Sometimes, a memory finds its way back to us at just the right time.
Recently, Facebook reminded me of an article I wrote on October 15, 2022, titled Less Is More. As I read it again, I smiled. Not only because I remembered the experiences I had shared, but because of how relevant the message still is today.
Back then, I wrote about the things I had accumulated over the years: kitchen utensils, coffee mugs and vases that had remained packed in a box for five years. I even had a box of important papers containing the bill for the first refrigerator I purchased in 2006. By then, I was already three refrigerators into the journey!
And then there was the digital clutter.
My phone and Google account kept warning me that I was running out of storage space, so I spent hours going through photographs, videos, screenshots, memes and hundreds of greetings received through WhatsApp.
I deleted over 7,000 files.
But what stayed with me most was not the number of files I deleted. It was the questions I asked myself while doing it:
Why was I holding on to these things? Did I use them? What joy did they bring to my life? Did they really matter? Did I need them?
Looking back, I realize those questions were about much more than decluttering.
They were about intentional living.
When we hear the word clutter, we often think about overflowing cupboards, crowded countertops, wardrobes filled with clothes we no longer wear, or boxes of things we keep meaning to sort through.
But clutter can take up space in other ways, too.
It can be the digital files we never revisit. The commitments that leave us with little room to breathe. The activities that consume our time without adding much meaning to our lives. Even the relationships in which we continually give our time and energy without making space to consider whether those relationships are healthy and reciprocal.
And sometimes, the clutter is simply our reluctance to let go.
We hold on because something was expensive. Because we might need it someday. Because it reminds us of a season we loved. Because we feel guilty getting rid of it. Or because we have become so accustomed to having it that we have stopped asking whether it still serves us.
Of course, not everything we keep is clutter. Some things hold precious memories. Some are useful, even if we do not use them every day. And some possessions have practical or sentimental value that deserves to be honoured.
The question is not whether we should own fewer things simply for the sake of owning less.
The question is whether the things we keep, the commitments we make and the spaces we occupy are aligned with the life we want to live.
Less is not automatically more. Less becomes more when it creates room for what matters.
In my original article, I wrote about valuing experiences over things and recognizing that quality time is important to me.
I also wrote about how being clutter-free helps me manage my time, remain focused and be productive.
These things still matter to me.
I want to make room for meaningful experiences. For time with the people I love. For reading, writing, prayer, rest and the work I believe I am called to do.
I want my physical environment to support my life rather than constantly compete for my attention.
And I want to be mindful of where my time and energy go, because those resources are limited and valuable.
This is why I believe decluttering can be an act of self-care.
When we clear a space, we may be making it easier to find what we need. When we remove digital distractions, we may be reclaiming our attention. When we reconsider an unnecessary commitment, we may be giving ourselves permission to rest.
Sometimes, the benefit is not simply what we remove. It is what becomes possible once we have removed it.
A clearer space. A quieter mind. More time. More freedom. More room for joy.
And perhaps the most important question is this:
What do I want to make room for?
Because if we focus only on what we want to remove, we may miss the bigger purpose of the exercise.
I don’t want to declutter simply to have fewer possessions. I want to create an environment that supports the life I am intentionally building.
I don’t want to eliminate commitments simply to have an empty calendar. I want to make room for the things that deserve my time.
I don’t want to let go of things, habits or obligations just because minimalism is fashionable. I want to make thoughtful decisions about what belongs in this season of my life.
That is the difference between simply getting rid of things and living intentionally.
One of my favourite Scriptures is Matthew 6:19–21, where Jesus teaches us not to store up treasures on earth but to store up treasures in heaven, reminding us that where our treasure is, there our heart will be also.
This passage invites me to consider what I truly value.
What receives my attention? What gets the best of my time and energy? What am I investing in? And are those investments reflecting what matters most to me?
These questions reach beyond our possessions. They invite us to examine the priorities shaping our lives.
We can spend so much time accumulating, maintaining, organizing and managing things that we have very little time left to enjoy the life those things were supposed to support.
We can fill our calendars and still feel unfulfilled.
We can hold on to things simply because letting go feels uncomfortable, even when holding on is costing us peace.
Perhaps intentional living requires us to pause occasionally and ask whether we are making room for what we say matters most.
Not perfectly. Not all at once. But deliberately.
As I revisit that October 2022 article, I am reminded that intentional living is not a destination we reach once and never have to revisit. It is an ongoing practice of paying attention, making adjustments and choosing what deserves space in our lives.
And that is exactly what I want us to explore this month.
For our LBI monthly workshop, we will be focusing on the physical environment dimension of our lives through Intentional Spaces – Minimalism 101: Making Room for What Matters.
We’ll explore minimalism, clutter, hoarding and the relationship between our physical surroundings and the way we live. More importantly, we’ll consider how to make intentional decisions about what we keep, what we release and the kind of environment we want to create for ourselves.
You don’t have to be a hoarder to benefit from decluttering. You don’t have to empty your house or adopt an extreme minimalist lifestyle.
You simply have to be willing to look at your space and ask some honest questions.
What is serving me? What is no longer needed? What am I holding on to? And what would I love to make room for instead?
Perhaps it is time to clear a cupboard. Perhaps it is time to sort through those digital files. Perhaps there is a corner of your home that needs attention.
Whatever it is, you can begin small.
One drawer. One shelf. One box. One intentional decision at a time.
Because the goal is not to have an empty space.
The goal is to create a space that supports the life you want to live.
Less stuff. Less distraction. Less unnecessary clutter.
More time. More freedom. More joy. More living.
Let’s free ourselves of the clutter.
Let’s be intentional.
Let’s make room for what truly matters.
Take a few moments to consider:
You don’t have to tackle everything today. Choose one small step and begin.
Lord, give me the wisdom to recognize what truly matters and the courage to release what no longer serves the life You are calling me to live.
Help me to be a good steward of my space, my time, my energy and my resources. Where I have accumulated more than I need, guide me toward simplicity. Where I have allowed distractions to crowd out what matters, help me restore my priorities.
Teach me that letting go does not mean losing everything of value. Sometimes, it means creating room for something better.
May my home bring peace, my choices reflect my values, and my life make room for the people and experiences that matter most.
Help me to live with intention, gratitude and contentment, remembering that my worth is not measured by what I own, but by the love I give, the life I live and the treasure I store in You.
Amen.
Until next Saturday!
Love, Talisha ❤️
P.S. Check out my previous Facebook Post on this topic here.
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