Clean Out by Susan L.

  It may be a bit early to begin spring cleaning but with the weather snowy and blowy, it seemed a good idea to sort through some cupboards. It's not an overly strenuous job, just time consuming which is good since I am not feeling overly well. My closet and dresser has been ruthlessly purged. Anything not worn in the last three years went. There's a bag of clothes to be donated to the second hand shop and a bag full of rags for future cleaning purposes.
  Then I tackled my linen closet or at least part of it. It isn't very big but two entire shelves of much needed space were devoted to finished art pieces. A teacher told me a long time ago to never throw out your work but there comes a time when it is necessary. This is the time. Most of it consisted of pieces I'd done in art therapy. None of them were signed or dated so there was no way to file them in any kind of order. It felt good to tear most of the loose ones up and toss them in the recycling bin. It was freeing and a physical statement that I am past the emotions of whenever the piece had been done.
  I kept my sketchbooks. Perhaps one day I'll be able to go through them. It was a bit much. They are  more like personal, visual journals of my recovery journey than pictures to hang on a wall. Tying them in a bundle helped keep them together instead of them flapping all over the place. There was also something satisfying in containing the contents with a bit of pretty ribbon found at the back of the cupboard.
  Then came the toy box. Not that there's much in it but it needed cleaning out (and vacuuming!). It needs some new toys for when the grandchildren come to visit. Although, the doll house keeps them occupied for hours. Perhaps a couple of family type games would be a nice addition.
  Today's clean out list starts with the junk drawer in the kitchen. It's the one that holds bread tags, paper clips, pens that never seem to work and the bits and pieces you can never find when you are looking for them! Mine is particularly tiny so when I hear stuff falling into the cupboard under the drawer, it's a sign that it needs purging.
  It's amazing how much stuff accumulates. I swear there are elves who add to the clutter when I am sleeping!
  "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away, behold, all things have become new." 2 Cor 5:17