When Treasure Becomes Clutter

"Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses." Luke 12:15

I've been trying to live a more minimalistic life. To me, that means living with what I need and love and being content with less stuff. I actually enjoy sorting through closets and organizing and if you came to my house you would not see someone who has a problem with clutter.
 As I sort and throw away, give, and donate, I realize how much I have that is just taking up space and invading the peace of the house. Sorting through the kitchen and pantry is pretty easy and so is throwing away all the outdated medicine, and unmatched socks. I go through my baby's clothes and even though she still fits into them I give half her outfits away. I do laundry every other day and she has more than she needs. So, I pick out a few of my favorites and plan to give the rest to a friend who just had a baby.  I go through my jewelry box, which is a complete mess. I throw most of it away and give a couple things to my girls. I start going through my clothes and then I get irritated with myself. I place clothes that I have never worn or worn only a couple times into a bag for my niece and think of all the money represented in those items and how that money could have helped with more important, valuable things. I feel very repentant and angry with my poor stewardship and self-worship. I pull down my basket of scarves from the shelf in my closet. I never thought myself  a very materialistic person, but when I look at some of my treasures/ clutter it's hard to put them in the bag to give away. I am strangely attached to them. They're pretty and I want to keep them even though I never wear them. I find value in them. Then, I realize how covetous I am. I put them in the bag.

I've gone through my house before and purged, but it's never had such a personal impact on me. The more I packed up the more I saw that needed to go. "For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." I could see where my money was going, my family's money, and it revealed the priorities of my heart. It's about living intentionally, and having things that serve a purpose. It's a process, but I feel the peace coming back into the house.

"Every time you spend money, you're casting a vote for the kind of world you want."- Anna Lappe