1. Do not force it inside.
Keep the tree outdoors or in another room until you have made the necessary alterations.
2. Obtain pruning shears and a bow saw.
Prepare to use long-handled, scissor-type shears for removing branches, and an open-throated bow saw with a 20- or 30-inch steel blade for cutting a large trunk.
3. Measure the height of the tree stand, the tree itself, and the height of the room.
Figure out approximately how much shorter the tree needs to be.
4. Locate the whorl and internodal branches.
Whorl branches are larger in diameter and grow out from the trunk in sets of four to six; they resemble the spokes of wheel. Sets of whorl branches are located every 12 to 15 inches along the trunk of a standard eight-foot-tall tree. Internodal branches are smaller in diameter and are randomly spaced on the tree between the whorl branches.
5. Mark the tree for cutting.
Find the lowest level of whorl branches whose removal will sufficiently shorten the tree but will leave enough space for the trunk to neatly fit into the tree stand. Make a hash mark with the saw just above these whorl branches on the trunk.
6. Remove the branches below your hash mark to prepare the trunk for trimming.
Use the shears for branches up to 1 inch in diameter, and use the bow saw for larger branches. Without branches, the trunk will be easier to cut.
7. Cut the trunk.
Use the bow saw to cut the trunk at the hash mark.
8. Place the tree in the stand to test the height.
If it is still too tall, remove more of the trunk, always above the next set of whorl branches.
9. Move the stand and the tree to the desired location.
Secure the tree in the stand, ensuring that the tree is perfectly straight. Then gently rock the tree back and forth to check the stability of the stand. Turn the tree so that any gaps between branches face the wall. Fill the stand with water.
