The Pre-Holidays Decluttering Guide
12th December, 2018
Believe it or not, we’re less than five weeks out from Christmas now. So, before the fun / insanity of the silly season hits, now is the perfect time to do your annual Pre-Holiday Declutter.
‘Why now?’ you may very well ask. A light declutter of some of the key areas of your home in preparation for the influx of the ‘Holiday Gs’—Gifts and Guests—can make all the difference. We all love the holidays, but there’s no denying it can be a hectic time of year, particularly if your home is cluttered.
So, before the sleigh bells ring and the snow starts to glisten, use these quick tips to declutter your home.
1. Devise a Plan
The best way to guarantee the success of your decluttering process is to devise a plan. What do you want to accomplish? Do you want to clean up the entire house? Or are you simply trying to organise the living spaces that your guests are most likely to frequent? Whatever your goals, write them down. Putting pen to paper greatly increases your odds of getting organised.
2. Start with Small Projects
Have you ever heard the phrase, “If you take care of the little things, the big things will take care of themselves?” It’s true! It will be easier to declutter your home before the holidays if you start with smaller projects, instead of trying to tackle your whole house in one afternoon. For instance, pick one thing per day to organise, like your junk drawer. Before you know it, your whole house will be clean, tidy and organised.
3. Eliminate Trouble Spots where Clutter Gathers
We all have one (or more) of those spots in where clutter just accumulates. Maybe it’s the hall cupboard, or the third drawer down in the kitchen, or even the kitchen bench. Your job is to identify these areas and keep them clear. Be mindful of these spaces and put methods in place to prevent clutter building up. For example, give each member of your family a large basket to pop their belongings in, rather than leaving them lying around on the kitchen bench.
4. Keep Flat Surfaces Clear to Make Rooms Look Larger
It’s really easy to cover flat surfaces in clutter, especially if it is a convenient spot to toss the mail or set down the groceries when you first walk in the door. It is the things from our day-to-day activities that are often the most challenging to keep organised.
Start by decluttering your kitchen benches. Remove everything and give them a really good clean. Sort out each item that already has a dedicated home and put it in its place. No home? Go through and pick out what’s important, cataloguing items as ‘must keep-in-the-kitchen’ , ‘donate’ or ‘store’.
5. Organise the Kitchen Before the Holidays Begin
Before friends and family arrive, organise your kitchen to make holiday meals more enjoyable. It’s easier than you think. First things first: do the dishes, clean off the benches, and return your kitchen to its ‘normal’ state.
Then, clean and organised drawer-by-drawer, cupboard-by-cupboard. Organise each drawer and cupboard so that like goes with like until only the seldom-used items are left. Remember, if cabinet space is lacking in your kitchen, use ceramic jars or large mason jars to hold kitchen utensils.
6. Clear Out the Hall Closet for Guests’ Coats
The hall closet is one of the biggest culprits of clutter. And why wouldn’t it be? It’s so easy to just toss your junk in and then close the door. Our advice is to start from the ground up.
Pick out what can stay and what needs to go. Organisational baskets are a great idea for separating out similar items. Does it get cold in the winter? Keep your gloves and hats together in one basket. Are you a beach bum? Store sunscreen, towels, and goggles together for quick and easy access.
7. Inspire the Kids to Clean their Rooms
Christmas is the ideal time to declutter your child’s bedroom. Why? There needs to be room for all the new toys that Santa is bringing. Your child will surely be motivated to stay on Santa’s ‘nice list’. So, why not see if you can convince them pick up all their toys and put them away?
The next step to organise kids’ bedrooms is to separate seasonal clothing so that only the essentials are out. Bit by bit, you’ll see your kids’ room get cleaner and more organised.
8. Use Clear Plastic Boxes to Identify Things You Use Frequently
This is one of our favourite tips. If you get claustrophobic thinking about storing your precious belongings in boxes and then losing track of them, see-through containers are an ideal solution. Not only can you see what you’ve stored in each individual box, they’re also easy to stack and you don’t have to worry about the sides buckling.
9. It’s Easier to Declutter Your Home when You Recycle
Not everything you need to get rid of has to go in the rubbish. Many of these items, like paperwork or mail, can be recycled. (Remember to shred any documents that contain personal information). Bottles, jars and jugs can all be recycled with your weekly recycling service, as well as aluminium or steel tins and containers. Speak with your local waste management company to learn more about electronics recycling.
10. Donate what You Don’t Need or Use Frequently
Here at Kent Removals & Storage, we believe in doing the right thing. That means donating little-used items that may be of benefit to other families this holiday season. Reach out to local charities.
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