No matter how often I clear a surface, it acts like a magnet. My dining room table, which I often use as a desk at home, tends to get cluttered quickly. My mind, prone to distraction, struggles to maintain focus. Before I can continue writing, I must create a clean space to work.

As we move forward in this New Year, I suggest we take some time to clear out the old, declutter the excess, and make room for the new. This is true for our physical space as well as our mental space.

For some motivation, I pulled two books from my bookshelf:

• Theology of Home: Finding the Eternal in the Everyday by Carrie Gress, Noelle Mering, and Megan Schrieber.
•  The Joy of Less: A Minimalist Guide to Declutter, Organize, and Simplify by Francine Jay, Miss Minimalist.

The authors of Theology of Home write about the sacred space that is home and the impulse to create beauty in the everyday. They note in the chapter on “Order,” “Creating a beautiful life at home requires consistent attention to mastering little details.”

They also point out how St. Benedict’s Rule for Monasteries, helped the monks persevere in times of darkness – they “countered chaos with the firm devotion to discipline.”

“Their lives, a balance of ora et labora, order and prayer, with highly structured days devoted to God, bore the fruit of God’s love made visible in the material goods they produced. When the rest of the world was given to panic, mayhem, fear, and anxiety, their devotion to God, embodied in a rhythm of life marked by order, structure, and reverence, left a creative legacy that blossomed and endured.”

In The Joy of Less, Jay offers a chapter titled “Less stuff = more freedom.” She notes, “Things can be anchors. They can tie us down and keep us from exploring new interests and developing new talents.”

She adds, “The less baggage we’re dragging around (both physically and mentally), the more living we can do.”

Consider what is taking up space in your life. What is essential, and what can you let go? Sometimes we hold on to things that no longer serve a purpose. We may even hold attachments to unhealthy memories and emotions such as worry, fears or anger. All of this can build a gate that blocks our path forward.

To start, we must place our trust in God to help us let go of unhealthy attachments. As St. Pio often said, “Pray, hope, and don’t worry. Worry is useless. God is merciful and will hear your prayer.” We should also make time for the sacrament of reconciliation.

When we get rid of what weighs us down, we create space for something new, for possibilities, even for space to breathe and think more clearly, for space to grow.

Think of how you feel when you walk into an uncluttered room. I think it’s one of the reasons I like to travel and explore new places. I get to leave all the distractions and daily clutter behind for a moment.

Making room also includes saying “no” at times to requests from others or to projects you want to start. We need to consider carefully how and to whom we commit ourselves. Keep in mind that there are instances when saying “no” to something, is saying “yes” to some balance in your life, for the space you need for yourself, family, friends.

As we set goals for the new year, let’s prepare for a fresh start. Let’s clean away the clutter to make space for what may come.

Tips for Making Room
 

1. Take a moment to consider what attachments — including past goals, unfinished projects, or unhealthy thoughts, relationships, or habits — you have that could be released. What clutter is getting in your way?


2. Consider a space that brings you peace. How could you replicate that feeling in your own life?


3. Recognizing that this takes time, we can set some manageable goals. For example, what is one thing you want to work on decluttering in the first half of the year? Then monthly, ask yourself: What is the one thing I want to declutter this month?