Our lives get filled with clutter not instantly but slowly, one gift or purchase at a time, so slowly that it’s difficult to even notice the clutter creep happening.

But it does happen, even to the most devoted of minimalists. If we’re not ever vigilant, clutter rises like a slow never-ebbing tide.

Stacks of paper, closets overflowing, floors slowly covered by things we’ve meant to get to, shelves spilling from books we haven’t gotten to, counters disappearing beneath piles.

It’s time to clear some space to breathe.