Take A Deep Breath

Do you ever watch the show Clean House? The premise is, the hosts arrive at a home and organize the surroundings of the people who live there. Sounds simple, right? Wrong. These folk, with children and dogs and jobs and seemingly normal lives, are living in an alternate universe of clutter, junk, squalor and mayhem. They don't sleep in their beds because the bed has disappeared under piles of clothes, linens, magazines and who knows what else. There are trails through the house and every wall, floor space, cabinet and closet is exploding with "stuff." Stoves that don't work, cars that don't go, coupons never used, mail never answered. There are foodstuff long since expired, litter boxes that are never cleaned, vents and fans and filters that should have been discarded years before......and and stains and mold that would have a normal person run screaming out of the house.

The hosts attempt to talk the hapless family into discarding, organizing and reassessing, all the while promising a sparkling and newly decorated environment once the mess is gone. They beg and plead to sell the 200 beanie babies, the Bobble Head collection, Grandma's crocheted doilies, (all 4 crates of them) and anything thing else that does nothing but gather dust and clutter. The smiling hosts do not find this an easy job. It is like pulling teeth for these lucky recipients to give up their "stuff." No matter that are raising their families in chaos- order, structure, discipline and self-restraint are not a priority.

As we wind down summer and look toward a new school year, wouldn't it be a good time to really look around at our own living environment? What kind of space and atmosphere are we creating for our own family? There is something so satisfying about cleaning out, moving on and only keeping the things around that we love and use. A comfortable and well managed home not only gives our children a sense of security, it models a type of behavior that will put them in good stead for the rest of their lives.

So, throw out the old National Geographics, drop off the clothes that have not been worn in a year, discard anything that does not have all it's working parts and really appreciate what you have chosen to hold onto. Living abundantly is not what you have, it's how you live. It's easy to feel like you're drowning in clutter. Throw you and yours a lifeline- and simplify your life. chrissie