A few days ago, I was very happy with myself. A couple of guys with an A/C company were at our place working on one of our air conditioners. I wasn’t home, but they called and told me they were there. I had a few minutes, so I quickly drove home to see how they were doing. I walked over to where they were working and asked them if they needed anything. They told me they did need something. They had to unexpectedly move a support bracket and didn’t have a socket wrench or socket with them. I then proceeded over to my workshop and selected the size socket they asked for and a socket wrench.
I know that doesn’t sound like a big deal for many of you. But for me, that was closing in on being miraculous. You see over the past month I have been diligently working at organizing and cleaning out my sheds. Three weeks ago, I doubt that I would have been able to find a socket wrench, let alone the correct size socket!
I walked back to the A/C guys with a bit of swagger in my step as though I was Tim the Toolman Taylor. Then I confidently said, “Just let me know if you need any other tools”.
I have a couple of sheds. One is a combination camper/lawn mower storage/workshop. The other one is a combination feed storage/workbench/chicken coop.
I’m ashamed to say they both have looked like a cyclone hit them. Seldom was anything put back where it was supposed to go. That was primarily because there was never actually a designated place for anything to go. As I was organizing, cleaning, and throwing out junk, I found stuff I didn’t know I had. At one point I thought to myself, “I’ve found everything except the kitchen sink.” Then, believe it or not, I found a sink I didn’t know I had!
I work on a lot of projects. I guess it’s my hobby. I build things and fix things. But when I get done, I just throw my tools in one of the sheds, or the garage, or my van, or leave them wherever I was working. This is a very bad habit that has taken many, many years to perfect. I have perfected it!
I know that some of you cannot relate to the mess I developed. However, some of you might relate to this. Maybe it isn't a toolshed. It might be the garage, or closet, or pantry, or just a drawer in the kitchen. Sometimes clutter is hidden. Sometimes it’s to the point where people have surrendered to it and it's out in the open for all to see.
I’ve always wanted to get organized, but for some reason, it’s always been a struggle. I suppose it is probably some deep-seated psychological issue. So to conquer the problem I decided there were two choices. I could go to a therapist, or I could start organizing. I started organizing.
Getting organized and staying organized is important, and here's why.
Organization Honors God
This might not be your number one reason, but I've concluded that it has to be mine. If I were only getting organized for my benefit, it wouldn’t matter too much. I could go on living with the mess. But I know that disorganization doesn't please God.
Pleasing God is the best reason for everything we do. If we do things to gain the recognition of others, or to boost our pride, or to satisfy ourselves, then we’re doing them for the wrong purpose.
Honoring God needs to be our foundation for the things we do and the way we do them.
1 Corinthians 14:40 tells us to be sure that everything is done properly and in order.
God loves order. As we observe creation, it is obvious that God loves order. The sun comes up, the sun goes down. It is so orderly, that we know years in advance the exact times these events will happen every single day.
Over the years I’ve seen various churches that have failed after years of ministry. The reasons for their failure vary to some degree. However, many failing churches have the same traits. One trait I’ve seen duplicated is they look more like storage units than church facilities. Rooms are filled with junk that nobody takes the initiative to throw away. The disorganization in those buildings does not honor God.
1. Organization honors God because it reflects Him and we are His reflection. When our kids are young we want them to act properly, especially when they’re out in public. We know their actions reflect on us. It’s the same with God. We are created in His image, but even beyond that, when we give our lives to Christ, we are saying we will live so that others see Jesus in us. I feel like Jesus would not have a messy shed, garage, closet or, cupboard.
2. We honor God by being good stewards of what we are allowed oversight.
Proverbs 3:9 - Honor God with everything you own; give him the first and the best.
When we’re not organized with our possessions, we are being poor stewards. Being a poor steward does not honor the Lord.
3. Lack of organizing our stuff is generally caused by laziness. It’s easier to throw things in a pile than put them away. Laziness certainly does not honor God.
Proverbs 6:6 Go to the ant, O sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise.
When insects work harder and are more organized than we are, we’ve got a problem.
Colossians 3:23 Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men.
“Whatever you do” means "whatever you do"!
Now that the foundation for organization has been set, we can see that
Organization Is Beneficial
1. Being organized eliminates a lot of stress
Clutter is stressful. When it gets bad enough we stop looking at it and we continue to add to it. According to Marie Kondo, of Tidying Up (Netflix), disorganization brings on feelings of irritation, anxiety, and even panic. Studies have shown that our brains like order, and constant visual reminders of disorganization drain our cognitive resources, reducing our ability to focus.
I would add that our brains like order because our orderly God created them.
2. Being organized helps us get things done quicker
I’ve already noticed a big difference. Before the organization began, this was the process when working on a project. Step 1: Try to remember where I last put the first tool I was going to need. I had to look in the shed, or the other shed, or the garage, or the van, or the other van. Finding the tool and starting the project took me to Step 2: Go look for the next tool that I needed. Step 3: Repeat steps one and two.
I said that not putting stuff away is a sign of laziness. But I may have been working harder at tracking down tools than I was doing the projects. Then, as Ms. Kondo said, I had a lot of feelings of frustration and anxiety.
It’s amazing how much time is saved not looking for the tools or supplies that are needed. I can now accomplish more and get it done quicker.
3. Being organized allows us to know what we have in inventory and where it is when we need it. This is a nice feeling.
I’ve come a long way in organizing my sheds. I told my son that if he needs nails, saws-all blades, or washers, I have what he needs. I have found all sizes of all three of those things. Plus I now know that I have them and I know where they are located.
4. Being organized gives us the peace of not leaving a mess for someone else.
I could easily have the wrong attitude about this. I could just say, “If I’m gone tomorrow, it won’t make any difference to me.” I suppose that’s probably true. But it’s not a good legacy to leave behind. I still have a lot of stuff for someone to work through and do something with if I’m gone. But since it’s already organized, it will be a lot easier to sort out.
So today I was building an outdoor table to be used for preparing snacks such as s’mores near our fire pit. I wanted to put some finishing touches on it by sanding it with my orbital sander. All I needed to do was grab the sander and some sanding discs. I picked up my sander, but I couldn’t find the sanding discs. I looked and looked for them. I couldn’t believe it because I now have a place for almost everything. After searching a few times, I went into the house and asked Deb if she would come out with me and help look. She found them in seconds. Guess where. Right where I put them! In the place they belong! I’m so used to finding things where they don’t belong, I never thought to look where they do belong!
Organization honors God and organization works. Now I just have to learn to work with it.
