Friday, November 29, 2024

Declutter before the festive season begins


With the festive season approaching, it's time to declutter and make space for family, friends and new beginnings. By clearing out unwanted items, you can create a fresh and inviting atmosphere for the holidays.

We have some tips for you to help you in your decluttering journey around your home before the festive season begins.

  • Set a date: Pick a specific day to declutter.
  • Start early: Avoid last-minute stress and set yourself up for success by starting early.
  • Clean the fridge: Completely clean and wipe down these appliances, and throw away anything that has expired or has freezer burn, especially if you're leaving on holiday.
  • Declutter the pantry: Go through all the food in your pantry and throw away anything that has expired, then take stock and organise what you have left. This will make it much easier when shopping for ingredients for your festive cooking later.
  • Declutter guest rooms: Remove any dust-collecting items and organise dressers and nightstands.
  • Declutter toys: Donate or store some old toys to make room for new ones.
  • Consolidate holiday storage: Keep all your holiday decorations in one place to avoid buying duplicates.
  • Declutter holiday decor: Get rid of unwanted holiday decorations. I know this sounds crazy just before the holidays, but you probably don't need all those old candles and baubles.
  • Declutter the kitchen: Make room for more food and people. Start with your kitchen cabinets. Give away or toss any old, broken or rarely used dishes. It may be time to ask yourself, “How many mugs do I need?”. Do you have small appliances that haven’t been used in a while but take up much-needed space? It may be time to let them go or store them for later use.
  • Assess gifts: Get rid of any unwanted gifts.
  • Declutter Bookshelves: Working from the top shelf down, pick up each book and decide what will be done with it based on these questions: Have I ever read this? Is it a favourite? Will I really reread it? Am I still passionate about the subject? Will anyone else in the home want to read it?
  • Deep clean: Deep clean as you go.
  • Donate or give away: Donate or give away items to friends.

A cluttered home can make it harder to relax and enjoy the holidays. Decluttering can help create a warm and welcoming environment for you and your guests.