Get rid of or seriously control collectibles and collections.  All they do is tempt you to get more stuff.  For no reason whatsoever.  God created plenty of things for us to enjoy without having to muster up a collection.  When our family started trying to clear up "Stuff Immunity Disorder" in our home, the area of collectibles got completely purged.  My children weren't allowed to have toys that encouraged "buying the whole set," or "all the accessories."  Such as:  Polly Pockets, Littlest Pet Shop, Barbie (but Barbies went for other reasons, too), Furryvilles, Thomas Trains, Character toys, and on and on and on.  Other toys that could be collectibles--well, we just don't collect.  Hot wheels, Legos, doll babies, etc.  We set a limit on how many are allowed for reasonable, healthy play, and if a new one arrives that puts the number of that toy over the allotted amount, they child must choose which has to go.  For example, my daughter is allowed four baby dolls.  If she receives a new one or wants to buy a new one, she must decide which one will go.  She is allowed four purses.  Same rule.  The Hot Wheels bin is limited to 25 cars.  If the boys receive new ones or want to buy new ones, they must decide which ones go. Honestly, do they really need 4 purses, 4 dolls, or 25 cars?

If you collect things like cows, pigs, cookie jars, Coca Cola, antiques, bears, dolls, Barbies... (I don't know, what do people collect?)... then STOP!  STOP IT AT ONCE!  Get rid of the stuff and get rid of the temptation to buy needless stuff.

Now, I know this post is long already, but I'm going to put two posts in one.  Below I am posting an entry I wrote awhile back, chronicling how God helped us to simplify and learn to get rid of stuff.  I gave specific examples of how we dealt with different areas in our home. 

But God is still helping me.  It is an ongoing "treatment."  We are still working to "let go," and to get better.  Even as I typed this post, I realized that my sewing projects have grown to more than five and it is time to finish some up or get rid (I can already think of two that are going out the door!).  I am already thinking of my trunk that holds extra sheets and blankets, and my upper closet shelf, and my wardrobe--time to go through these things again (especially with baby #4 due in 3 weeks--praise the Lord!).  My bookshelf needs another purging.  At a glance, I can see about 25 books referred to regularly for reference that have "made the cut" for a few years.  But, I can see about 25 others that have "built up" that we probably will never look at again.

The Lord prompted me to give away four of my "keeper" Christian CDs a couple of weeks ago.  At first my thought was, "No way! Those are my favorites!" (My Selah CDs and a couple worship collections). And God spoke to me and said, "And when was the last time you listened to them?"  I handed them over to a 12-year-old girl without another thought, and was pleased when I saw the same girl today and not only was she carrying those CDs in her purse, but she had been listening to nothing but those CDs (instead of her usual Disney, Pop, and Hip Hop music).

And the garage--as soon as that warm weather hits in March, one whole homeschool week will be dedicated to that! 

And it just came to mind that over two years ago I did purge my crocheting down to two projects (I got rid of hundreds of dollars worth of yarn), and I haven't touched either of those projects since!  And I love crocheting!  I'm going to work in those projects by next week, or give them up.  And I LOVE crocheting--you hear me?  I love it!  I will give it up if God does not give me time for this hobby by next week.

God has been working in my heart in this area lately, and in my husband's heart, too.  I knew God was serious about growing me more in this area when I found lately I could no longer enjoy the occasional viewing of one of my favorite TV shows, "Antique Roadshow."  People were placing such a crazy value on things that had no eternal bearing!  My eyes were opened.  I just couldn't watch.  My dear late Grandmother, there in heaven, does she really care that I treasure her old Czechoslovakian brooch?  NO! NO! NO!  (When my husband sees the show, he always says, "sell it!") Do I have absolutely no concept of what heaven is really like?  My grandmother no longer has attachment or longing for anything earthly.  She is not up there wishing she could have taken her jewelry with her.  She is not up there worrying about who has her stuff now and how well it is being cared for.  She is not up there worrying about how sentimental I am about her or how much she is missed (and believe me, she is missed as much as anyone can miss a grandmother!  She was the best grandmother in the world and I've often found myself saying spontaneously to God, "Why did you take her so soon? I wasn't ready to let her go!)  I am not honoring her by hanging on to her old jewelry.  I don't wear it. I don't use it. I could truly sell it and give to the poor--that might please my grandmother.  That is heavenly and eternal...  Does that make sense?

Stuff immunity.

I started praying about the stuff problem about two weeks ago.  I wrote it in my prayer journal.  God is SO working.  Out of the blue, my husband had this disorder laid on his heart, too.  He said at the breakfast table, just out of the blue, "How in the world do so many Christian families even KNOW about Nintendo DS?"  Good question!  Is it commercials?  Is it just from spending too much time looking in stores and shopping? 

Stuff immunity.

I was once talking to a lady who was struggling with finances--facing insurmountable debt and stress because of it.  I know the problem.  She buys too much stuff.  She spends too much money.  WAY too much money. WAY, WAY, WAY too much.  She is dripping with too much stuff.  But she is in the serious last stages of the disease.  She wondered out loud if God was trying to teach her to have less anger, or to be more patient, or to read her Bible more, or to pray more.  But she was only ignoring what God really wanted from her.  Deep down she knows, but she would rather work on something else. She wants her stuff.  God really wants her to quit spending so much money and having so much stuff. He wants her to give up her stuff and follow Him. JUST LIKE THE RICH MAN. But she is immune to this.  If I mention to her "cutting back," she will defend herself about why she bought this or that, and why her children have this, and this, and this, and this, and this, and this... and why her grocery budget can't be less than $____ because of who just has to have this, and this, and this, and this.... 

Stuff immune Disorder.

I'm nearly afraid it is terminal for her.

Now, I know I'm stepping on some toes.  Don't get defensive.  I understand we all have different gifts, different ministries, different interests, and different callings.  We all use different kinds of stuff and different amounts of stuff.  We all have husbands to submit to, and some of them are addicted to stuff worse than we are.  But like I am doing, I urge you to do as well:  Evaluate YOUR symptoms.  Pray. Ask God to help you improve in this area so that you can truly give up your earthly attachments and follow Him.  Deal with your stuff, and the things in your jurisdiction (no, don't sell your husband's three extra chainsaws and the 2,000 pounds of tools he never uses). And if you are reading this blog, know that I am praying for you, too.  And with that I sign off--but below I've pasted in a prior entry.  God bless.

P.S.  I forgot to mention that once you start the "Stuff Immunity Disorder"  cure, there are some side effects.  BE WARNED:
1.  Your budget will go further and you will be able to give more.  Your bills might even get paid.
2. You will begin using your time more effectively for the Lord--because you will be more organized. It will be easier to clean your house. You will not waste hours in useless fiction novels or in front of a video screen.
3. Your spiritual health will improve.
4.  You will not feel the same. 

The question is--do you want to change?

Here is a portion of my prior entry that gives details on some of the things we did in the past to combat Stuff Immunity Disorder.  But remember, I'm still growing!

A Clean House: How We Do It

Several years ago, God saved our marriage and opened our eyes to His design for marriage.  Learning that the wife's designed purpose was to be a help meet to my husband, a keeper at home, I realized I had a LOT of changes to make. One of the first things I started praying for daily was that the Lord to show me how to organize my home, and how to keep it clean so that it would be a blessing to my husband and family.

During the tougher years of our marriage before we turned to God, I was such a mess spiritually/mentally, and it showed in our home.  I could never keep it clean daily--or weekly or monthly, for that matter. We usually lived in some sort of disheveled-bordering-chaos state, and only had a clean house on the rare occasion I spent one or two entire days cleaning for company.

When God showed me that being a keeper at home was my God-created purpose, I put it on my daily prayer list:  "God, please show me how to get my home clean and organized. Please show me how to keep it that way every day. Please show me how to make my home a testimony, and a sanctuary."

Well, it has been several years since I have started praying that prayer. And God, as ALWAYS, has been perfectly faithful in answering my prayers, and I have done my best to be obedient and keep pressing on towards the mark.

I look around my home today and compare it to the home I had then.  There is not a smidge of resemblance. God has transformed us so completely! We are able to keep the house orderly and organized, and our home has become a testimony.  We've had three children visiting our home lately (on separate occasions) who commented (referring to our choice of toys, our lack of TV, our cleanliness, the things we eat, etc), "This is the most Christian home I have ever been in!"  I asked, "What do you think? Is that good?"  They all replied, "It's great!" Some highlights of my journey and things we do now (followed by things God has shown me to still work on).

First, we GOT RID, GOT RID, GOT RID.  The only way to have peace and order is to have an amount of things that can be put in order! Step by step, God revealed to us one at a time the things that did not honor Him. First to go was the music--about 300 CDs. At first my husband started selling them on ebay, then we  were convicted that if we shouldn't have them, we shouldn't be the reason someone else had them, and God wouldn't be honored by money made from their sale.  So, into the trash they went. We have one small collection of our favorite Christian music, and we have some Christian audio books (i.e., Focus on the Family Radio Theater, and Henty Audio Books).

Then went the movies.  We kept what we thought were our favorites and ones that were decent, but one at a time, God continued to open our eyes to the subtle worldly philosophies we were allowing into our home.  I knew we were getting the hang of it when "The Little Mermaid"  and "Little House on the Prairie" went out the door.

Same for the books, even our children's books. Some of my lifelong favorites, even collected  "first editions" of ones like "Clan of the Cave Bear" went INTO THE TRASH.  God so convicted me of how I had polluted my mind with paganism, humanism, and sexual filth in the name of good writing. I really completely understood this concept when I attended the Basic Seminar of the Institute of Basic Life Principles and Bill Gothard said, "A truly good writer is one who controls your imagination, not provokes it."  I realized the world's concept of a good writer is completely different!  It was very life-changing for me because I have always been a writer, and I have always appreciated good writing. God changed me so completely. What I used to think was excellent and gifted writing, I now see it as trash.

Then went the TV.  We still have one. I use it sometimes for watching educational videos for School (S.M. Davis videos and other sermons, science and geography documentaries), but my daily rule now is that Mommy is not allowed to turn the TV on unless it is a school video.  Daddy is allowed to choose other programming--so sometimes the children get to watch some family favorites, and my husband and I sometimes scowl through the nightly news. But usually, after the day is done and dinner is over, the children clamor to have "family night" which means making hot tea or hot chocolate, then playing games in the living room.

Then the toys. I prayed for God to reveal to us what was wholesome, and wise for our children.  Away went all super heroes, Barbies, Polly Pockets, most video games, and anything addictive, materialistic, trendy, or having the "collectible" mentality. We had to get rid of Monopoly because my son became so agitated and greedy while playing! Then I watched, and day after day, week after week, I got rid off the dust collectors and the unnecessaries:  Games we never really played, toys that really didn't have a place or a purpose. Little by little, we organized completely to some basic types of toys, and then made a place for everything and put everything in that place.

For example, my 7-year-old daughter has:  Four baby dolls, and if she gets a new one, she must decide which one has to go. We limit it to four. She also has a baby swing, a baby high chair, a baby stroller, an antique child's table and chairs (used to be her grandmother's). Under her bed is a bin with all her doll clothes and accessories, which we go through about twice a year and anything that doesn't fit or doesn't get used has to go. She has a play kitchen with one bin of play food and dishes. She has a doll house with one bin of doll house furniture (a big old-fashioned doll house that my uncle made over 30 years ago for my cousin and my daughter inherited it, with all its lovely vintage furniture!). She has one one bucket of crayons and a stack of paper and coloring books/notebooks for her room for play (the rest of the art supplies we keep with the school things), she has a stack of wooden puzzles that are family heirlooms, and she has a shelf of her favorite stuffed animals (about 10, five of which are Build-A-Bears she has received as gifts on various birthdays). The box of Build-A-Bear clothes is kept in her closet. She has one small bin of her "favorite" toys and things she can share with her baby brother (i.e., a train whistle, a toy phone, a toy recorder, a pan flute from South America). And that's it. And she knows exactly where everything goes. And she can VERY quickly put it there.

My 12-year-old son has:  An ocean of Legos (sorted into his choice of bins and put away under the bed or on his shelves), one small bin of Hot Wheels, one jar of bouncy balls, one bin of small plastic animals (mostly for sharing with his baby brother or for entertaining younger children when they visit), and one bin of "Zip Zaps" with accessories.  He has a gameboy with a handful of games, but he is not allowed to play it at will. He has a personal CD player which he uses to listen to Henty audio books (He LOVES these and they are awesome), audio Bible CDs, sermons.  We do not let him listen to music through headphones. He does have a personal collection of books on a shelf in his room (his Christian biographies, Missionary hero tales, and Lamplighter books, etc.).  He has 2 or 3 computer games that we keep on the family computer and he is allowed to play on occasion with permission (he plays, on average, about once per week). And the rest of his things are outside:  Soccer ball, basketball and hoop, baseball equipment, bike, scooter, 4-wheeler, foxtail, frisbee, golf clubs, BB gun, .22 rifle.

Then we got rid of clutter:  Once through the house, then through it again, then again, then again. Load after load went to charity, or to very productive yard sales.  Each time through, God opened my eyes more and more to the things that were necessary versus the things that were not.  We trimmed and trimmed and trimmed, and we still look to trim every day.  For example:  We don't keep "classics" of fiction (i.e., "The Swiss Family Robinson") because we can always check it out at the library. Extra candles, games, puzzles, canned goods, craft supplies, fabric, patterns, yarn, spices, towels, blankets, knick knacks, dishes we never used, etc.  GONE.  I probably made about $4,000 dollars the past few years having yard sales or getting rid of things on ebay.  We continue to go through the house on a daily basis, and I have two rubber maid tubs stored in my office:  One for items I'm reselling on ebay, at the used store, or saving for a yard sale, and one for items going to charity I add something to them almost daily and empty them when we go to town:  even Christian books we've read but I know we will no longer look at again, clothing, kitchen ware, curriculum, etc.

THEN the CLOTHES.  Emilie Barnes and Elizabeth George helped me get a handle on this.  Our wardrobes are streamlined and simplified.  We have what we feel is the basic number of basics.  For example, about five pairs of jeans and five pairs of dress pants each for the men/boys, five casual skirts and five dressy skirts for the girls, and about five each of each basic type of top:  short sleeve polo, long-sleeve dress shirts, short sleeve t-shirts, long-sleeve T-shirts.  The boys each have one or 2 nice sweaters. Us girls have about 10 nice tops that go with everything.  My daughter has one or two nice dresses for special occasions at any given time. We keep it to the basics, and if one of the basics wears out, we replace the basic.  For example, one of my favorite denim skirts has just worn thin and tiny holes have started at the seams.  I will look carefully  and replace it with another denim skirt. It's that simple.  When my husband or son wears holes in a pair of jeans, I replace that pair of jeans.  When one pair of church pants is outgrown or gets holes, I replace that pair of pants.

Now, the chores.  Credit goes to the Steve and Teri Maxwell for this!  After reading "Managers of Their Homes" (M.O.T.H.), I learned to list all the household chores that it takes to keep our home looking the way it should look to be a testimony (right down to sweeping the porch, wiping out the microwave every day, and washing out the silverware drawer and cleaning the fridge once a week), and we keep them divided up among myself and the children.  After a friend told me about Maxwell's latest book, "Manager of Their Chores" (I think that's the title) and described it to me, I came up with a GREAT system for getting our daily chores done (God gets the credit--I know it was His grace that helped me!).  The children each have a daily checklist that has a checkbox for each daily chore as well as for their independent school work.  Thanks to a revelation God gave me while my children were reading some pioneer stories, chores are done first thing in the morning with a goal to have them all done by 9:00 a.m. so that we can continue the rest of our school day in an environment peace and order, and our home is set to be a testimony for the day (don't have to worry about that knock at the door!). Then their goal is to have their independent school work done by noon. Then I do my teaching and instructing portion in the afternoon while the baby takes his nap.  We're usually free after that to work on special projects or do anything else we like until it's time to start dinner and prepare for daddy to be home (which means touch up the house, which means we go to bed with it pretty clean and then the chores are done easily the next morning by 9:00 a.m.)