Cutting the Clutter for Christmas!

[SparkleNana]

Sweetpumpkinpye -- I love the magic of Halloween! Children - walking the night streets with a parent -- seeing groups of other kids darting up to decorated, lighted front doors! Being welcomed - and admired on the doorstep). What a cute costume!) -- and given wrapped candy to drop into the bags or buckets they are carrying! And finally - at home - dumping everything out on the living room floor --- for the parents to "inspect" for safety (and to steal a bar of chocolate or two).

I also love seeing decorated houses -- although I personally do not care for the "frightening" decorations. But many, many people absolutely love the "scary" parts of the holiday! Halloween is big enough for all interpretations.

 

[thood]

I agree if it's not meaningful, let it go! Let someone else enjoy it.

One thing that felt like decluttering my decorating was actually to just use some decorations differently. I had a ton of red ball ornaments for my tree and I wasn't loving them on the tree so last year (or the year before) I kept them off the tree and dumped them into a crystal bowl. I liked them in the bowl.

I hope to copy your idea this year and repurpose some of my older ornaments. I have read that a few drops of bleach in the plain metallic gold/green/red glass ornaments will remove the paint and you will be left with a clear ornament. I've never tried it but I may this year. Anyone here ever done that?

 

[SparkleNana]

Thood -- I haven't tried it -- but what a brilliant idea!!!! That would free up ornaments for swirling paint in them -- maybe a craft to do with older kids!

For some reaon, I have been able to tie the idea of decluttering - WITH the idea of getting ready for Christmas -- in my mind! That helps me a lot, psychologically! It is decluttering for a "purpose" -- not just because I have been bad and let clutter accumulate. Doesn't everyone respond more happily to positive rewards?

 

[Cathymac]

I'm a little late (as usual) chiming in on the number of tote issue, but I'm with a lot of you..haven't counted, don't intend to. But it's a LOT here, too! I know that in the back of our storage shed there are at least 5 or 6 boxes that have the ornaments I used BM-before marriage. They are burgandy, gold and Victorian in style...very beautiful, but not something that will fit, style or colorwise, in my house now. So if I ever do see them again, I'll probably donate them to someone else. I used to live in a 100 year old house with 12 foot ceilings and hardwood floors...and thus the Victorian decor. The next year i used it at my grandmother's house-I decorated her dining room and living room, which were separated by French doors, in the burgandy and gold and used pink floral ribbon..it was sooo pretty! I loved it, and so did she. But I don't have any sentimental attachment to those ornaments, just the memories! And who knows what else is back there! We keep saying we're going to clean that shed out and move it but so far...still packed full of...ahem-stuff-and in the same old place! LOL!! Maybe someday!

 

[luludou]

I think 4 totes for Christmas isn't alot.... it's what I have for Halloween!! Imagine Christmas! lol!

 

[Winged One]

I know I have 3 storage boxes in our attic, another in my MILs attic, and that doesn't include the crib or tree. I KNOW i need to cut the clutter this year, it's just a case of getting time. I am hoping that, once I retrieve the box from MIL (as I will be only decorating our house this year after all), I will go through them all properly and put aside those I no longer use when deciorating - at least that won't be too late for charity shops this year and will clear out at least one box I hope.

 

[zchristy]

I'm of the opinion that the number of your totes is less relevant than if the contents are all loved and used. Some people like the fuller look and all of their things are treasures, so more totes is great.

But for me, I found about 1/3 of my Christmas stuff stayed in the bucket - old, dated, tattered or I bought it on emotion and really have no place for it. What's the point if it never leaves the bin?

I've been de-cluttering for almost 2 years, and I didn't do it all at once. I did one round and that seemed to solidify what I really wanted out of my house and each place in it. As I looked around again, I could fine tune my purge and it continues. I still take a couple of boxes or bags to the thrift store a couple of times a month. I am looking forward to cracking my decor bins this year because I really LOVE what's in there.

 

[SparkleNana]

Visual clutter is really tiring for me. Isn't it for you? (It is so much less upsetting if the clutter is hidden in drawers or closets.) Our family room has open shelves. The more I can get off of those the shelves, the better things will feel!

And the kitchen..... clutter in the kitchen is REALLY exhausting. Having to move things so you can have a clear work space. And so.... I don't move things -- I just push them over. And it is crowded and messy and no fun.

So - I am working myself into another attack on clutter!

 

[zchristy]

I'm with you SparkleNana - I love cleared spaces! When I started my de-cluttering 2 year ago, part of what bugged me was that everywhere I looked there was stuff. There was no such thing as empty space. I had the idea when I started creating my home that empty looked cold like a staged show home. When I changed my thinking to de-cluttering keeping things that were meaningful, Now I love it when my counter is clear!

Hope the kitchen de-clutter does well - keep us posted!

 

[HouseElf]

3 garbage bags. 3 large garbage bags. How did I ever accumulate so much?

I rid my home of three garbage bags of holiday decor that I did not use, was broken or down right ugly.

I now have three totes:

1: linens, table decor pieces, the stockings, and seasonal movies/books

2: items for the tree and Nativity set

3: our Advent wreath, wreath forms and assorted bits and pieces of items needed to make them, lanterns, and window candles

Plus, I have a large nutcracker that would not fit into any bin - he is under a zippered artificial tree cover.

 

[SparkleNana]

How are you guys doing? For the last two days - I have only managed to do routines. Well.... today I did routines. Yesterday - I didn't even do routines. Well.... real life does happen.

Maybe...... maybe tomorrow I can work at home. But..... probably not. That is OK. Eventually, there will come a day when I can work at home. Meanwhile.... I will just go on to the next room on Mo nday. Whatever that room is........

 

[jennmet]

I'm just working on some Christmas clutter tonight!!! Pulled out some boxes and I'm sorting through it!! That way I'll be ready in a few weeks

 

[aggy]

I've sort of neglected my chores this weekend. Friday I went out to dinner with a cousin and sort of trashed my bedroom before I left the housse. Saturday I made it a little worse and junked up the bathroom with hair products and such. So today I plan to tidy up. Then I am going to get out my gift wrap supplies. I have some under my bed and some in a closet. I want to put them all together and store in one place. I also need to find my tote that holds all of my electrical stuff like extension cords and timers.

 

[zchristy]

Great job, Jennmet & HouseElf!

I can't WAIT to dig into decorating...3.5 more weeks and I'm starting!!

 

[Christmas Paper]

Cutting the clutter for Christmas

Hi Cathymac, I Just want to let you know that I have a 142 yr. old Victorian House myself. So Anytime you decide to get rid of those Victorian Decorations, can you please send them my Way? I would so enjoy them. I have a few, & only a few. Am looking to get some more. You can PM me anytime when your ready. They are really very Pretty, especially when you own a Victorian house. No other Decorations seem to fit the tree. I'll be happy to take them off your hands, if you decide to get rid of them. Let me know, Please.

 

[Princess_Christmas]

yep, I have been doing the same thing, tossing broken stuff and stuff that just looks cheap. I still live at home and love decorating the house for my 3 year old niece, but too much stuff just looks tacky.

 

[purplecrush]

Man, ive been saying im going to get rid of the christmas stuff I dont use for like 5 years LOL.. I just couldnt seem to get myself to throw things away!!! This year im doing it!!! I have about 20 long totes of christmas stuff!! I only put up about half of that. Im glad I read this thread...its just what I needed to get me motivated!

 

[SparkleNana]

I am still throwing stuff out. Lately, old makeup has been tossed. Getting rid of paperwork is a constant activity.

And -- I keep a shopping bag in the closet for contributions to the local Thrift Shop. Not only clothing -- things from the kitchen, Christmas decorations, all kinds of things.

 

[khelzy09]

it is so true..
it is easier to decorate your house if it's clutter free..
i also did that last time, i separate the ornaments that are still usable to those not good looking one..
and now i'm kinda starting cleaning my staff in my bedroom..

 

[qltmrkt]

Honestly I would love to cut back on the amount of decorations I have. I tried one year but my two DD wouldn't hear of it. They had remembered every spot in the house that was decorated and wanted to know what happened to ??? Apparently I will have to cut back a little each year and so that noone notices. It does get rather physically tiring to put it all out.......and put it back away! And you are right Sparklenana, it is just exhausting to have all the clutter all the time.