My wife and I recently downsized into a smaller home. The process of eliminating “treasures” that we no longer had room for was daunting and surprisingly emotional. There was my father’s fireman’s hat and remote-controlled fire engine, complete with Spot the Fire Dog replica, and all sorts of related memorabilia that adorned my office bookcase at home.

My mother’s three hand-me-down juicers, bread warmer, nutcracker sets, knitted shawls, numerous jewelry items — and don’t forget the birthday, Christmas and anniversary gifts from loved ones that really didn’t fit or got buried somewhere.

The need to declutter has given birth to the garage sale industry, a revenue stream that has infused more than $4 million weekly into the U.S. economy. There are approximately 165,000 garage sales each week in the U.S. from which nearly 5 million items are sold (or given away), according to Statistic Brain Research Institute. Websites such as Craigslist and eBay have grown proportionately with the garage sale industry and have become yet another favorite source/outlet for decluttering.

While there may be value in “stuff,” the space it occupies often creates a feeling of burden, maintenance and weight that we usually don’t recognize until after the stuff is gone, which promotes a feeling of relief, clarity and pleasure.

There is a spiritual need to declutter as well. Along the road of life, we gain habits that shape who we are and set the foundation for “becoming.” Some of these these habits may be burdensome and weighty in nature and occupy our time and talent reserves so that we fall short of “becoming.” When that happens, it is time to declutter and make room for those things that matter and affect our eternal natures the most.

The Lord has provided a source for the decluttering of weighty matters in our life and it is through the Atonement. One aspect is repentance, and its counterpart, forgiveness. We can bring our sins and habitual baggage to the altar of the sacrament each week and through the atoning sacrifice of our Savior Jesus Christ, be relieved of unwanted habits and actions. As it states in Psalms 55:22, “Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and he shall sustain thee.”

While decluttering our home space may provide a temporary feeling of satisfaction and financial accomplishment, it is the decluttering of our spiritual home that will provide an eternal reward in our becoming all that we can be.

Chuck Malone is an Arizona native who graduated from Arizona State University and has enjoyed a robust career in Arizona real estate, public speaking and entrepreneurship. Email: cmalone44@cox.net