MAKING SPACE CAN SPARK JOY

I’ve never thought of myself as a home organizer, especially with three daughters and a full life to live as a family! However, recently I’ve had the mixed pleasure and pain of helping my parents move. Such a big life transition can cause a person to start asking Marie Kondo’s KonMari question: “Does this item spark joy in my life?” Deciding what to keep in each life stage is an important process, as we humans naturally tend to spend a chunk of our time maintaining our things. How freeing it can be to release the stuff that we no longer wear, use, or need, but has been cluttering our literal and mental space!

With a family, especially as we turn the corner into the holiday season, caring for the things in our lives can be intense and overwhelming. May I suggest we invest some time in tidying up and helping our kids learn how to contribute to this process? My hunch is that we all will be grateful for the results of our fall cleanout, and our spirits will be more settled, at peace, and ready for the holidays. Relatedly, when we declutter our souls, we make space for Jesus to fill us with His joy and hope.

‍Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Psalm 51:10 ESV

Inspired by the lightness that came after donating many of my parents’ unwanted items, and preparing their house for sale, I asked God what I could learn about myself and Him through this experience of tidying up our lives. His answer was refreshing and revealing–I need the Lord daily to guide my heart, if I allow God to direct these choices, and if I release my hold on things of this world that I’m holding too tightly to, He will lift my burdens. These verses came to mind:

‍“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. Matthew 6:19-21 ESV

‍And he said to them, “Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” Luke 12:15 ESV

We can go to the Bible even to be roused to declutter! So once we are filled up with purpose and motivation, we need a plan. 

How does a parent with kids at home go about this tidying up process? The good news – there’s no one right answer.  It can look different for every family. Here’s some things that have helped us and other families we know:

• Thank God for His provision. Remember that God is the source of all things you value (both figuratively and literally). Giving glory to God for providing for your family is an important step and one kids need to hear.
• Make your goals simple and known to the whole family. (e.g, We are going to reduce our games on our game shelf to only those we play regularly.  Or, it’s closet cleaning day! We’re going to keep those clothes we will enjoy wearing consistently for each season)
• Envision what you want your environment to look like for the holidays. What’s most important to be available and used these next months? Keep those items out and store or donate the rest.
• Ask the kids to gather up toys for donation that are gently used (think, all the pieces are intact). Include those toys that just never grabbed their attention and make a donation to a local charity so that other kids will find joy in these toys.
• Create habits of tidying up regularly – daily, weekly, and seasonally. Teach your kids to put away items at the end of the day or when playtime is over. Establish weekly chores or routines that will help keep clutter down. Do a seasonal clean up – don’t just wait for spring!
• Turn on music during the process, and find ways to make it fun! Sing out to your preferred music, take breaks to dance, and tell stories about items found.
• Release items that no longer bring you joy. OK so Marie Kondo has a good line here – really consider if it’s worth staying, and if not, let it GO to your preferred charity or discard it.
• Reward your effort. Afterward, take a walk, enjoy a game together, or eat a family favorite sweet treat to celebrate a job accomplished.

‍Well done parents! If you take some time this November to prepare your environment you and your kids will be in the mindset to only bring in things that spark joy and fill important needs for your family. In the process, you will have GIVEN toward others, and spoken GRATITUDE over your possessions. 

‍Give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you.” Luke 6:38 ESV

‍What joy for us to experience the generosity of Jesus! Open your hearts and hands to receive His many gifts of grace, mercy, forgiveness, and love. Then, as we lighten our literal load, we can echo that grace, by giving to others cheerfully and providing tangible items which could be an answer to their prayers. 

Epic Family, we are grateful for each of you! We are thinking of you as Epic Church SF does their own version of tidying up as we prepare to move from 250 Stevenson to 414 Brannan at the end of this month. We eagerly look forward to sharing this new space with your family where kids and parents alike can belong, believe, and become dedicated followers of Jesus.

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Grace and peace,

Annikki

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Resources for Parents:

Picture Books with gratitude principles:

(to keep the clutter down, look for them at the library first!)

• Baby Wren by Sally Lloyd Jones some text
  • Gratitide Song printable
• Finest Horse in Town by Jacqueline Briggs Martin
• Cranberry Thanksgiving by Wende Devlin
• Make Way for Ducklings by Robert McCloskey
• A New Coat for Anna by Harriet Ziefert

Decluttering:

• KonMari Method of tidying up
• The Simplicity Habit’s guide to help kids declutter

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What Epic Kids & PreK are learning in November:

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