The Joy of Less

by Amy Newmark

  ~Amy Newmark

  Controlled Chaos

  In about the same degree as you are helpful, you will be happy.

  ~Karl Reiland

  Recently, I decided to partner with chaos and de-clutter my life in a BIG way. We decided as a family to return to one of our rental homes, and it meant downsizing by about two-thirds!

  We needed to get rid of LOTS of stuff and we only had a few weeks to pull it off. You can imagine how much work that was with four children, but I turned it into a beneficial learning experience. I wanted them to take control of their own clutter and understand the value of getting organized and letting go of excess things they didn’t need. I placed boxes inside each of their rooms and encouraged them to make three piles: things to give away, things to gift, and stuff to throw out. What survived the cut got to go back to our old house with us.

  What is the difference between giving and gifting? For us, “giving” meant donating to a good cause for people we didn’t know. “Gifting” meant seeing the value in something special for family and friends. We called the process “Gift/Give/Garbage.”

  It’s amazing how much stuff one family of six can accumulate. And loads of it is good stuff! I love going through my closet and sharing some of my favorite fashion pieces with girlfriends who will enjoy them more than I do. And I always know I can find treasures in another friend’s closet. Unorganized spaces stress me out so I try to keep only what I use. This is what I have always tried to teach my children, so this move was a HUGE teaching opportunity.

  I knew that space and storage were going to be a challenge as we moved back into our old home, one-third the size of this one, so I threw out as many damaged goods as possible, donated bags of outgrown clothes and shoes to charity bins, and packed most of my extra kitchen stuff for future use. My kids did pretty well at separating what they loved, liked and didn’t need.

  I tried to sell most of our old furniture on the Internet, but no luck, so I called resale stores to try to make a few deals and had no luck with them either. Then I remembered Habitat for Humanity and discovered they would pick everything up and give me a tax write-off for my donation. What a win-win! They actually did me a favor by clearing out my crammed garage that looked like a swap meet, and allowed me to experience the joy of knowing I had participated in helping many families in need.

  It was so much easier to let go of the clutter when we could imagine how it would help this unfortunate family.

  Then my e-mail chimed and the subject read “family lost home.” A family in our temple community had lost everything when their house burned to the ground. The e-mail said they needed anything and everything. I read on to learn that their three children were close in age and size to mine and the father was the same size as my husband.

  This awful news gave us even more motivation to give away our things. I quickly called for a family meeting and each of us went back to our rooms to revisit anything and everything we could part with to help out this family in need. With that message in mind and held close in our hearts, we easily parted with many more wonderful things and gave Gift/Give/Garbage a new meaning.

  It was so much easier to let go of the clutter when we could imagine how it would help this unfortunate family. Sometimes someone else’s tragedy becomes a lesson for another. My kids learned a great lesson — when it comes to charity, you get back as much as you give.

  We managed to make it through the move, and it was a pleasure to reacquaint ourselves with our old house, accompanied by only the most meaningful of our possessions. I hope that we can all implement Gift/Give/Garbage on a regular basis now and continue to live a less cluttered life in which generosity plays a big part in our everyday thinking — without having to move again to remind ourselves!

  ~Brooke Burke-Charvet

  Meet Our Contributors

  Monica A. Andermann lives and writes on Long Island where she shares a home with her husband and their little tabby, Samson. Her work has been included in such publications as Woman’s World, The Secret Place and Guideposts as well as many other Chicken Soup for the Soul titles.

  Jema Anderson left Minnesota in 2011 for the open road as a full-time traveler in an RV. Jema shares a humorous and raw perspective of life through writing, photography, and video. Jema weaves stories of travel, adventure, and community through her authentic storytelling of the people she meets to the places she visits.

  Mary Anglin-Coulter majored in English and Communication and received her Bachelor of Arts degree from Bellarmine University. She is a freelance writer living with her wife and their three daughters. They lovingly refer to their home as the Estrogen House.

  Elizabeth Atwater lives on a horse ranch in a small town in North Carolina. She enjoys writing, gardening, the out-of-doors, and volunteering with senior services and hospice. Most of all, though, she enjoys the love and devotion of her husband Joe who is her soul mate.

  Katie Bangert’s stories have appeared in Chicken Soup for the Soul: Find Your Inner Strength and Chicken Soup for the Soul: Thanks to My Mom. She lives in Texas with her husband, three children and many family pets. Katie finds those many hours spent waiting in carpool line provide great literary inspiration. Read more at katiebangert.com.

  Denise Barnes unfortunately sold her estate agency business to two conmen, resulting in her book, Seller Beware. She has since published Annie’s Story and Juliet’s Story in The Voyagers trilogy. She has a B.A. (honors) in the Arts and is crazy about her rescued white cat. E-mail her at denisebarnesuk@gmail.com.

  Brianna Bell is a writer from Canada. She is married to her college sweetheart Daniel, and has two young children, Penny and Georgia. E-mail Brianna at briannarbell@gmail.com.

  Bruce Black, the author of Writing Yoga (Rodmell Press), received his MFA degree in writing from Vermont College. When he’s not practicing yoga or writing, he’s taking photographs of the plants and flowers that blossom in his front yard or that he discovers on his morning walks. He lives in Sarasota, FL.

  Veronica Bowman is a poet and writer who aspires to inspire others with her writing. She lives in North Carolina with her husband and a menagerie of pets.

  John P. Buentello is an author who has published essays, fiction, poetry and nonfiction for adults and children. He is the co-author of the novel Reproduction Rights and the short story collections Binary Tales and The Night Rose of the Mountain. E-mail him at jakkhakk@yahoo.com.

  Jill Burns lives in the mountains of West Virginia with her wonderful family. She’s a retired piano teacher and performer. She enjoys writing, music, gardening, nature, and spending time with her grandchildren.

  Christopher E. Cantrell has several diplomas from the Tennessee College of Applied Technology. He teaches Industrial Maintenance in Middle Tennessee and was in the maintenance field for twenty-four years. He and his high school sweetheart started dating at sixteen and have been married since 1991. They have two children, and love to travel.

  Brenda Cathcart-Kloke is a retired school district administrative assistant in Thornton, CO. She enjoys spending time with her family, oil painting, reading, and writing short inspirational stories.

  Joy Choquette has been writing professionally for the past eight years and loves to find new ways to de-clutter her life to focus on what she loves. In her spare time she makes junk art, upcycles, and enjoys spending time with her family outdoors. E-mail her at joywriter55@gmail.com or read her blog at www.joy-creates.blogspot.com.

  Maril Crabtree lives in the Midwest and enjoys writing about her far-flung and amazing family. Her award-winning poetry and creative nonfiction have appeared in numerous journals and anthologies. More of her work may be seen at www.marilcrabtree.com.

  Priscilla Dann-Courtney is a writer and clinical psychologist living in Boulder, CO. Her columns have appeared in a number of national magazines and newspapers. Her book, Room to Grow: Stories of Life and Family, is a collection of her essays. Yoga, meditation, running, writing, family, and friends light her world.


  D.S.A. enjoys her career as a wordsmith and believes everyone should have a favorite word, one that brings a smile and serenity upon hearing it. Hers is “lovingkindness,” chosen for what it represents. She hopes every life is graced each day by moments of both receiving and bestowing lovingkindness.

  Barbara Davey is the Director of Community Relations at Crane’s Mill in West Caldwell, NJ. She received a B.A. and M.A. from Seton Hall University, where she majored in English and journalism, and is an adjunct professor at Caldwell University. She and her husband live in Verona, NJ. E-mail her at BarbaraADavey@aol.com.

  Gwen Daye is a wife, homemaker, dog rescuer, parent of two teenagers, and is thrilled to have her second piece accepted into the Chicken Soup for the Soul series.

  Mary Dempsey, a former teacher and bookstore owner, resides in Bluffton, SC. Her writing has appeared in newspapers, magazines and five Chicken Soup for the Soul books. She is a freelance writer for a local newspaper and has recently published a book of short stories. Mary enjoys traveling and is an avid cycler.

  Katie Drew is a retired lawyer, enjoying her slower-paced life and the chance to do the things she never had time for before. Less really is more — more breathing space for the things that matter. E-mail her at kidsbookwrighter@gmail.com.

  Aimee DuFresne is a writer and coach for women ready to embrace their true power. After publishing her book, Keep Going: From Grief to Growth, Aimee and her husband packed up their Prius in 2014 and have been traveling the country speaking, housesitting and petsitting ever since. They continue to spread joy wherever they go.

  Danica Favorite loves the adventure of living a creative life. She and her family recently moved to their dream home in the mountains above Denver, CO. She writes inspirational romance and can be reached via her website at www.danicafavorite.com.

  Sally Friedman is a longtime and proud contributor to the Chicken Soup for the Soul series. Her work has appeared in The New York Times, Ladies’ Home Journal, Family Circle, and national and regional magazines and newspapers. She writes about real life, with her own family as her favorite material. E-mail her at pinegander@aol.com.

  Robyn Gerland is the author of All These Long Years Later, a book of short stories; a past editor of the internationally distributed glossy, Hysteria; a frequent author in the Chicken Soup for the Soul series, and a contributor and columnist for several magazines and newspapers, including the Federation of British Columbia Writers’ WordWorks.

  Heather Gillis is a military wife, mother and nurse. She is a blogger, speaker, and author of Waiting for Heaven. She is founder of Bowen’s Hope, a ministry that helps “Kidney Disease Kids and Their Families.” To learn more about Heather or to read her blog, visit www.heathergillis.com.

  Bracha Goetz is a Harvard grad who loves to write about the deepest topics in a simple and delightful way so children can understand them. Her more than thirty spiritual picture books can all be seen at www.amazon.com/author/spiritualkidsbooks-brachagoetz.

  Kelti Goudie has a Bachelor of Arts degree, with honours, in Spanish and a major in English with a concentration in creative writing. She enjoys listening to music and playing with her cats. She is looking to become a professional freelancer and work with her own writing on the side.

  Carol Hartsoe is a retired teaching assistant and former newspaper columnist. She stays busy with writing, visiting schools to share her own children’s stories, and spending time with family.

  Jill Haymaker is an attorney and author of Western contemporary romances. She lives in Colorado and has three grown children and three granddaughters. This is her fifth story published in the Chicken Soup for the Soul series. Contact her at jillhaymaker@aol.com or www.jillhaymaker.com.

  Miriam Hill is a frequent contributor to the Chicken Soup for the Soul series and has been published in Writer’s Digest, The Christian Science Monitor, Grit, St. Petersburg Times, The Sacramento Bee, and Poynter online. Miriam’s submission received Honorable Mention for Inspirational Writing in a Writer’s Digest Writing Competition.

  Maggie Hofstaedter is a freelance writer who tries to find inspiration in everyday life and express it through her writing. She works from her home in Lansdale, PA where she lives with her husband Dan, their kids Molly and Zach, and their dog Casey.

  Amelia Hollingsworth wishes everyone could have a friend like Lois Thompson Bartholomew. When Amelia told Lois that she was interested in writing, Lois encouraged her. She mentored Amelia, and even sent her the submission guidelines that led to Amelia’s first publication in Chicken Soup for the Soul: Just for Preteens.

  David Hull was a teacher in upstate New York for twenty-five years before joyfully retiring to do more writing, reading, watching old movies, gardening and spending time with his nieces and nephews. David writes a monthly column in a local newspaper and has stories published in other Chicken Soup for the Soul books.

  Jennie Ivey lives in Tennessee. She is the author of numerous works of fiction and nonfiction, including stories in several Chicken Soup for the Soul books. Learn more at jennieivey.com.

  Jeanie Jacobson is on the leadership team of Wordsowers Christian Writers in Omaha, NE. She’s been published in seven Chicken Soup for the Soul books, and is writing a Christian-slanted fantasy series. Jeanie loves visiting family and friends, reading, hiking, praise dancing, and gardening. Learn more at jeaniejacobson.com.

  Tanya Janke has worked in three schools, two shopping malls, a theatre, a market research company, and a berry patch. She now spends her days writing. Her first play, an adaptation of The Little Prince, was produced in Toronto in 2010.

  Celia Jarvis is a trained journalist with a love for both exotic food and travel — ignited after her trip to Nigeria. She currently lives in London, where the weather is often bad but the culture is always good, and makes her living copywriting.

  Debby Johnson lives in Southern California with her husband Ron, and youngest child, Christopher. Her four older children have flown the coop enjoying life’s adventures. She has published one book of poetry and two illustrated children’s books. She is also an artist, showing her art in various galleries.

  Terri Kafyeke is a Canadian tree hugger and traveler, currently based in the German capital where she works as a researcher. She studied environmental biology and environmental impact assessment in Montreal. Terri enjoys reading, writing and exploring the world while cultivating a popcorn addiction.

  K.D. King is a freelance writer who specializes in holistic health and wellness articles. She is also busy working on her first novel. When she’s not writing, she enjoys gardening, traveling and knitting.

  Suzannah Kiper is a graduate of the University of Louisville and has been married to her high school sweetheart, Tim, for over eighteen years. She is the mother of two amazing kids and two Maltese dogs. She is a seventh-generation Kentuckian and enjoys reading, singing, crafting, and traveling. She often blogs about her adventures.

  This is T. Jensen Lacey’s thirteenth story in the Chicken Soup for the Soul series. In addition, Lacey has published fourteen books and/or novels and, as a freelance journalist, has published more than 800 articles for newspapers and magazines. She enjoys reading, hiking, being outdoors and cooking. E-mail her at TJensenLacey@yahoo.com.

  Ruth Lehrer retired from her fifth grade classroom thirty years ago, began writing Personal Essays and became an Elderhostel coordinator. Her memoir, My Book of Ruth: Reflections of a Jewish Girl, is dedicated to her two grandsons. She conducts a writing workshop at the Bay Club in Queens, NY. E-mail her at ruthartl@gmail.com.

  Susan Leitzsch, a retired microbiologist, lives and travels full-time across the United States with her husband Tom. She has two grown children (twins), and one grandson. Her many interests include traveling, nature, hiking, knitting and several other creative outlets.

  Kate Lemery earned an undergraduate degree in English literature and a master’s degree in art history. She worked for the National Gallery of Art and Smithsonian Institution for fifteen years befo
re resigning to be a stay-at-home mom. She’s finishing her first novel and lives with her family in suburban Washington, D.C.

  Sydney Logan is an elementary school librarian and the best-selling author of six novels. A native of East Tennessee, she enjoys playing piano and relaxing on her porch with her wonderful husband and their very spoiled cat. Learn more at www.sydneylogan.com.

  Barbara LoMonaco has worked for Chicken Soup for the Soul as an editor since 1998. She has co-authored two Chicken Soup for the Soul book titles and has had stories published in numerous other titles. Barbara is a graduate of the University of Southern California and has a teaching credential.

  Patricia Lorenz is a frequent contributor to the Chicken Soup for the Soul series with stories in nearly sixty of them. She’s also the author of fourteen books, her latest being 57 STEPS TO PARADISE: Finding Love in Midlife and Beyond. E-mail her at patricialorenz4@gmail.com to contact her as a speaker for your group.

  Shehfina Mamdani has a passion for teaching and hopes to make a difference in the world and the lives of her students through her teaching. She loves to capture every moment with her amazing family and friends through pictures and has been lovingly encouraged by them to internalize these memories through “mental selfies.”

  Rebecca Smith Masterson lives in Phoenix, AZ, where she is a litigation attorney, special education consultant for parents, and most importantly, a mother to her adopted son. Rebecca has been featured in numerous publications, including The Huffington Post, Scary Mommy and Autism Speaks.

  Though her career as a teaching artist for The Walt Disney Company and The Young Americans keeps her very busy, Cynthia McGarity has a large following for her blog, God’s Daily Message for the Terminally Dense, and has been published in several anthologies. Her app, Branching Out in Faith, is available at the iTunes store.