Decluttering Tips for the New Year
The holidays are a beautiful time for family, friends, and giving. But like all things they have to come to an end. What are you left with? A pile of thoughtful gifts that need to be incorporated into your home. Now's the perfect opportunity to declutter. Here are the biggest problem areas in most homes (ours most definitely included) - let's get cracking!
The Five Biggest Opportunities for Post-Holiday Decluttering
Ditch the Decorations: Holiday clutter starts as soon as you break out the ornaments. When the festivities are over, take a good, hard look at what's in your space. What did you enjoy putting out this year? What feels redundant? Are there any decorations that got left at the bottom of the box? Find a new home for the trimmings that no longer bring you joy.
Pare Down Your Glassware: Have you been hosting this year? If so, it's likely your collection of cups and glasses is getting a little cluttered. Take this opportunity to reassess what you really need for a great party. Unless you host on a very regular basis, you don't need to take up space with specialized glassware. Instead, invest in a set of unbreakable cups that will work for a variety of different drinks. Not only will it save you space, you'll also never have to worry about losing half your set due to breakage.
Refresh Your Closet: Now's the perfect time to take a look through your closet. Go through piece by piece. What do you love? What's redundant? What haven't you touched for the past year and a half? Get a pile together to donate and put the rest back on the rack. Is there room for what's coming in? If not, go through it again.
Go Through the Toybox: Will your kids like this step? No. But that's okay. If you have young ones at home, toy clutter is a major source of post-holiday overwhelm. Make room for the new by helping your kids let go of what they no longer play with. This is a great opportunity to talk with them about the differences between what we want and what we need. Work together to find toys they'd like to pass along to someone else. Identify toys that are broken or outgrown. Find homes for all the new toys within your current storage options instead of adding in more totes and shelves.
Streamline Your Kitchen: Holiday cooking is one of the bright spots of the year. It's also one of the clutteriest. Use this opportunity to take a look at the utensils you use regularly. Is there anything you can live without? Are the things you only use once a year really worth holding onto? Bid a fond farewell to anything that isn't earning its keep to make space for additional cooking in the new year.