Living in Clutter: Addicted to Stuff You Don’t Need

Matthew 6:19–21 "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."

The Minimalism Trend and Our Home

Minimalism has surged in recent years, and yes, it’s a trend. During the pandemic, being confined to our homes forced us to pay closer attention to them. Post-pandemic, I personally developed a deeper desire to be home, and we began to see our house in a new light, discovering potential we had never considered before. We were blessed with the opportunity to remodel our home after waiting ten years to update our 1960s kitchen. We added a sunroom that became the heart of our house-church and family life. With white walls and new cabinets, the space felt like a blank canvas, and filling it back up with junk just didn’t seem right. Moving everything out for the remodel, we discovered something surprising: we were happy with less.

The Clutter Battle: My Daughter’s Room

And yet, here I am writing this while in the process of decluttering my daughter’s room.

It started when she began complaining about “mosquito bites” at night. Possible, especially in the summer, but the bites showed up on her tummy and armpits. That did not make sense. She wasn’t sleeping naked, and although it’s true that mosquitoes can bite through clothes (I have been attacked in the backyard myself), something felt off. The issue would go away only to return again.

Then one day I took a close look at her mattress and noticed a microscopic black speck. I picked it up with my fingertip and examined it. It looked like a tiny bug. After some digging, we figured out it was a carpet beetle. And although we don’t have carpet, my daughter’s room was full of stuffed animals she had collected over the years. Some held deep sentimental value, especially “Oso,” her teddy bear who had traveled across the U.S. and around the world with us.

At the time of writing this, my husband and I are still deciding whether to incinerate Oso or freeze him to kill the bugs. Every other stuffed animal was placed in trash bags. My daughter keeps everything: special tags, old school worksheets, shoes that don’t fit, and more. I have secretly gone into her room to grab things to donate. I even took time off work to secretly throw things out. What we didn’t realize was that we had been enabling the clutter yucky-pucky, as I like to call it.

The Gift Culture and Its Impact

We rewarded her with trips to Daiso, the Japanese store filled with cheap, kawaii knick knacks. We threw elaborate birthday parties where she received multiple presents, some never opened. I agonized over the “perfect” Christmas gifts. And still, we found ourselves asking her repeatedly to clean her desk and pick up her floors, only to end up with a frustrated and overwhelmed child.

It is time to declutter. To get rid of the carpet beetles. To treat every crevice.

But will we fix the damage? Do we go cold turkey and break her precious heart?

The Process of Letting Go

Fast forward to the aftermath. All I can say is it was a process. We had to pray our way through it.

We had her room fumigated. Replaced her entire bed. And yes, every single stuffed animal went in the dumpster. When we broke the news, she sobbed uncontrollably. It was heartbreaking. My mom bought her a new bear, and from that moment on, we have made it a point to limit how many stuffies she can keep.

She recovered.

She has learned to recognize when things are taking up too much space and she sleeps better when her room is clean. Having less stuff is calming and peaceful. It has been a work in progress, but what used to be a battle has become a rhythm, and now she helps with the process.

Deeper Healing and Family Growth

God is helping her and helping us as a family as we begin to address deeper things: insecurities, our walk with Jesus, learning to love one another better, and being intentional about discipling our children.

Maybe that is the problem many adults face too. We lack fellowship and connection, so we turn to things. We make our possessions, pets, careers, and clutter into comfort blankets and develop inordinate affections along the way.

Practical Changes We’ve Made

Some changes we have made include simplifying birthdays and holidays to be less about gifts and more about experiences. We cut back on houseplants to reduce the amount of time we spend watering them (we became plant people during those pandemic years).  We buy fewer things, like groceries. We try fasting from social media. We pray and ask God what we need to get rid of, even if the item or activity isn’t bad but simply acting in obedience.

Let me be clear: environmentalism is not the religion I am preaching here. I recycle when I can, but my battle is not against plastic or Amazon boxes. It is against something much deeper, something spiritual that creeps into the corners of our lives—clutter, both material and mental.

Ephesians 6:12 states: "For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places."

Biblical Perspective on Clutter and Idolatry

Biblically speaking, becoming attached to things is idolatry. It is building treasure in the wrong place. Decluttering life means making space for God and family, for what really matters. That means letting go of extra activities and consolidating life. No, your kids do not need to join every sport or every club.

There are some caveats to watch for: suddenly resenting your home, trying to do everything at once, not resting, pressuring others who may not feel the same, and lacking sensitivity when handling things that belong to your spouse or children. 

Possible Root Causes of Hoarding and Cluttering

Possible root causes include soft addictions which are those subtle habits we turn to for comfort, distraction, or control. These can stem from an unfulfilled need to be loved, lack of purpose, or a deep sense of rejection. Often, they mask deeper issues like procrastination, denial, or emotional avoidance. We may seek control through acquiring or holding onto things, experiencing a temporary high when we get something new, only to be followed by guilt, shame, and self-accusation. At the core is often a struggle to trust God to provide or take care of us, so we cling to everything “just in case.” Fear of lack ironically leads to more lack, like a homeless person with three shopping carts full of stuff—burdened, not free. Souvenirs become idols and memories become chains, but God has not given us a spirit of fear. What you fear can come upon you like a monster unless you get free from it. Hoarding prevents you from enjoying the life God intended. So serve it an eviction notice! 

My Ongoing Decluttering Goals

My personal ongoing decluttering goals include getting rid of old clothes that do not fit, old stockings and pajamas, useless kitchen gadgets, snacks from Costco that were bought three years ago, did not taste good, and felt guilty throwing them away, and leftovers no one will eat. Yes, kids are starving somewhere, but unless you are actively doing something about that, you cannot carry the burden every time you toss a salad with soggy croutons. Letting go is okay. I do not have to finish every plate. I do not have to fill my plate to the brim at the buffet. Books I will never read need to go. Markers that are dried up do not belong in kitchen drawers. Christmas lights I cannot untangle must go. Instead of letting our garage become a dumping ground for things we'd rather forget, we can reclaim it as an art studio – no longer ruled by the 'out of sight, out of mind' mindset. This is not about décor. It is not about fads. It is not about becoming a minimalist influencer. This is about saying enough is enough. 

A Commitment to Love and Let Go

I will not let my daughter drown in things. I will not enable hoarding. I will love her and teach her to love and receive love – love that does not rot, collect dust, or attract carpet beetles.

Life does not consist in the abundance of possessions or activities.

We will step out of our little corner and engage with others in real community. And if I do not get to that pile of junk today, I will not beat myself up because my house is not a social media billboard. I will set a goal. I will get organized. And, then, I will rest because each day has enough trouble of its own. If you take two steps forward and sometimes a step back, it is still progress. 

Matthew 6:34 "Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof."