Joshua Becker says, “I don’t know if the three most common words in American homes are, ‘I love you,’ or ‘Let’s go shopping.’”
The amount of stuff the average American owns is astounding. Our cabinets, crawl spaces, garages, and storage rooms are filled to capacity. Some people even rent additional space at a storage unit to hold even more stuff.
The statistics are unbelievable. American homes have tripled in size in the last 50 years, yet 10 percent of families rent offsite storage. A major newspaper once reported that the average American home has nearly 300,000 items inside of it.
We’re drowning in stuff. A lot of things make our lives more enjoyable, convenient, and safe. But we’ve also got a lot of things we could probably do just fine without.
Joshua had that realization a few years ago while he was cleaning out his garage. He looked up from the pile of things in his driveway and saw his 5-year-old son swinging alone in the backyard where he’d been all morning.
Joshua’s stuff had more control over his life than was healthy. Not only did his stuff not make him happy, it was taking him further away from other things that brought him purpose and fulfillment in life.
Many of us feel that way, but that’s where we get stuck.
“De-cluttering” isn’t always easy. It’s hard for some people to let go of sentimental things. The rest of us probably love to throw stuff out a little too much. When Jean and I de-clutter, I throw away everything. Unfortunately, that sometimes includes phone numbers that Jean needs.
Oops. Sorry, hon.
If your clutter is becoming a burden, if your house, your car, your garage is full, if you’re feeling buried under your stuff, but you don’t know how to go about clearing things out, our program today is for you.
Joshua Becker is with us to help moms and dads de-clutter as a family …. in ways that work. Joshua’s practical ideas will help you simplify your life and your space.
Join us for “Becoming a Clutter-Free Family” on your local radio station, online, or on our free phone app.
Joshua Becker is the author of The More of Less: Finding the Life You Want Under Everything You Own, available in our online bookstore.
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