Declutter These 5 Things Before Christmas

It’s hard to believe that Christmas is around the corner!

There are at least 5 things you can declutter before the start of the season.

While your holiday may be different this year because of the pandemic, it’s still a good time to pare down.  

All of us have things in our home that we either don’t use, hardly ever use or use seasonally. No point in these items taking up space in drawers, closets, cupboards, etc. 

This does not need to be a giant task.  You can start with a few areas to set the stage for the coming season.

So, now is the time to declutter these 5 things before Christmas:

1. Old Toys
2. Clothes
3. Cell Phone Memory
4. Mugs
5. Wrapping Paper

Take a look at some ideas to get organized and free up some space in your home, with these 5 items in mind.

1. Old Toys

The word here is tactful.

You probably don’t want to just start throwing away your children’s toys.

Look at what they play with the most and which ones have a more emotional attachment. The ones they play with the most, you can leave out for them to continue playing with.

If you know they have a great emotional attachment to a few certain toys but they again don’t play with them, you may want to consider storing one or two favorites. This will not only bring back great memories for your kids, but they have something to hand down to their children when the time comes.

If the toys are still in good condition, donate them to a shelter or a second-hand store. They can still bring joy to other children that might be in need.

When my daughter was young, I used to set aside time in early December to discuss which toys she would be donating that particular year.  She felt involved in the decision-making and enjoyed the fact that another child would get to play with toys that had brought her some joy.

2. Clothes

It’s almost officially winter and time to switch out your clothing. The last thing you need is your summer clothes taking up space in your closet.

So, now is the time to go through them and get rid of what’s old or out of fashion, and what you know you are not going to wear anymore.

For the outfits and swimwear that you will be using in the coming summer, you want to store them properly. Think of it as a hibernation for your clothes. Come spring and summer, they will be fresh and ready to wear.

And don’t limit yourself to summer clothes. Take a look at your old winter clothes too, as winter clothes take up even more room than summer ones. You will probably find several items you don’t need or want, anymore.

For the clothes you are not going to wear, consider donating them or put them on consignment. Who knows, you might make a little extra spending money before Christmas.

3. Cell Phone Memory

Decluttering doesn’t mean just decluttering material things, it is just as import to look at non-material stuff too, like the memory available on your cell phone. These days, it’s common to take photos and videos, galore.

And, at times, we forget how much memory space is available until we run out. Don’t let this happen to you!

At Christmas, we tend to take a lot of photos and videos. This makes sense given today’s technology.  And, especially in our current times, when getting together has taken place with less frequency, photos and videos are even more precious.  

You don’t want to miss these moments because you didn’t take the time to check your memory space. So, do yourself a favor and back-up all those pics and vids from your phone onto a hard drive or computer.  This way, you know they are kept safe and you can now make more memories.

A neat idea is to get a Christmas-themed digital photo frame or plug your hard drive into your TV. This will allow you to let everyone enjoy all of the wonderful memories of the past year.

4. Mugs

Mugs have always been a “go-to” present, from “World’s Greatest ______” to “Mr. & Mrs. Right”.

So, we have many more than we need and there’s a possibility that you will receive at least one this Christmas. Knowing this, it is time to open up your cupboards (and probably your storage) and get rid of some of them.

I know, I know they have sentimental value, but once they get chips, cracks or the designs start to wear off, it’s time to part with them. I mean do you want to be drinking or serving hot chocolate in old worn-out mugs?

5. Wrapping Paper

Every year we often end up with more wrapping paper than we possibly need.  And, every year we decide to keep it for the next year, and what happens? We pull it out and find that the wrapping paper got old, tears easily, and is faded.  Or, there is simply not enough on the roll.

Gather up all rolls and keep them in one place.  This way you can see how much you have. 

Go through your stash and remove any rolls that are too small to be useful.  Now that you know how much you have, you will know how much you need to buy and you won’t purchase too much and bring more clutter into the house.      

Additionally, you can purchase gift wrap organizers specially designed for wrapping paper.  This way they don’t mix with your other items, they look neat and organized, and you can always find what you are looking for.

Recap

Remember, decluttering does not mean throwing everything away.

It’s important to be aware of what’s coming into your home.

And, it is a good time to clear out what is unnecessary.  

Declutter these 5 things before Christmas to get started:

1. Old Toys
2. Clothes
3. Cell Phone Memory
4. Mugs
5. Wrapping Paper

Now you can put your mind at ease and enjoy Christmas with your family.