How often are you trying to calm the chaos of your home?
How many times a day do you walk past that pile on your steps?
How long are those dishes in the sink?
How many times do you restart the washing machine?
I know my answer to these questions. A LOT.
I currently have two little boys. They are wild, and constantly moving, playing, and creating messes. They have lots of clothes, toys, shoes, coats, food plates, and just STUFF. It can often times feel like I’m drowning in STUFF. We are always trying to find ways to calm the chaos of our house.
My husband and I often are overwhelmed by all the stuff and are constantly in an uphill battle for minimalism and organization. But other than just throwing or giving away everything we have, there had to be a change in our day to day life.
See a need, fill a need
Then the Lord provided and gave me a little tip to calm the chaos a little at a time, and find a way to make it less stimulating.
Then, I heard something Father Mike Schmitz said, “see a need fill a need”.
This small little phrase has created a ripple effect in my family and our home.
“See a need fill a need”
Instead of growling or complaining every time time I walked past the dishes or pile on the steps, I started to do something small. Maybe it wasn’t cleaning all the dishes, maybe it wasn’t putting away the whole pile, but one or two things at a time. See a need, fill a need.
A little pair of socks on the ground? “See a need fill a need”. Pick it up and throw it in the hamper.
Toys all over the ground? “See a need fill a need”. Put two or three away at a time.
Bathroom needs to be cleaned? “See a need fill a need”. Wipe down the mirror one time, then maybe the sink, then maybe the bathroom.
It’s amazing how just these small little actions create big changes! Yes, it’s not all the stuff at once. Yes, there will still be a mess. But each time I think “See a need, fill a need,” and I follow through with doing something, it creates a feeling of peace instead of stress.
Shifting the mindset to calm the chaos
The mindset can be so tough to change. It can be stuck in one place and get comfortable staying in the spot, even if it is negative. In fact, sometimes the negative is much more comfortable than working toward the peace.
But what if instead of trying to take on the whole problem right away, you focused on one thing at a time? Try to “fill the need” that arises first. Focus on the task in front of you, and ignore the bigger picture for just a little bit. It will always be there tomorrow and you can continue to tackle the small problems one at a time.
So the next time you feel like the overwhelming state of the house is drowning you, start small. “See a need, fill a need,” and see how the big mountain begins to shrink, to a more manageable hill to climb.
Praying for you.