3 Reasons Why You Need To Declutter During the Holidays
Yes, I said the D word (declutter)! It’s probably the last things you want to be doing right now, as you prepare for the holidays coming full speed ahead for you. By the end of this blog post, I want you to feel fully confident that short bursts of decluttering are absolutely critical to helping you navigate this holiday season, free up your time, save you money and allow you to enjoy the season even more than before.
So let’s dive into the 3 Reasons Why You Need To Declutter During the Holidays.
1. Things have changed this year + so has your home.
Let’s be honest, in the last year while some things have stayed the same, but a lot has changed. I want you to lean into this as you pull out your holiday decor. I’ve found over the years that holiday decor tends to overwhelm and overstimulate both myself and my kids, so I’ve become very picky about what comes out for the holidays. As you pull out each item to decorate for the holidays, decide which items deserve to stay and which ones should move on to another home. Broken, beyond repair items need to head to recycling or trash depending on the material.
Also consider if your aesthetic taste has changed. This is normal by the way! Focus on quality, timeless pieces that feel valuable and special to you and your family. Selecting less of a higher quality that will last a long time will save you money long term. If you decide to replace or bring in anything new, make sure something else is headed out to donations. Aim for less. Be honest about how much space you have to store decorations and you’ll reduce what you’ll have to store and manage the rest of the year while it’s are not in use.
2. Decluttering right now will save you money.
Hear me out. If you haven’t heard me shout this from the rooftops enough yet, the purpose of decluttering is to make your life easier, and a large part of this is knowing exactly what you have in your home so you don’t overbuy or impulse buy things that you don’t need. Now I have your attention!
Here’s a few examples of how this can play out for you right now:
Decluttering with your kids and what all they own right now (and fits) will help everyone clarify what they have and what they need during this season - perfect information to gather right before a gift giving/receiving season!
Decluttering in your kitchen will help you remove items you don’t need to prepare large family meals and streamline your efforts in your kitchen. Your kitchen will function more easily, leaving you less likely to waste food since you can see and access everything you have, saving you money weekly!
Decluttering your clothing alerts you to items in your closet you love, want to wear and helps you become more creative/resourceful with what you already have. It’s exciting to rediscover old gems in your closet you have forgotten about and move them into a location that reminds you to wear them and gets you excited to enjoy them during this cooler season. Having clarity on what’s in your wardrobe will help you not impulse buy, even when those enticing good deals strike because you’ll know exactly what to avoid and what to look for (if there’s any wardrobe holes you’re wanting to fill).
3. Save time and energy.
Here’s the basics on this one…the less you have in your home, the less you have to manage. Fact. The holidays tend to feel like everything is ‘extra’ and ‘more’. And with all of this ‘extra’ and ‘more’ comes more things that take over your home and your bulldoze your time and peace. To help you achieve LESS during the holidays, consider these tips to help you declutter in small bursts to regain more time and breathing room.
Every few days (or once a week), put a timer on for 10-15 minutes + pick one area in your home that feels chaotic/cluttered + do a quick declutter burst.
Relocate items that need to go back in a different room. Remove items you no longer use or love or items that are in poor shape/beyond repair
Attack one small zone that is in a high traffic area that you utilize daily. Do a fast 10 minute declutter burst on this area, like a high use kitchen drawer, a kitchen counter, the kitchen table, the drop zone you go in + out of before/after school, a part of the pantry, the fridge, a small hall closet. Editing these spots will transform your everyday immediately by removing physical obstacles (extra stuff) that make your daily tasks harder than they need to be.
Taking short bursts of time to simplify the spaces in your home, however small, especially during the holidays, will reward with more time, less energy spent on “stuff management” and more clarity on what you have in your home (and what you might need moving forward). Everyone in the home will benefit from decluttering during the holidays, long after this holiday season has passed and long into the new year.
Wishing you all the most peaceful + healthiest of Holidays!
Thanks for being here + I’ll see you soon in the next post.
Other holiday + seasonal blog posts you might enjoy: No Clutter Holiday Gift Ideas for Kids + AdultsDecluttering While You Prepare for the Holidays5 Ways To Lighten Your Holiday LoadGiving, Gifting + Navigating Unwanted Gifts
No Clutter Holiday Gift Ideas for Kids + Adults
You’ve probably seen some of these no clutter gift guides before, but today I want to add a fresh spin on it for you! After working with many of you in your homes, virtually, and with my own family and friends, I know what ends up as burdensome clutter in homes. We have the incredible opportunity to both filter what comes into our own home as well as be more intentional about what we share with others to not add to their home’s clutter!
There’s 3 no (or low) clutter gifting categories we’re going to focus on. Disappearing/consumable gifts, experience based gifts, and gifting essentials to someone. Let’s get into it!
1. Disappearing + consumable gifts.
And what in the world do I mean by this? These are consumable items that can be eaten, drank, or used up and ideally you’re left with a recyclable or reusable container/packaging, or nothing at all. Here’s a few ideas to get you started…
Disappearing + consumable gift ideas for KIDS
pencils, pens, markers, crayons, paints - things they can use daily and go away
paper, notebooks, journals - can use them + keep them or recycle them when they’re done (here’s tips on recycling paper goods
a favorite treat, snack, candy or gum - consume + be done with it!
books - I’m counting this one here because books have a much longer lifecycle than the average gift + can be recycled, donated, regifted or sold when they’re outgrown without creating trash
favorite toiletries - think lotions, bath washes, lip care items, etc.
Disappearing + consumable gift ideas for ADULTS
luxury self-care items - candles, diffuser oils, soaps, lotions, lip care items
magazine subscription - they can enjoy this + then recycle it when done
paper goods - think helpful home lists, planners, calendars, check lists, that can be used + then recycled when you’re done with them (here’s a slew of helpful home paper goods you can check out currently in my shop)
homemade food/baked goods/ingredients - a home cooked meal, like a big pot of soup/sides, homemade baked goods, homemade vanilla extract (I’m trying this soon!) or provide all the ingredients packaged neatly for them to make something in their home, like a bread/hot chocolate/s’mores/soup with a recipe attached
a food basket the entire home or family can share of some of their snack, drink + treat favorites
their favorite coffees, teas, ciders, sparkling waters, italian sodas, etc. - if you don’t know their favorites, offer a sampler of a few for them to try out
a savory custom dry spice rub to flavor meats, fish + other proteins or a collection of salts + peppers for everyday cooking
low maintenance plants or a gift card to a local nursery to help with outdoor house projects
holiday scent / holiday potpourri ingredients / mulling spices for the crock pot or stove top (here’s a combo I love)
kindle gift card - for anyone who doesn’t mind reading books on a screen (this would not be for me but I have plenty of friends who’d love this idea!)
2. Experience based gifts.
For this gift category, think about how someone can have a new or familiar experience inside or out of the home and not have to keep any additional items in their home to do so.
Experience based gift ideas for KIDS
pass for an indoor activity park - think Urban Air, Ninja Kids, Kid Mania, indoor trampoline parks (you can get a pass for them + for a sibling or friend to join them - check locally)
trip to the skating rink, ice skating or bowling
pass for a local museum, discovery science zone, etc.
gift card to a favorite place to get ice cream or a favorite treat out
tickets for a soccer game, basketball game, movie or concert
gift card to buy music
Experience based gift ideas for ADULTS
gift card for a dinner out (either dine in with someone or get it to go)
gift card for a few coffees or teas out
tickets to a game, concert or movies
tickets to a museum, art show or gallery
gift card to buy new music to enjoy or stream a new movie
gift card to a favorite bookstore (local is a bonus) or get them a library card to their local library if they don’t have one
donate in their honor of one of their favorite charities
self-care gift card for a massage, pedicure, facial, or nail treatment
plane tickets to come visit you or someone they love
gift them a class or training to learn a new craft or skill - think Craftsy / Skillshare / Masterclass for online options, but don’t forget to think about a local pottery, art, piano, martial arts or an outdoor survival class (just to name a few)
gift a helpful digital guide to learn a new skill in less time - you can check out my shop for so many helpful digital home guides that cover everything from decluttering, organizing, kitchen, kids, moving, digital clutter + more!
3. Essentials gift giving.
This will first involve talking with someone and/or their family to find out what basic needs they need help with this holiday season. You might be surprised at the true needs your family, friends and neighbors…and it’s not luxury items, it’s things just to get by.
Essentials gift ideas for KIDS
replace an everyday garment of clothing - think grown out jackets, pants, shoes
gift card for clothing
gift baby essentials like diapers, wipes, blankets, etc.
books - yes I love books so much + know just how essential reading is to our kids it’s going to make it into several categories here!
offer to pay for a few weeks or month of school lunches
Essentials gift ideas for ADULTS
gift card for clothing
gift card for groceries +/or gas
help pay a bill - of course you’ll need to know this person well to know you can help in this way, but this may take away a huge financial burden for someone for month
offer a ‘coupon’ for a free dinner any night - you can cook it or pick up + bring it to them (especially love this for any elderly in your community)
offer to watch your friend’s kids - for an afternoon or an evening so they can go out to eat alone or get some errands done without the kiddos
offer your help with a house project
new linens, towels or kitchen essentials helpful for everyday use
cold weather essentials - often something we overlook for long lasting seasonal gifts (think warm socks, a good blanket, hand warmers, gloves, ear muffs, a warm hat, etc.)
Now it’s your turn to get creative and run with these ideas. These are a jumping off point and not limited to what we’ve listed above. I can’t wait to hear about all the no clutter gift ideas you come up with this holiday season!
And please don’t forget to drop your favorite no clutter gifts in the comments below!
Wishing you all the happiest + healthiest of Holidays!
Thanks for being here + I’ll see you soon in the next post.
Other holiday + seasonal blog posts you might enjoy: Decluttering While You Prepare for the Holidays5 Ways To Lighten Your Holiday LoadGiving, Gifting + Navigating Unwanted Gifts