Clearing the Clutter

 I leave my cozy bed and pad over to the kitchen window this December morning. The thermometer reads -22 degrees C (7 degrees F). Too cold! I look out the window and note that the bird feeder is almost empty. There's a skiff of new snow on the car, and crusted snow drifts blanket the yard. Beyond that, the river looks half frozen, some small floes drifting towards town. Yesterday I spent a grand total of fifteen minutes outside. Today, it probably won't happen, as much as I need it and know it's good for me. 

I sit at my counter height kitchen table and look over into the living room. It looks cluttered. It's time to tidy things up. My brain feels it. 

Out come the storage boxes. I remove all the extraneous Christmas decor, leaving some wintery items to keep the cold season vibe going. I carefully remove the tree ornaments and pack them away in their boxes. Those are then stored in one of two large Christmas totes I pull from the storage room.  I remove a wreath from the wall, a small shelf top Christmas tree with lights from the bookcase, the small nativity set from another shelf, and a foot high hand painted wooden St. Nick from the floor near the cabinet. I find myself dusting shelves, rearranging and watering plants, putting away Christmas table cloths and runners, and vacuuming. Hours pass as I putter around, take a little break to visit with my son and grandson, and enjoy a video chat with my sisters. By late afternoon,  I scan our living space to check whether I've missed anything. There are our grandchildren's books stuffed onto the bottom shelf of our bookcase that will never stay organized, but that's a mess I don't mind! Done for now. I feel peaceful. 

The tree, all ornaments removed, still stands. This year, due to moving to a smaller home (900 square feet), I purchased a 'pencil' Christmas tree. It stands seven feet high but is only a foot and a half in diameter--perfect for this space.  The tree, now with only simple white lights adorning it, brings a sense of winter calm into our home. I'll be leaving it up at least until New Year's Day. I've been doing this the past couple of years, and really love this tradition. I'm trying to be mindful that the Christmas celebration doesn't end on Christmas Day.

Today, I've been listening to a few podcasts on questions to ask myself as the year draws to a close. Now that my physical space is in order, I'm more ready to hunker down for some reflection and discernment exercises. I may even come up with a word for the year. I don't do this every year, but we'll see if anything rises to the surface while I answer the questions.

That sounds like a plan for tomorrow.