Rich in What Matters - Examining the Excess

Last weekend my kitchen was inundated with apples.

Red and yellow orbs overflowed from plastic U-pick bags, creating a colorful scattering across countertops. They even began emerging from the diaper bag and kids' jacket pockets.

While the family outing to cull these gems off their trees had been wonderful—apple picking is a family tradition I look forward to each fall—this year's harvest felt a bit over the top.

Apparently our kids were bent on filling every readily available receptacle with apples (hence the stuffed jacket pockets), and now my kitchen was proof.

Invasion of the apples was accurate.

But here's the kicker. Once our home's apple supply was abundant… No. One. Wanted. To. Eat. Them.

It wasn't until later—while taking a break from frantically Googling “what to do with apples”—that I realized why.

An item in abundance loses its novelty.

There were some dang good apples in that group. But batched in excessive quantities, even the best of the bunch lost its appeal.

Out on the tree, each apple was a novel find. A treasure worth bringing home to enjoy.

But at home, wedged in a bag overflowing with the same items, each one became excess.

The parallels between our possessions and these apples are striking.

Consider kid's toys. The plastic container is excitedly ripped open, the toy is played with momentarily, a child's mood may even boost at receiving something new. Then the new toy is tossed into one of the child's ten toy bins, absorbed into the excess and soon forgotten.

Consider wardrobes. New items get added to our cart. They were on sale, a great deal, and complemented the latest trend. Why not buy them? We hang them in our already full closets. The trends change, we find other great deals, and they soon become unwanted excess.

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Julia Ubbenga is a freelance journalist whose teachings on minimalism, simplicity, and intentional living have reached thousands of people worldwide through her blog. Julia practices what she preaches in her Kansas City home with her husband, two extremely lively young daughters, one-year-old son, and newborn baby girl. You can also find her on Instagram.