Posted in Homemaking Secrets from My Dusty Shelves

Praise God, we have been blessed with 6 children and our home has now become a little cramped. With 2 adults and 6 children in the home, plus all the "stuff" we each need, we have quickly outgrown our space.

At first, I thought we needed a bigger house. Certainly that would be nice, however, in our current circumstances it is simply impractical. So I have determined to bless my husband and family by being content with what we have and making the best of it. I personally know original homeowners in our neighborhood who also raised large families in the very same floor plan in the 1950s and 60s. How did they do it? I believe they had less "stuff" filling up their space.

Therefore, the best way to make "more space" is to get rid of unnecessary stuff. Initially this was hard for me because I am the saving-type. Surely, you've heard of us. Maybe you are one yourself. I remember who gave us each article of clothing, teddy bear, book, and kitchen utensil. I also remember little Luke wearing those pajamas when he first slept in his big boy bed or little Lucy wearing those boots when she first discovered her own footprints in the snow. I am unnaturally attached to objects because they make me think of the precious people I associate with them. In addition, I'm always thinking of the future. You know how it goes, "Well, I don't need that now, but I might need it someday......" This cleaning out-thing has been a long and difficult process for me, but I do believe it is beginning to pay off.

I read a tip, I believe from Sandra Felton of Messies Anonymous fame, that has helped me tremendously.

Limit your collections to the space you have designated for them.

In my case, my largest collection is books. If I only have space for one bookshelf, then I must limit my books to that shelf. They cannot be in boxes in the closet or piled on top of the end table. If I have more books than shelf space, it is time to pass some on to someone else.

At this point, 2 thoughts come to mind: 1) We're a homeschooling family. We use all our books. I cannot possibly get rid of them. 2) What if I get rid of these only to find I need them in the future? The answers to these statements follow:

1) If indeed I *need* all these books, then I also need another designated place for them. Is there another piece of furniture I can get rid of to make room for another bookshelf?

2) If I decide I can part with some books, but *fear* I may need them again in the future, I can rest in the fact that God always provides for our needs. If we truly need something, the Lord will provide it for us at the right time through someone else's donation, the library, or the means to purchase it again. If I don't need a book now and don't have specific plans for it in the future, I need to let it go.

If you are also in need of more space, try applying these concepts to your *collections* and see how much room you can uncover. I plan to post more space-saving tips in the future. I hope this one has blessed you today.

~Layla