less we have to clean and I do NOT like to clean, but do keep my house spotless.
This is the rambling of a dull, disposable mind.
Archie – your comment makes you sound mean. The inspiration I have received from this blog is immeasurable. Please find another writer to read and use your time to belittle someone else. It’s so saddening you would actually take the energy to post that. “Stay Gold” Joshua Becker!
Do you count fabric by the yard or by the scrap ? Lol
I don’t like to use disposable plates. I have 14 plates and we have a monthly dinner group. We use them all and wash them and visit afterwards. This isn’t clutter for me. Paperwork and junk mail gets me though!
Couldn’t agree more, we all do it. Since the kids have left home, I’m going back and re-evaluating what we need. We dont need 10 mugs or 6 plates, it creates mess and more washing up. Started last week and already things are easier to clean, work surfaces are wiped down in a couple of minutes and I feel calmer x
Absolutely, efforts well earned and rewarded, Sharon, and I do enjoy every minutes of it, now my 3 kids are back only for the Holidays!
We buy souvenir mugs on our trips, instead of two this past trip my husband purchased one. Next trip I’ll pick out one.?
I don’t consider that clutter! Those are collectibles and it’s a cute hobby that you and your hubby share!
My daughter, who joined the military after graduating from high school, has been overseas for 4 years. During that time she has done a lot of traveling! She actually turned me onto the idea of getting ONE cute magnet from each place I visit. I purchased a magnetic wall decoration that I use to show them off in one place! ;)
I do this too! I have found some cool ones in my travels and it’s usually a great conversation piece for visitors that see them.
I think this is great! I collect pins. The hard part is just getting ONE :)
How about a souvenir photo of upu, to put in an album?
You are so right we don’t use 1/4 of what we have, it is clutter. Hard to part even tho we don’t use it.