Daily Declutter

We had a busy weekend, with both kids participating in different activities in opposite parts of the city. Thankfully, I have a good friend who helped out with transportation so my husband and I were both able to be at the event that allowed spectators. Sunday was both productive and restful. We served at a community lunch, then rested hard for the remainder of the day.

I spent much of my free time reading yesterday. I finished Hundred Dollar Christmas by Bill McKibben, and I started Enough: Finding More By Living With Less by Will Davis. Hundred Dollar Christmas would be a great introductory book, especially if you have friends or family members you would like to talk to about reducing the material component of your Christmas celebration.

Enough is a more complex book, looking at Christian theology and the reasons to only have enough, and disperse your wealth ("more than enough") to other people. I have no problem with the Christian theology, being Christian myself, but I know that other people have other paths and not everyone is interested in a book that uses Scripture as evidence. That said, I have very much enjoyed what I have read so far. I am looking at some things I have been storing just in case, and I have been thinking about making things available to other people. If I have more clothes than I need, can I bless someone else with those extra clothes?

That said, I have mostly stagnated today. I made one candle out of stubs, and I will be giving that candle as a gift at Christmas. I finished my father-in-laws hat for next Christmas (using up two half-balls of wool) during piano lessons.

I finally addressed a really messy corner. It turned out to hold a couple of desk supplies, a bunch of broken pencils and paper scraps. It only took a few minutes to clear that spot. I feel a lot of accomplishment, visually, for something that only took a few minutes.

I also cleared a bunch of jars that I have been collecting for gift giving next Christmas. They have been accumulating in the windowsill, but instead they can wait in the Christmas box in the shed. Cleaning up the messy spot and the jars gives a lot of visual impact for minimal effort

I need to process a bunch of limes I was given. They can wait in the freezer to be squeezed over black beans or Mexican food. The zest will become chili-lime salt, and that will be another gift to give this Christmas. I'm not sure it is considered minimalist-ing to make Christmas gifts in February, but it makes my Christmas a lot more peaceful, and I get to define the project however I want, so here I go with that!