Editors note: This article is from the Life’s a Jungle! message by Nancy C. Anderson and Tonya Ruiz, who speak and write as the Cheetah Chicks.®

Before I go too deeply into how to control your clutter, I have a confession to make: I have not fully tamed my own clutter monster.  I am a work in progress so the advice I’m giving you is for me too.  Until the last few years, I was the Queen of Clutter.  I had lots of stuff! I had so much stuff that it would get buried under other stuff so when I couldn’t find whatever I was looking for, I’d go buy new stuff.  I practically lived at Stuff-Mart! 

Take this Clutter Quiz to determine your Clutter Quotient

1. Have you ever complained that you need more storage space?

2. Do things get “lost” in your house?

3. Do you have more than one junk drawer? (Do you have any drawers that aren’t junk drawers?)

4. Do you have piles of outdated papers, magazines or catalogs that you intend to read—someday.

5. Do you have crumpled gum or candy wrappers at the bottom of your purse?

6. Can you fit two cars into your two-car garage?

7. Would you like to get control of your clutter?

One of the reasons we want to collect things is that we mistake possessions for worth. In our materialistic world, it’s easy to get confused so repeat after me, “I am not my stuff and my stuff is not me.” Jesus warns us about mistaking our material goods for our value in Luke 12:15b, “a mans life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” 

If we went on a real safari, we’d see many people in other cultures living happily with very few possessions. It’s amazing how little we really need.  But don’t feel too bad because there’s good news! It’s never too late to simplify and de-clutter our homes and hearts.

One step at a time

Don’t feel like you have to do it all at once. Like the fable of the turtle and the hare, “Slow and steady wins the race.” Consistency is the key that will unlock your cluttered life.

Think of the formula for weight loss…if you take in fewer calories and burn off more energy, you’ll lose weight. Likewise, to lose clutter, you’ll need to stop adding and start subtracting stuff. Do you think it’s possible to lose 200 lbs. in one weekend?  Have a garage sale!

This journey to Clutter-free County will take us on long and winding road, but take comfort in the fact that a journey of a thousand miles begins with only one step.  Just keep moving and remember our Cheetah Chick chant, “I am becoming less of a mess!”