Endearing though the holiday season is, it can also be extremely demanding—both wallet-wise and energy-wise. It often requires you to put up decorations which you'll just end up putting away a few weeks later, and for many, this is nothing short of a frustrating process.
But don't worry. There are ways to make the whole thing far easier on you and those around you. It's all about preparation and organization. Here are some declutteringtips to help you get started.
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Start by taking a good look at what you have lying around
So, you took out last year's ornaments to decorate your house. Or you bought new ones. Or you made them. Or all of the above. The point is, you have these decorations lying around, and it's important to keep track of them all. Consider you also have to deal with new gifts and boxes and all kinds of other little items that end up taking up space around you. So, in order to know how to deal with all of it, first you must know what you're dealing with.
So, before you go around throwing stuff away willy-nilly or putting things under the rug, take inventory of both your gifts and decorations, especially if you want to keep them. Make a list and determine what should go and what should stay. This will help you come up with a plan to decide how to proceed, which will save you a ton of effort in the long run. That's a first, easy step.
Set a decluttering schedule and stick to it
Now that you know what you have, and once it's clear to you what you need to keep and what you need to get out of your house, it's time to draw a game plan. The most important thing here is to set your decluttering date—and stick to it. Choose a day or a weekend (depending on how much stuff you have) and clear your calendar on that particular time. It's important to commit to the task and get it over with; otherwise you'll just postpone and end up with a half-done job.
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Replace the old with the new
Okay, now you're set to begin the actual decluttering process. One great way to clear up space is to dispose of what you no longer need or replace old items with your brand new gifts. Did you get a new pair of comfy slippers that will perfectly fulfill the role your two old pairs now play? Well, out with the old, in with the new. Did you get a new jacket that's more fashionable than the ones you've used for years? Great! Take the old ones out of your closet and place the new one right in their place. It's all about renovation for the upcoming year, after all.
Store only what you'll use next year
So, you now have a renovated, lighter wardrobe. What's next? Since you've decided what you want to keep and what you want to throw away already, it's time to actually store what you'll be using next year. It's good to do this before throwing anything away because 1) you can more easily avoid disposing of something by accident, and 2) you don't have to do the job twice: after you store things there will inevitably be some waste left behind, like small pieces of paper or dust. It's better to get all that done at once after your house is clear of everything, rather than clean up, throw away, and then clean up again.
Just remember to be as minimalist as you can. If the decorations you used this year don't feel quite right for your place, or if they don't play an important role in setting the holiday atmosphere, then they should go. Ask yourself, why are you keeping this or that? Would the place look any less jolly or Christmas-y without it? If the answer is no, then out it goes. Keep only what you will really need or want, and learn to let go of the rest.
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Separate unwanted gifts and/or decorations
All your important decorations are safe at this point, right? You still have to deal with all the stuff you don't want. The next step is to organize all that into at least three separate groups: the things you can donate, the things you can recycle, and the things that you'll simply throw out. Don't be wasteful here, donating and recycling are an extremely important part of decluttering that will make you and others feel better about the whole process—not to mention it'll help to understand what to do with what.
Now, don't feel committed to keeping all the gifts you receive. You're not doing anyone any favors by hoarding presents you'll never use or enjoy and risk accidentally re-gifting something to the person that gave it to you in the first place (talk about awkward). It's better to just get rid of it right away—no one is obligated to keep what they don't need.
Donate, recycle, throw away
Once everything is separated, the next part won't be as difficult or time consuming. By now you probably have a good idea about what to do.
If what you're giving away is a perfectly good sweater that just isn't your style or a brand new tablet that you already had, then find a suitable person to give it to. Pick someone who needs or will really enjoy it, or simply donate it to the charity of your choice.
Place the carton, paper, plastic, and what have you into the right bins, or find someone who can reutilize the materials for a good purpose. The rest goes out the regular trash, but ideally, this won't be much. After all of this is done, you should have a wide-open house ready to be dusted.
Keep in mind that the more you stick to this list, the easier this whole process will get as time goes on. By next year you'll have your decoration inventory before you even begin to clean it up, make it a breeze to know what you have and what you don't need. You'll also be far quicker at separating and disposing the clutter, since you'll know what goes where. The sooner you get a good idea of whom to donate to, where to place what, and how to recycle, the sooner it'll all become second nature.
We hope you find this helpful to at least get started—which is often the most difficult step. Enjoy a clutter-free home, and happy New Year!
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