When I moved back from South Africa, I heard all about the Instant Pot and how great of an invention it is, so when I found one at my local Dirt Cheap for well, dirt cheap, I thought I scored. After making 3 or 4 meals with it, I wasn’t happy with any of the results. Neither was my family. I put it in my pantry thinking I might use it to make yogurt or elderberry syrup. That was probably 9 or 10 months ago.
The other day I started thinking, “I should sell that Instant Pot. It’s taking up way too much room in my pantry. I’ve never made elderberry syrup, and the last time I made yogurt was probably 10 years ago.” So I sold it. For more than I paid for it.
This little story isn’t just about my woeful adventures with the Instant Pot. No, this got me thinking about much bigger things like clearing the clutter…physically, spiritually, mentally. So many times we keep things hidden away “just in case” when really we need to get rid of them to create space for more. More time. More relationships. More of what God has for us.
Physically I do this by regularly taking inventory of what’s in my house and thinking back to the last time I used it. I also try to be super intentional of what I bring into my house.
Mentally I do this by having regular times for reading, yoga, prayer and meditation, and exercise. I’m working on incorporating more times of physical creativity, because I’ve noticed how much this opens up space in my brain.
Spiritually I do this by keeping short accounts and forgiving quickly. I’m also working on laughing at myself more. There’s something deeply spiritual about joy and laughter.
What about you? How do you clear the clutter in your life?