When it comes to decluttering and organizing our homes, we might sometimes set the bar too high and end up ditching the task soon after. Between work, school, family duties and daily errands, the reality is that most of us don’t have the dedicated time to spend organizing and decluttering. This means we simply have to learn to organize on the go!
Decluttering doesn’t have to be the difficult and unachievable task we sometimes make it out to be. Instead of trying to tackle it in one go, taking a few conscious steps on your day-to-day will simplify organizing in the long run. As you prepare for the coming holiday season and start decorating your home, focus on making some conscious planning to save your time and energy – you’ll thank yourself in the seasons ahead!
Here are five tips to start decluttering and keep your home organized during the holiday season.
Organize While Packing and Unpacking Christmas Decorations
We all have found that broken bauble or an elf with a missing leg that have stayed around creating clutter. When you’re getting ready to decorate your home for Christmas and have taken out boxes with decorations, start by sorting out what you need and what you don’t as you go. Keep a bin nearby and fill it with things you don’t need or use anymore as you unpack, and either donate or throw it out right away.
When it’s time to put away your decorations, make sure to label each bin and box and note what items you’re putting in it. You can even number each container to identify it or label it with the room where you usually set up those decorations. Keep a list of containers and their contents in the garage or closet where you store them; that way you’ll know where everything is next year!
Clear up as You Wrap Christmas Presents
As you’re wrapping all your gifts, avoid keeping those bits and pieces you won’t use again. Immediately toss out old, wrinkled wrapping paper, short or mangled pieces of ribbon and damaged tags and cards.
Simplify your wrapping game by using an over-the-door organizer or a DIY wrapping station. You can streamline your wrapping by getting neutral wrapping paper like brown or white that you can use all year with seasonal or themed ribbon.
Declutter When You Entertain Guests
When you invite guests over for holiday get-togethers, make note of what you no longer need to prepare for entertaining. Donate any utensils or dishes you haven’t used in a while to cook or serve and get rid of broken items or sets with missing pieces you can’t use anymore.
Conversely, if you noticed you were missing a utensil or platter that would have made preparation easier for you, or if you need to replace a broken item, take note. Then, look out for end-of-year sales or new-year deals to find these missing items to be ready next year.
Reorganize Your Holiday Baking Supplies
Christmas cooking and baking often require special ingredients and utensils that you might not use the rest of the year; this can result in cabinets full of old spices, unused or expired baking ingredients and burnt or sticky items that were used once and forgotten after. As you start planning your baked goods for the season, throw out any items you don’t need or can’t use anymore, and make a list of what you’ll need for this year’s special meals.
As you shop for new ingredients and start your seasonal baking, plan ahead and store your fresh ingredients in air-tight glass or plastic containers to preserve them longer and keep them organized in your pantry or cabinet. When you are done with your holiday cooking and baking, throw out any ingredients you know will go stale before next year’s holiday season.
Rent a Storage Unit
Sometimes you might run out of space for all those holiday items you only need once a year, especially if you live in a smaller space where every inch counts. Other times, it might be hard to let go of decorations and items with sentimental value. In these cases, you can rent a storage unit to safely store all your seasonal belongings until next year, with the ability to easily access them in case you need them before. Many storage facilities, such as U-Lock Mini Storage offer a variety of storage unit sizes to choose from for your storage needs. A month-to-month rental mode allows you to store your belongings for however long you need.
At U-Lock Mini Storage, we have storage facilities across Greater
Vancouver and Vancouver Island. Our facilities include storage units Victoria,storage units Parksville, storage units Nanaimo, storage units Burnaby, storage units White Rock and Surrey, and storage units Chilliwack. Contact us if you have any questions!
Above all, make reorganizing and decluttering an enjoyable activity that won’t take hours of your time; you can even get your family involved and make it a seasonal tradition! Taking these small steps as you go through the holidays will make a big difference in the long run.