Use this stuck-at-home holiday to get decorations under control
This quieter-than-usual month leaves plenty of time for decluttering, and the top candidate is all the holiday decorations.
It’s a holiday season unlike any other. We’ve been keeping our social distance from family and friends for nine months and counting. Now, thanks to the pandemic, we won’t be able to host or attend our traditional festivities to mark the winter holidays. Many of us are using our extra time at home this holiday season to focus on how we need and want our immediate surroundings to feel as we close out this exhausting year. After so much stress and so much time spent in our homes, I have found that a lot of people are striving for simplicity and less chaos.
This quieter-than-usual month leaves plenty of time for decluttering and organizing, and the top candidates for those tasks are all the holiday decorations, ornaments, tabletop accessories, and gift wrap that have accumulated over the years but are not used or displayed. Here’s how you can start getting your (holiday) home in order.
Because the Christmas season is marketed as such a joyous and memorable time, and all the decor is central to how we prepare to celebrate, it’s easy to buy a lot of the cute, sparkly decorations impulsively and accumulate more than we could possibly display. My mom has passed down items to me, I’ve received a lot of lovely decorations from friends and family, and I’ve bought many items, too. So when I bring down the Christmas bins from the attic each year, there is always more stuff than I had the previous year.
But this month, in an attempt not to add more clutter to an already overstuffed pandemic household, I’m displaying only the items I love. I will give away, donate, or toss the rest. This includes ornaments we never put on the tree, the two dozen red candles I’ve amassed, and some of my daughters’ preschool and elementary school creations that aren’t extra special. I’m recycling the cardboard gingerbread houses and throwing away anything that involved coloring something in or putting a bunch of stickers on a piece of paper.
Ornaments seem particularly easy to accumulate; we receive them as gifts, collect them on our travels, or grab a few new ones each year because they’re pretty and inexpensive. But this year might be a good time to donate some that are not meaningful to you. The history and sentiment behind some holiday items can make it difficult to part with them, but there is no point in continuing to store them if they’re never enjoyed. Maybe you have a relative or friend who might love a particular holiday decoration. Why not gift it to that person or donate it to someone who will use it?
As for what you decide to save: Large, reusable bins are ideal for storing holiday decorations and will keep everything dust-free. Use smaller boxes, egg cartons, or shoeboxes to corral little ornaments within the larger bin. Save bubble wrap from packages you receive to wrap fragile items, and place them on top of the heavier pieces in the container. Label the bin to help you identify its contents, so it’s easier to locate what you need next year. Be sure to mark key items such as “tree lights,” so you can find them without opening every container.
As with all things related to Christmas and Hanukkah, the meals are always highly anticipated, and there’s nothing more festive than a beautifully adorned table. But many of us have more holiday tableware, glassware, and accessories than we can use, even in a normal year. There are extra dishes, candlesticks, place-card holders, cloth napkins, napkin rings, tablecloths, runners, and placemats. Having too many choices can be overwhelming and create a lot of work. I’m hoping to cull my options, keeping only the items that are the most functional, are my favorites, and can fit in two bins.
Large, reusable bins will make it easy to take advantage of vertical space, because they can be stacked. Combine linens with fragile glasses, dishes, and decorations to keep them from breaking. If the items will be stored somewhere that gets hot in the summer, don’t put candles in the bins.
Why do so many of us have excess holiday gift wrap? Because it’s so easy and tempting to grab another roll of wrapping paper or ribbon when we’re out, “just in case” we don’t have enough at home, or because it’s on sale. Except we always have enough at home, and the heap keeps growing. This year, I’ve vowed not to buy boxes, ribbons, wrapping paper, bags, or tissue paper until I’ve used what I have. I want to have fewer items to store, and holiday wrapping supplies are easy to minimize. Additionally, I’ve amassed holiday cards over the years that I am never going to send but couldn’t resist buying. I plan to donate them to a thrift store or give them to a school’s art department.
This year, I’ve vowed not to buy boxes, ribbons, wrapping paper, bags, or tissue paper until I’ve used what I have.
Holiday gift wrap and all the accoutrements can easily be stored in a long, flat, under-the-bed bin. Another option is an upright bin for rolls of wrapping and a separate bin for items such as bags, ribbon, and tissue paper. There are also rectangular bins and over-the-door hanging bags designed specifically for wrapping supplies. Although it’s nice to keep small scraps of paper and ribbon for wrapping tiny items, be realistic about how many remnants are necessary. Recycle anything that is too small to be useful or is crumpled or torn.
This year, when your holiday schedule is much less hectic, is the perfect time to assess and simplify your holiday belongings. It will make packing up everything easier, and you’ll thank yourself next year when you’re busier and don’t have to spend time digging through all the excess to find what you really want.
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