Happy Ho-Ho-Holidays! In our house this Christmas, we're focusing on meaningful gifts we can give each other... and ourselves! What's better than the gift of decluttering?
Did you know? Decluttering can:
As we count down to Christmas, we'll be announcing one TOTALLY ACHIEVABLE decluttering to-do or tip, every day. Do only the days that inspire you, or follow along and make big steps to tidy your home before Christmas day! Wouldn't it be lovely to wake up on Christmas morning to a less cluttered house? Follow me on Facebook from Dec 12-23 for the live posts (we'll have them up at 8am Eastern every day!) or check back here for each day's to-do!
Happy decluttering!
Okay - many of us have more than one kitchen tools drawer. But, chances are, you can get rid of some old and worn out tools you longer use (or the nice new ones you THOUGHT you'd use... but never have!). Your future self will thank you next time you DON'T have to dig for your favorite spatula!
The time between Thanksgiving and Christmas is PERFECT for reassessing what's in your fridge. Toss those stinky leftovers, check expiration dates, and give your fridge a thorough wipe down! The next time you plan a big holiday meal, you'll have plenty of space for the ingredients - AND the delicious leftovers!
Today is a TIP, rather than a TO-DO, but it's an important one! If you are doing a BIG purge of your house and end up with lots of stuff needing new homes, what are your options?
Online marketplaces like Facebook Marketplace or even Ebay can be great ways to get rid of gently used, functional, desirable household goods. If no one wants to buy it, or if you don't have time to wait for a buyer, donating your gently used goods to a local charity or thrift store is an excellent idea! Some will even pick up items from your house!
But - if it's not in great shape, sometimes you just have to put it on the curb! (Please check with your local garbage pickup rules before doing this!)
DAY 4: Tidy the linen closet
This one is oh-so-satisfying! Go through your towels and sheets and make sure you only keep what you use! For anything you're keeping, fold it neatly so it's easy to find the items you want.
(Donate your unwanted towels, sheets, and blankets to your local homeless shelter or animal shelter!)
DAY 5: Clear out the coat closet!
See if you have any coats you haven't worn in years - if you can donate them to a homeless charity or a thrift store, someone else can enjoy them!
This is a great time to check on winter accessories, like hats, gloves, scarves, and boots - if anything is worn out, missing its mate, or otherwise not used - get it out of there!
DAY 6: What are the hardest things to sell today?
Today is another tip! Lots of people who are decluttering or downsizing want to sell their used belongings... and sometimes this is a great solution! But certain items can be very hard to sell and are better off donated, including: upholstered and traditional brown-toned wood furniture, clear glass, and art prints.
DAY 7: Sort through the pantry
This is another great one to do during holiday cooking and baking season! Check that your ingredients are all fresh and in-date, and toss any foods that are not.
This time of year is an especially important time to donate to your local food bank, so if you find you have an abundance of food in your pantry, please consider sharing it with someone less fortunate!
DAY 8: Organize the medicine cabinet
Medicine cabinets can get cluttered SO easily! Check that all your medicines are in-date, and toss the ones that aren't. DON'T flush old medicine down the toilet!! For safe medicine disposal, see the FDA guidelines here: https://www.fda.gov/consumers/consumer-updates/where-and-how-dispose-unused-medicines
DAY 9: What are the BEST things to sell today?
Just as some things are particularly HARD to sell, some are actually very desirable in today's used goods market! Mid Century Modern furniture, lamps, and other housewares are HOT right now, as are rock vinyl records from the 1960s-1980s! Certain categories like tools and toys typically do well, too.
That said, remember your things are USED and are rarely worth what we think they should be!
DAY 10: Clean out the car!
Most of us aren't running as many in-person errands this holiday season, so it's a great time to use this down time to clean out your car! Get rid of any "junk" you've been hauling around, and take some time to vacuum it out and wipe down the surfaces. A "like new" clean car is also a great Christmas gift for someone you love!
DAY 11: Tackle the tools
This is a great time to think about how many screwdrivers you REALLY need! Can you get rid of any duplicate tools? How about giving yourself a gift of an organizer system for your tool bench or toolbox? Are there any specialty tools you no longer need, that you can sell or give away?
DAY 12: Take a peek at your decorations storage
This is a great time to take a look around at what Christmas decorations we are actually using. If you have more decorations in storage, ask yourself if you'll use them next year! If not, it's a great time to trash them and free up some storage space!
I hope these past 12 days have helped you declutter your home before Christmas, so you can relax and really enjoy what this holiday is all about -- WITHOUT the stress of clutter!
Residents of the Lehigh Valley, PA can hire my team of talented organizers - and we're offering special holiday rates so you can give yourself (or a loved one!) the gift of decluttering with an expert!
Call Senior Moves by Design at 610-295-0036 to for more information!
© 2020 Jill D Kearney, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
