Yup, it’s another weekend post about things that accumulate on the kitchen table (remember this one from a few weeks ago?). I’ve started a new little project: keeping our kitchen table free of clutter each night.
Okay, calling it a “mission in life” is a bit dramatic. It ranks well below bigger priorities like being a good husband and father, putting food on the table, and avoiding aspartame (I’m mildly allergic). But similar to my short-lived resolution last fall to make the bed every day for a month, I finally reached the point where I was tired of our kitchen table turning into a semi-permanent dumping ground for shopping bags, unread mail, sewing supplies (not naming any names, Sherry) and miscellaneous clutter. It was making the table less useful for dining and less pleasant to look at.
Without even mentioning it to Sherry (she’ll probably see this post and learn about my new habit), I decided to clear the table each night before going to bed. I’m not aiming for a permanently bare table — that’s unrealistic and defeats the point of having a table — but clearing it at the end of the day keeps things from piling up and makes the morning feel calmer, at least for a little while.
I’ve been doing this for about a week now (and I’ve missed a night or two already), and I’m pleased with the results. For one, the habit is forcing us to address clutter instead of letting it sit — sorting mail, putting away shopping, unloading dishes. And while I’m not offering professional advice, there’s likely a small mental-health boost to starting the day with a cleared, ready-for-anything surface. At the very least, I enjoy not having to move magazine stacks out of the way to feed Clara breakfast.
Do you have a nightly tidying routine? Or are you planning a cleaning resolution of your own? I’m living proof that simple habits can stick — I still make the bed every day since last fall’s challenge, so small changes can become lasting ones.