The way to make better decisions about what to let go of and what to keep is to understand who you are in Jesus Christ, and to put possessions in their place.
In a healthy Christian's life, priorities are book-ended by the following:
1. Jesus first
2. Possessions last.
Reading your Bible, going to work to support yourself and your children or spouse (or ailing mother-in-law), raking your neighbor's yard, smiling at the toddler whining in the check-out line, praying, taking dinner to your friend who just lost her job, and going to church are a few actions that you take to show that Jesus is first in your life.
Spending every Saturday shopping at the mall, never donating your stacks of magazines to a charity, keeping your skinny clothes rather than taking them down to the battered women's shelter, buying your grandkids toys every month (or week), keeping every VHS and DVD you have ever purchased, and yelling at your kids when they accidentally break a drinking glass or dinner plate proves that possessions are your idol: "things" rather than God are first in your life.
When God is first in your life, you will be able to make fast decisions about what to keep: anything that you love and that supports your specific and current priorities in life is something to keep.
When you trust God as your Source for all things, you will be able to easily let go of the stack of extra blankets in your closet rather than hoard them for some unknown disaster.
When Jesus takes the center stage in your heart, there is no room for irrational attachments to "things." You won't waste your precious time determining a possible need in your future for the bread maker that has sat, unused, for four years in your kitchen.
However, when possessions are first in your life and heart, decluttering your home will take so much longer. You will consider the future usefulness and need of every item than crosses your path, and you will overthink how to dispose of each thing until you overwhelm and exhaust yourself.
Possessions, when held up as idols in your heart, will rob you of time for yourself, your family, your hobbies, your friends, and the people and causes that desperately need the gifts you bring to this world.
To make fast decisions on whether to keep or let go of something, ask yourself two questions:
1. "Will I die if I get rid of this thing?"
2. "Do I have faith enough in God and in myself--for I am made in His image--to be able to replace this object if I determine I need it later? (And if I can't replace it later, can I figure out a way to do without it, to improvise? For I am very creative, just as God the Father is Creative.)"
The more you think in this way, the quicker you will make decisions about your things, and the easier decluttering will become. Blessings on you today!
