This is the fourth installment of my blog series “Transitions: Waiting for a Season of Change.” That’s the season of life I am in right now. Waiting for God to bring about change. This season in this home (where we live now) feels like it is coming to an end.
In the first installment of this series, I wrote a post called “My Love it or List it Life,” where I described the HGTV program and revealed how it relates to my life right now. In the second installment, I shared about when I struggle with being patient most in life.
The third installment, I shared about what my homeschool dynamics are right now, balancing a third-grader, a kindergartener, a toddler (19 months) and a baby, in a very small space.
We in this part of the world are very blessed. Sure, life isn’t perfect but far above our basic needs are met daily. Even the poorest of us have our basic needs taken care of, if we know where to go for help.
Here we are clothed, even if not all of us can wear designer fashions. Here we can be sheltered, even if we don’t own a home or have money to pay rent. We can be fed, even if it is not a buffet of the most delicious and nutritious. Here we can be treated when sick, even if we can’t afford the best doctors. Our kids are educated for free. Here we have clean water. You get my point.
So who am I to complain, when I receive all those things and far more? I am blessed and I know it. There is a quote you see on Christian merchandise sometimes that says ” “Too Blessed to Be Stressed.” The perfect me would remember that in the midst of my frustration over my limited space, but
That’s not the way I want it to be. I shouldn’t be that way, when boy am I blessed. If I counted my blessings through God-eyes, my list would be so long. They’re truly many, many, many people who are in worst situations in life than I am. If I make a list called “It could be worst because…..” That list would be a long list as well. God’s got my back and I know it.
We live in a place of abundance, toys are cheap, clothes are cheap, food is cheap, books are cheap, things are cheap if you shop the right places. Even my family, who has not had that much money for time we have been together, collected so many things.
Recently, due to the family getting bigger, having more interest and collecting more stuff (given to us or bought by us), I realize that we don’t need the amount of stuff we have collected over the years.
We received more clothes for our kids than they can use, because they don’t go out that much. Even when I try to donate some of it, it is still so much. I look at such beautiful clothing and it is hard to let go of the really pretty ones, but really I know they don’t need that much clothes.
I threw away a lot of their toys before Christmas, because I knew more was going to come. Now coming on to the end of February I realize having so much toys are just a waste of time and money. It is better just to keep the long lasting, quality learning toys. The timeless toys in our house have been the Legos, which are scattered all over the floor, all day long, but have created many-a-masterpiece. I’ve seen my son grow into quite a Lego Architect.
I spent $35.00 on a Paw Patrol Look-out Tower for Christmas and it was barely played with, because it was cheaply made and does not spark his creative juices, the way the Legos and art supplies does. I have realized kids don’t need so many toys, and plan to simplify and refocus Christmas next year.
I have a lot of clothes in my wardrobe I do not like, but hesitate to throw them away until I get new clothes. Truth be told my husband or I don’t need the amount of clothes we have. We don’t go that many places. We work at home, our children are schooled at home and we probably leave home one –three times on average, a week.
I hesitate to throw some things away because I would rather donate to others in need or give them a home where they would be more useful. We don’t have a car and would not be able to carry our unneeded stuff to donation centers. I did look once to see if they were organizations or charities that would do pickups and had no luck. I’ll have to look harder.
The things I have quite a majority of are books. I love books, the look, the feel, the smell. My favorite types of books are children’s books and women christian-living books. I have books I’ve bought that I haven’t even read yet, and still want to someday.
I have books that I have read already and loved but not sure I’d read them again because there are so much new books to read. I’d love to do more reading. We have three bookshelves in our little apartment. I wonder if I should get rid of my books and switch over to e-books only, because books take up so much room. What if I only feel that way now, because space has gotten so limited?
I am using a book right now that we bought about four years ago. I only started using it for the first time this year. It is a Betty Crocker Cookbook. Just today I used it to make a Peanut Butter-Oatmeal cookie recipe and Saturday I used a cheesecake recipe for the third time (fantastic recipe). So who is to say that I might not draw encouragement, knowledge or usefulness from one of my unread books in the future? It’s hard to let go of the “what ifs.”
Other things I have collected over the years are old journals (filled with poetry, dreams, thoughts and goals), photo albums, my post card collection, art supplies, cooking supplies, baking supplies, my souvenir collection, scrapbooks and more. I am a woman with many hobbies and interest, and my children are growing that way too.
My husband plays the saxophone with our church, and he has two saxophones and about five different types of saxophone bags/cases. He also loves to cook and wishes for a bigger kitchen. He loves fish, and we have an aquarium put up in our living room. We used to have two but took down one for lack of space. My 5 year old son wants to learn drums, my 8 year old daughter is learning the piano and I just got an acoustic guitar for Christmas to learn to play.
We are a growing family. That’s why I pray for more space for our family to grow. I also pray to used that space with more wisdom. I no longer want to collect things for the sake of having them. I want to keep only what is useful and necessary for the growth, joy, peace and Godly living of our family and others. That is actually not as easy to do as it may sound. It is hard to know what you might want to use in the future.
I pray for the wisdom to know what to let go of and what to keep. I also hate throwing away useful things (that might not be useful for us, but for someone else), I want to give them a home, not discard them like unwanted trash. Doing that haunts me. I think about some one out there who needs it and I am throwing it in the trash. I feel that way about wasting food as well.
I am grateful for what we have, but we are a growing family, it is time for us to move up a few steps in the line. So that others behind us can move forward into our place. We need more room to grow, but not to collect more unneeded things.
Below are some other related resources you can use. A pinnable poem written by me, called “Things,” a very popular blog post this week, even with TGI Saturdays from sodomesticallychallenged.com “Are you a Hoarder?” and a great resource in the quest for decluttering your life from livingwellspendingless.com “31 Days to a Clutter Free Life.”
Where I Party
Check-out these link-up parties I’ve visited: Check-out these link-up parties I’ve visited: Sharing Time, Dare to Share, Inspiration Spotlight Party, The Modest Mom, Monday Musings, Mommy Moments, Making your home sing Monday, Mom 2 Mom Mondays, Inspire Me Mondays, Thoughtful Spot Weekly Blog Hop, Afterschool Activities for Kids, Inspiration Monday, Inspire Me Monday, Motivation Monday, A Pinch of Joy, Hip Homeschool Hop, Good Tips Tuesday, Fellowship Fridays, The Missional Weekend, Dare to Share Saturday, Awesome Life Friday, Titus 2 Tuesday, Good Tips Tuesdays, Wise Woman Link-up, The Mommy Club, Mom’s Library,Whimsy Wednesdays, Wednesday Whatsits, The Homeschool Mother’s Journal, Dear Creatives Grace & Truth Link-Up,Two Cup Tuesday, Women Helping Women
I also have the honor of being a guest host with Turn It Up Tuesday! Blog Hop this month. Come check us out.
I just found your blog at Cozy Little House and thought I’d share the fact that my parents raised four children in a second floor apartment during the 40’s and 50’s. There was no central heating or hot water, only a toilet in a closet space at the foot of the attic stairs. The attic was a saving grace as it was used to store out of season clothes, toys, and Mom’s canning equipment. Heat came first from a four burner kerosene kitchen range, then when an electric stove replaced it, from a kerosene space heater. Mom and Dad had one bedroom, the four of us slept in the other bedroom, two boys in bunk beds, my sister and I in a double bed. Our home was spic and span clean and orderly – nothing out of place – toys put away when we finished them, and we survived! We had clothing sufficient for our needs, many of mine were hand-me-downs from neighbors, and there was never any debt. My mom was a frugal manager on my dad’s small salary. You can do it – you just adapt.
Great info. I struggle with getting rid of books. I want to hold the book, no e-books for me! But they do take up a lot of room!
My husband and I sold all our belongings in 2013 and left to go travel with only a suitcase. I can say I know first hand that getting rid of some things is very hard. However, I have never felt more liberated and free. There is no burden of worrying about “stuff’ that really just isn’t that important. It’s amazing how happy it makes you feel to “collect memories, not things” Great post! Thanks for sharing!
I am gearing up to declutter and downsize and giving myself 4 years in which to do so! We are looking to sell our house before I retire and I too have to much stuff! #FavoriteThingsThursday
I live very minimal, and I feel quite the freedom in that. With that said, your post was a breath of fresh air. Stuff can consume our lives. People would be surprised on what they could live without.
I think it’s important to regularly pass our blessings on to someone else. We shouldn’t be holding onto stuff… if we are then that’s usually an indicator that there’s other issues/anxiety going on in our lives.
Wonderful and encouraging points you’ve shared here.
Thanks for sharing and for linking up to the #SHINEbloghop.
Wishing you a lovely weekend.
xoxo
I was grabbed by the title of your post over at Grace and Truth Link up. I’m still trying to figure out all this link-up magic, but I read your post with fond memories of those crazy days of trying to homeschool with a baby and a toddler. Blessings to you on this bright Saturday!
Thank you for sharing this great, helpful post at Good Morning Mondays, lots of great ideas for us all. Blessings
Hello beautiful! Great post. I need to try this. Pinned and tweeted. Thank you for being a part of our party and we hope to see you on Monday at 7 pm. We can’t wait to party with you! Happy Valentines’ Day! Lou Lou Girls
What a great poem. Yes, yes, yes, I agree, but what astounds me is where does all this stuff come from. We don’t buy much and I regularly drop off to charities. I’m suspicious it sneaks in somehow ;) x
Great thoughtful post… it is so easy to accumulate too much stuff… and it is much harder to get rid of it. It is good to evaluate and do so on a regular basis. Thank you for sharing this.
Hi! I just found your blog through the Modest Mom linkup. I have the same problem as you! We have so much stuff, most of which we didn’t buy, and I feel like I can’t get rid of it (even though we need to) because of the ‘what if’ factor. What if I can use it? What if I might need it? There are a few organizations near us that come around asking to pick up donations, but it seems I’m never ready when they come. I feel like there simply aren’t enough Saturdays to go through closets and the giant pile in the basement. It’s not that I love the stuff we have, but that it feels so wasteful to throw/give it away just to buy something I like better.
Great article! We struggle with space all the time! We would rather move into a bigger house but being reasonable…getting rid of more things would be a better idea!
Great post. It is so easy to collect things – easy for the stuff to build up especially with children and it is hard to get rid of. Thanks for linking up with Mummy Mondays. #TeamMM
Popping over from Totally Terrific Tuesday =) I too am a woman of many hobbies and interests. Both my boyfriend and I agreed that we don’t need a bigger space, we just need to want less. I’m working on that. HUGE garage sale planned for the spring/summer. Be sure to share your crafts & DIYs at Two Uses Tuesday (Mon 11pm EST to Fri 11pm EST, Link up 17 is a month long!) over at Sarah Celebrates if you don’t already!
Start a library habit! It will solve your books problem and you will love it. My library even lets me check out from an e-reader, so I don’t even have to return the books. They return themselves.
O my I understand … I am so there.
[…] While we are sprucing things up, how about Getting Rid of Uneedful Things? […]
Most of us have way more stuff than we know what to do with. Paring down is something I want to do myself this year. We move a lot so it sort of happens naturally every couple of years, but I still have much room for improvement. Thanks for sharing at Grace and Truth.
what great info! I am so glad you are linking up at totally terrific tuesday because I love reading your posts! I pinned and shared all of your links from last week!! I cant wait to see what you bring this week!! Super excited to have you around now!
Have a wonderful weekend!
Jess
[…] Too Much Stuff by Latisha at Ask Latisha […]
It really is cleansing in many ways to get rid of things and pass them on. Although, sometimes, I am the worst at letting go. However, I have gotten better.
XOXO
Very inspiring post and goes right along with what God is leading us to do right now. On the book issue, I think that is one of the last things I would ever want to get rid of. I enjoy holding a good book, and I guess I am just old-fashioned, but this is one thing I really value. I always wonder what would happen to our society if, by some disaster, we totally lost computer capabilities. Books would still be our friend, and we could always read them by natural light during the day or by candlelight, at night, if we had to. I am letting go of many things….books will not be one of them. God bless you as you declutter and simplify your lives. :)
Great post. Pinned and tweeted. Thank you for taking the time to party with us. We hope to see you tonight at 7 pm. It wouldn’t be a party without you! Lou Lou Girls
I love purging my home and getting rid of unnecessary stuff. Thanks so much for sharing it with us at Totally Terrific Tuesday! I hope we see you again this week. Party starts tonight at 10pm!
[…] the spring we notice that many of our human friends are Simplifying Life and Getting Rid of Unneeded Things like Ask Latisha. If you are struggling to part with things you do not need, this is the post to […]
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[…] Simplifying Life- Getting Rid of Unneeded Things (Transitions Blog Series-Part Four) […]