1000 lbs a Year...or Not?

When my husband was in the Navy it came time for us to PCS (Permanent Change of Station for the civilians out there) so I started going through all our things. An upcoming move easily motivates one to declutter. Who wants to pack things they no longer want or use, especially if they don’t have sentimental value, right? 

At our previous PCS, the movers came to access our belongings so they could gauge what our move would entail. The woman in charge verified my husband’s rank so she could determine how much weight we were allowed in our upcoming move. She had some information in front of her and voiced how much our household goods had weighed when we first arrived. Then she asked how long we had been stationed there. After I answered she estimated how much our current belongings would weigh to make sure we were within the allowed amounts. I was curious to how she calculated that so she explained how the average family gains at least 1000 lbs in stuff each year. 

1000 lbs. In stuff. Each year. 

Furniture, clothes, dishes, knickknacks. You name it, it weighs something. And it accumulates quickly.

Since most people don’t endure a mass decluttering movement every 2-3 years because of a move, they simply keep adding on the pounds.

Since learning this fun fact I opted to develop the habit of decluttering a few times a year. I’m not one who does “spring cleaning,” but rather, as the moment or motivation calls, I like to clean and reorganize. For awhile I had the habit of cleaning out one closet once a month. The game closet, a kid’s closet, a linen closet, my own. You’d be amazed at how much unnecessary unused stuff lurks behind closed doors. 

After my husband returned to civilian life we ended up in the same home for over 6 years. During this time I began studying at seminary while still working full time and raising 4 kids. Needless to say, my decluttering habits slowed down, and in fact, pretty much vanished completely. Life was busy. I barely had time to clean, let alone deep clean.  

Then we decided to build a house. This meant moving. And one again I realized the need to remove a ton of unnecessary junk from our home! I remembered standing there in the middle of my kitchen thinking, “Huh… we’ve probably added 6000 lbs worth of stuff since we moved into this home. Ugh!” Preparing to move was a process, but I’m pretty certain we tossed out a couple thousand pounds of unwanted, useless items. We donated, we sold, and we tossed. Now, if I had stayed on top of regular maintenance it wouldn’t have been so much work! It was hard, but it felt great! 

This is where the spiritual discipline of simplicity can be helpful. According to Merriam-Webster, simplicity is the “state of being simple, uncomplicated, or uncompounded.” 

When we practice simplicity we become content with what we already own. We don’t purchase another pair of sneakers because we still enjoy the 5 pairs in our closet. We don’t replace good furniture because we appreciate what is already there. We stop chasing decorating trends because we find what brings us the most joy and embrace it. We learn to relax in unfilled spaces because we understand that less truly can be more. 

I am not saying we need to become minimalists who barely own anything. By all means, fill your home! But do so in the spirit of simplicity. When we embrace simplicity, we find ways to be content with what God has already given us. We no longer crave more or feel the need to shop all the time. Our contentment leads to appreciation, which leads to enjoyment of the provisions and blessings we have received. 

Even when we practice simplicity with material things, decluttering is still needed. Regular maintenance and consistent practice pave the way for our hearts and minds to be grateful that we have what we need and rejoice that we might even be blessed with a little more.

I finished seminary a few months ago. Even though we have only been in the new home for a couple of years, I already know of some areas that need simplifying. The garage. The office. My closet. I think I will start with the closet. It’s time to get rid of the shoes I never wear, the clothes that don’t fit, and reorganize the sock drawer. Just because the average family gains 1000 lbs a year does not mean my house has to follow suit. 

Neither does yours. In the spirit of simplicity, what items can you clean out this week? What unnecessary unused junk is filling your space? How can you simplify your house this month or year? 

Whatever you do to pursue simplicity, I hope it brings you contentment and joy.