Normally, the holidays come up quick and we scramble to get our homes decorated and ready to receive guests. This typically leaves little time for actual decluttering or organizing and turns into hiding the clutter in other parts of the house or storage units. This year, as you are continuing to clean up your home from the holidays, it’s a perfect time to truly declutter your spaces and organize for the new year.
Before moving all your normal home decor items back into their usual spaces, take a moment to first look at the empty spots. What do you need to bring back? What do you want this space to convey? If you’re thinking of just adding the decor items back because they’ve simply always held space in those specific spots, take a moment to reassess if you actually need/want them in your home. Use the Marie Kondo method: Does it spark joy? Is it going to add to your family? If the answer is no, consider tossing the item or setting it aside to donate. Cultivate an intentional space in your home.
Many times decorating for the holidays can be intimidating because all the decor is stacked up high, box after box, and it’s hard to tell what you’re looking for. Prior to packing up all the seasonal items, make an organizational plan. Group like items together in boxes or baskets and then make sure to label everything. Instead of piling the boxes high on top of one another, consider adding a shelving unit to your garage or storage unit where you keep everything in the off seasons. This will help make boxes easier to reach and labels easier to read.
Often we impulse buy seasonal decor because we don’t know what we already have or we can’t find it. To eliminate this habit, make a list of seasonal items you already have OR items you thought you had and want. Consider taping this list to either the top of an accessible holiday box so you’re ready for next season when decorations start to hit stores or make a note on your phone with a reminder set to go off in the fall. Don’t fall into the trap of buying more than necessary.