Clearing the Clutter: My Home (& Homeschool) and My Heart
We live in a culture that glorifies being busy.
For years, I wore “busy” like a badge of honor. When someone asked, “How are you?” my response was almost always, “Good, just busy!” The other person would either give me a blank look that said, “Ah, that’s why we haven’t connected,” or they’d light up, glad to have found someone else running on the same hamster wheel. I always felt a gut punch when I said this to people who I loved and missed, and hadn’t reached out to for a long time.
But over time, I began to notice something: busy wasn’t just keeping me moving—it was keeping me distracted.
The Cost of Being Busy
When I live in a state of “busy,” my home and heart fill with clutter.
In my house, busy looks like this:
- Laundry piles covering the hallway.
- Stacks of dishes in the sink.
- Art supplies, books, and toys scattered everywhere.
- A to-do list that feels endless.
I just don’t have time to sort it, organize it, or throw it away, so the clutter just piles up.
And in my heart? Busy feels the same.
- I don’t process joy or pain—I just shove it to the side and promise to deal with it later.
- I fill every moment, leaving no room to rest, reflect, or listen to God’s voice.
- I carry a constant sense of overwhelm, unsure why I feel so empty.
The clutter in my home begins to reflect the clutter in my soul.
Busy Makes Clutter
One winter, I tried to fight my seasonal blues (I grew up in the So Cal desert with 362 sunny days a year) by overscheduling myself and my family. I thought filling our days with activities would help January and February pass quickly. Instead, I felt more overwhelmed than ever.
The truth is, busy makes clutter—both physical and spiritual. It overwhelms us to the point where we can’t even see past it. And ironically, the clutter itself becomes one more thing we have to manage.
I began to tackle the clutter in my house, frantically sorting closets and tossing piles into donation bags. Each item I cleared out felt like one cool drop of water on a parched soul. But the relief was temporary because the real problem wasn’t the stuff in my home—it was the clutter in my heart.
Clutter in Our Hearts
God gently pressed this truth on my heart:
“You are anxious and overwhelmed, and instead of focusing on what’s keeping you from Me, you’re focusing on what you can control—the physical clutter.”
Clutter in our hearts comes quickly and easily. Without boundaries, we become overwhelmed by the constant stream of information, responsibilities, and distractions coming at us.
Here’s what I realized:
- When my heart is cluttered, there’s no room for peace.
- When my mind is full of noise, there’s no space for God’s whisper.
- When I let cultural lies about busyness and productivity dominate, God’s truths about my worth and purpose get crowded out.
Making Room
This realization hit home one Christmas as my family decorated our tree. We tried to squeeze the tree into our already-packed living room, rearranging furniture to make it fit. But no matter how hard we tried, the space felt crowded and chaotic.
Finally, we realized what needed to happen: we had to remove the unnecessary to make room for what mattered.
The same is true in life.
We can’t just keep adding to our schedules and hearts without removing something else. Otherwise, we end up tired, overwhelmed, and unable to fully embrace the good things God is giving us.
Questions to Help Clear the Clutter
On days when I feel overwhelmed by clutter, I ask myself these questions:
- What am I holding onto that no longer serves a purpose?
- Is there something good I need to release to make room for God’s best?
- Am I too distracted by the urgent to focus on the eternal?
Clearing clutter—physically or spiritually—isn’t about idleness or laziness. It’s about replacing busyness with peaceful diligence:
- Peace comes when I trust God’s control instead of my own.
- Diligence means working purposefully without rushing or striving.
A Better Way
When I look at the life of Jesus, I see peaceful diligence in action. He was never hurried, yet He accomplished all that the Father called Him to do. He was present, focused, and purposeful, leaving room to speak, heal, and love.
Jesus invites us into the same unhurried life—a life where we hear His whispers and follow His lead.
When I allow my home and heart to be cluttered with distractions, I miss His presence. But when I clear the clutter, I find space for the Prince of Peace to reign.
Final Thoughts
If your life feels cluttered right now—whether it’s your home, your homeschool schedule, your heart, or all—know that you’re not alone. Busy overwhelms, distracts, and burdens us, but there is a better way.
Make room. Say no to what’s unnecessary. Clear space in your heart and life for the peace and purpose God longs to give you.