Growing up, my mum always had something to say about how rough my room was, especially my wardrobe. My sister and I shared a room, and while she constantly earned praise for her tidiness, I was often on the receiving end of side-eyes and a firm (sometimes playful) reminder to “emulate your sister.”

I’m sure many of us can relate — especially since our mums all seem to be in the same WhatsApp group!

We had this annual family tradition of rearranging our living room, especially during Christmas or towards the end of the year. We would repaint, shift furniture around, and most importantly, declutter. We removed things we no longer needed and made room for what mattered. The house always felt fresh and new afterward. That feeling of renewal came with a sense of excitement and satisfaction.

Over time, that habit rubbed off on me. I became more intentional about organizing my space, beyond my wardrobe. Surprisingly, I got good at it, so much so that I decided to make a career out of it.

One personal rule that guides my decluttering habit is this: if I haven’t worn or used it in six months, it’s not mine — it’s someone else’s. That mindset has helped me release what no longer serves me and embrace simplicity and clarity.

But beyond the physical, I’ve come to understand something even more important: decluttering is a spiritual discipline. Just as we keep our homes clean and in order, we must also maintain clean hearts, minds, and lives — because the Holy Spirit does not dwell in unclean places.

Decluttering goes beyond removing unused things or objects from a space, it’s about removing anything — mental, emotional, or spiritual that no longer serves your purpose or reflects your values. It’s about prioritising and organising what matters, making room for clarity, purpose, and peace.

So yes, even after you’ve removed all the dirt and things that have crowded your life, what do you need to keep? What do you need to organise?

As believers, there are three essential areas of our lives we must routinely declutter:

• Our thoughts
• Our words
• Our actions

These areas are so interconnected that clutter in one area affects the others. A cluttered mind leads to careless words and misaligned actions. But a renewed mind leads to transformed living.

Start With the Mind

There’s a popular quote:

“Watch your thoughts; for they become your words, watch your words; for they become your actions…”

What we think influences what we say, which ultimately affects how we live. Our thoughts are the seeds of our speech and behaviour. That’s why scripture urges us to guard our minds.

“Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.” — Philippians 4:8 [NLT]

It’s easy to believe we don’t harbor negative thoughts — until we hear ourselves say things or engage in conversations, we never imagined we could. We’ve all had that moment of awakening when we realised “that wasn’t nice” or “I shouldn’t have said that”.

Thoughts are powerful. They shape our inner world and spill into the outer world.

Then, Check your Words

Our words reflect the content of our heart — Scripture reminds us in Matthew 12: 34 that “Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks”. And so, we must never let ugly or hateful words come from our mouth, but instead we’ll let our words become beautiful gifts that encourage others; doing this by speaking words of grace to help them.” Ephesians 4:29 TPT (paraphrased)

Our words can reveal how far we have drifted from godly thinking

“Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone” — Colossians 4:6 [NIV]

Finally, Watch Your Actions

1 Corinthians 15 :33 KJV reminds us how much our words can affect our actions

“Evil communication corrupts good manners.”

Sometimes, it’s our actions that reveal the state of our hearts. When we find ourselves acting contrary to who we are in Christ, our very nature and essence, we realise how far we’ve strayed from the word.

So, take a moment today and ask yourself:

What thoughts do I need to discard?

What words do I need to stop speaking?

What habits do I need to let go of?

But here is a key truth: we can only declutter what we’ve already allowed in. That means we must guard what we expose ourselves to. What are we watching? What are we listening to? What are we allowing into our hearts through our eye and ear gates?

Because ultimately, what you behold, you become. What you RECEIVE into your heart, you RESPOND to by your words, and you REFLECT in your actions.

If you will behold God’s word and meditate on it long enough, you’ll begin to speak it. And once you begin to speak it, it’s just a matter of time, your profiting will appear unto all.

When you feed on God’s Word, it renews your mind. When your mind is renewed, your words and actions begin to align with His will. That’s how transformation happens — one thought at a time.

And so, I urge you with Colossians 3:16–17 TPT

“[16] Let the word of Christ live in you richly, flooding you with all wisdom. Apply the Scriptures as you teach and instruct one another with the Psalms, and with festive praises, and with prophetic songs given to you spontaneously by the Spirit, so sing to God with all your hearts! [17] Let every activity of your lives and every word that comes from your lips be drenched with the beauty of our Lord Jesus, the Anointed One. And bring your constant praise to God the Father because of what Christ has done for you!”

Shalom!

Pst. Abisola Oguntunde

Push Buttons is a weekly devotional of The Powerpoint Tribe.