Recently, my brother and I helped my parents move out of their longtime home and into a senior living community. Like many families walking this road, we faced the task of sorting through decades of belongings — every drawer, every closet, every corner filled with memories, mementos, paperwork, and things we thought we’d need someday.
Some items were deeply sentimental — cards tucked away from long ago, photographs, a favorite vase. Other things made us pause and ask, “Why in the world did they keep this?” But through it all, I began to realize something bigger: we all hang on to things — not just in our homes, but in our hearts. Maybe it’s not just clutter in our closets. Maybe it’s clutter in our lives.
We fill up space with stuff — sometimes because we’re attached to the memories, sometimes because we believe it might be worth something one day, and sometimes simply because we can. But I started to wonder: what if all the clutter is crowding out something more important?
Jesus gives us a clear invitation in Matthew 6:19-21(NIV): “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven… For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
That hit me. What if my closets aren’t the only thing that need purging? What if the real work isn’t just organizing the garage or boxing up dishes, but making room in my soul for God to move? What if I’ve been so caught up in accumulating stuff — even good stuff — that I’ve missed what I truly need?
Don’t get me wrong — I enjoy beautiful things. I appreciate a cozy home and the sentimental value of keepsakes. But as I stood surrounded by boxes of forgotten treasures, I felt a quiet nudge from the Holy Spirit: Be mindful. Know the difference between what you want and what you need. In Philippians 4:19 (NIV), we’re reminded: “And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.”
That’s the shift I’m trying to make. A daily, intentional decision to stop chasing what the world says I should want and instead seek what God knows I truly need. To trade the temporary for the eternal. To unclutter my soul. Because if I keep filling my life with more — more stuff, more noise, more distractions — what space am I leaving for the Spirit to fill me?
I’m not saying my parents were wrong for holding on to everything. Some of it came from living through the Depression and learning to value every item. But I want to learn from the past — and live differently going forward. This season has taught me something: I want to live lighter. Freer. With open hands and an open heart. I want less stuff and more presence. Less collecting and more connecting. I want to store my treasure where moths and rust can’t touch it — in people, in purpose, in the Kingdom of God. So, I ask myself: Is there clutter — physical or spiritual — taking up too much space in my life? What might God be asking me to release so He can fill me with what truly matters? Let’s clear the clutter — not just in our homes, but in our hearts — so we can make room for what’s eternal.
