An Overstuffed Life Is Like An Overstuffed Freezer

If you’re on my email list then you may remember that in 2020 we had a freezer disaster. Our freezer decided to go kaput right in the middle of the pandemic when you couldn’t find a freezer to buy to save your life.

It was not a fun time for those of us who rely on a freezer to take advantage of sales, to build a stockpile, and who cook ahead.

Nevertheless, when the new freezer arrived months later (and I literally mean months!), there were some promises hubby and I made as we opened the doors of the new, empty freezer.

• We promised not to fill it so full that we couldn’t find things
• We promised to keep like items together so we knew what we had
• We promised to make sure that we used up the old items first so that we got the best value for our money
• And we promised not to let this freezer get so full that items would fall out and land on our toes (causing major owies!).

Looking back on our excitement over an empty freezer it dawns on me that our freezer (or any empty box-like container) is a pretty good metaphor for our life and schedule.

The moral is to be careful what you decide to put inside.

Here are some ways that an overstuffed home or life is like an overstuffed freezer

1 – It’s hard to find what you need in a freezer that is stuffed too full. Likewise, it’s hard to find items in a house that is full to the brim or in a schedule that has absolutely no room for the unexpected. They say that life happens in the margins…so we need to leave room for them.

2 – Items that get stuffed into a freezer that’s too full end up getting freezer burned because they stay there too long. It does no good to put something into your home or life that you can’t find…and therefore can’t use. It ends up causing you mess, stress, and money.

3 – Items crammed into an overstuffed freezer end up warped and misshapen. You can’t keep something in pristine shape unless there is room for it. Things that are just stuffed in willy-nilly end up not being what you expect when you finally get around to taking them out. And it’s frustrating to find something isn’t in good shape at the critical moment that you need it most.

It’s been a while since we got the new freezer and we’ve been pretty good about keeping it organized and at the right capacity. But I’ll admit that not overloading it has been a challenge.

You see, life is full of metaphorical shiny objects. And there have been times when we’ve had to consciously remind ourselves that we don’t want a freezer (or a life) that is so full we can’t find what we need.

As we head further into a new year, I encourage you to take a little time to think about what you choose to let into your life. We never have to wait for disaster to strike to start making some changes. At any point we can toss out things that no longer suit our lives just like we toss out freezer-burned food items.