Cutting the Clutter
Nothing makes me want to light my house on fire and start over more than clutter.
I don’t mind a house gone bananas during the week, but I need everything put away at some point so I can feel that inner peace that only comes with a tidy space. To be honest, I think it’s spiritual.
Let me explain by taking you on a journey.
There’s something beautiful that happens to me when I visit the mountains. Growing up in the suburbs of Asheville, NC, I have so many fond outdoor memories. Vegetable gardens, forts in the woods, camping, white water rafting. Did you know you can tie a string to the leg of a June beetle and it will fly in circles above your head like a motorized kite? Or that stargazing in the dead dark of night out in the country opens your eyes to things you’ve never seen before in the heavens?
Last week, my sweet college roommate opened her home to my family during our trip to drop Elizabeth off at camp. Her husband converted a barn/workspace into a living space, with his imagination and hands crafting every single aspect of their home. He even made their kitchen cabinets from wood cut off their 22 acres. The moment I walked into their unique haven, I felt inspired. It’s such a beautiful space.
With no close neighbors, you can hear the symphony of nature. Days are bookended by the song of the whip-poor-will. A portal to the past is opened as stories are shared in the evening by an outdoor fire. The gentle breeze kisses your cheeks as you go on a walk. Everything is uncontaminated by the busyness of the city.
I.Felt.Creatively.Inspired.
Granted, I didn’t have my typical responsibilities because I was far from home. But something about nature and beautiful spaces opens up a spiritual part of me that often feels closed off during the ho-hum of the day-to-day. The clutter. The fast-paced life of city living. It’s not a mystery, though.
Why wouldn’t I be inspired by creative pursuits when I’m surrounded by the most beautiful, natural art of an orderly, creative God, compounded by staying in a home crafted by someone who is mirroring their creator?
As Brent and I headed back home to Florida, my brain raced wildly with books to write, poetry to craft, clothes to sew, businesses to open, homes to build, cattle to raise, gardens to grow.
But then something crazy happened as we crossed over the Georgia/Florida line. I could feel that inspiration begin to drain out of me as we wove our way through interstate traffic with nothing to see but construction and a city skyline. I felt even less inspired as we pulled into our subdivision, the streets cluttered with cars, the cacophony of lawnmowers and neighbors’ conversations. Our little quarter of an acre. Staring at a fence through the window while I wash dishes. The heat that encourages you to stay inside.
So what does my experience in nature have to do with clutter in my home?
I can’t change my scenery outside, at least not yet. But, I can create beautiful spaces in my home that are inspiring. The craftmanship of such spaces reflects what a creative God has done in nature. He is a God of order and beauty. To me, it’s natural that I would want my home to be a place of order and beauty.
And nothing sucks my soul drier than walking through my home with “house litter” punctuating the rhythms of my day. I can’t sit down to write until things are put away. I can’t justify pulling out my sewing machine when there is a stack of mail to sort, a closet to clean, or laundry to fold.
Where clutter abounds, creativity is stifled.
For the next two weeks while my children are in camp, I plan to purge and really develop my ideas for inspiring spaces in my home.
We all have locked up creativity inside of us. After all, we are made in the image of the greatest designer of all time. You might not live in the mountains, on the beach, or near a national park. You might not have a perfect set of circumstances (who does?), or even a home to call your own. But I challenge you to either fight for time to spend in nature on a regular basis or at least create a single space in your home that you find beautiful and inspiring. And then spend time in it. Unplugged. You’ll be surprised by the wild dreams that will come to you.
If you ever want a peaceful mountain getaway, here are the links for my friend’s Air B&B in Fairview, NC (just a 10 minute drive to Asheville).
Le Grange Rouge (top floor of their home with private entrance and full kitchen)