Did you know clutter can cause unnecessary stress in our lives? And after the last few years, do we really need to add to the daily stress we already experience? The answer is NO!
Our homes are our sanctuaries, our space to get away from the constant hustle and bustle of everyday life. Having an organized living space allows us to relax and truly recharge.
January is the perfect time to do a simple MidWinter Declutter. Holiday decor is coming down, items received as gifts are being put to use or put away and depending on what part of the world you’re living in you may just now be digging out those winter clothes.
So, why leave everything to spring cleaning? We don’t think about our Christmas or holiday decorations during the spring. We aren’t wearing our heavy winter clothes while the weather is warming up. We’ve probably all been to Homegoods recently and picked up new blankets to get cozy on the couch with or maybe you received some as gifts during the holiday festivities. I mean, who doesn’t love taking that perfect nap with that perfectly fluffy throw blanket? (I know I do) Or if you’re like me, you got a Stanley tumbler as a gift and don’t really even use all the other cups and glasses hanging out in your kitchen cabinets. And, be truthful here, how many candles did you buy during the Bath & Body Works candle day sale?
With that being said, let’s begin with:
Holiday Decor
I’m sure a lot of us did some clearance shopping after Christmas. Snagging up decorations, gift wrap and bags, and more for super low prices. But what about at home storage? Do you have space to keep all the new stuff until the holidays roll back around or is it time to clean out a couple of decoration bins?
You already have all the bins and boxes pulled out of storage so take a couple of days to go through everything you have. Determine what you haven’t used in the last couple of years. Do all the strings of lights still work? Does that lightup inflatable Santa you put in your front yard still inflate? Or maybe your decor style has simply changed.
Now, designate a bin or box (I’m sure we all still have boxes lying around that were once wrapped in beautiful wrapping paper) to put all the good but unused decorations in, this will make it easier to keep separate and ready for you to donate. Also, use a trash bag to get rid of anything that may not work anymore or is broken. Take the donation items to your favorite thrift store or any donation center. You know where to put the trash.
Winter Clothes
Now, what about your closets? By now, at least if you live north of the equator, it is full on winter and depending on where you live, you’ve hauled out all the winter clothes. So, that makes now the perfect time to sort through anything winter related and determine if you (or your family) has worn those clothing items within the past couple of winters.
I personally clean out my closet and those of my kids, twice a year. When kids are still growing it’s important to go through their closets multiple times a year to see what can be handed down to younger siblings (or cousins) or what may be worn out. And since the world of fashion changes so quickly, it’s good to go through our own closets and determine if that sweater you received as a gift 5 years ago but haven’t worn in 3 years, is still in your style wheel. And since it’s winter, many shelters and other other organizations are in need of warm clothing to provide to those who are less fortunate.
So grab a few trash bags and start with one closet at a time like the coat closet. Then move to the next, then the next, and so forth and so on until all closets have been purged. Make sure to designate at least one bag for items that need to be tossed. By the end, you should have at least one bag that can be donated.
I know that decluttering isn’t the most fun task, but you don’t have to tackle everything at once. Start with one task and finish it before moving on. And don’t wait to take everything to the donation center or dump at once. Take the boxes or bags with in a day or two of completing the first task. Treat yourself to a coffee at your favorite coffee shop while your out. Try to have fun with it. Who knows, you may find things that you forgot about or lost.
If you’ve read this far, Thank You! I hope that you will come back next week as we move on to linen closets.