The idea that you need to declutter now because the winter holidays are right around the corner may seem absurd. We just had several days of 80+ weather in Los Angeles, and winter coats, decorations, and sweaters weren’t on anyone’s minds (although, possibly, on their wish lists). Still, cooler weather and holiday demands are just around the corner and preparing for it now will help you greet the festive season with less stress. We love less stress! Read on for some tips on what to declutter before the winter holidays arrive.
Holiday Decorations
Do you have a closet full of bins brimming with holiday decorations? It’s time to go through them. Assess what needs replacing or fixing. Do you have Halloween decorations you haven’t displayed in years? It might be time to donate them to a creative reuse center or thrift store. Are you planning on hosting holiday parties this year? Start thinking about gift bags or take-away items you may want to make for guests.
Are you out of festive holiday wrapping paper? You would be amazed at the deals already available for Hanukkah, Christmas, and New Year’s. Review your Printify or Etsy shops if you have them. Are they ready for a refresh? It really is the best time of year to start thinking about easing into the holidays by decluttering, reorganizing, or replenishing.
Winter Clothes
We downsized into a 900-square-foot cottage. It’s a beautiful place, but the closets are small, and our winter clothing gets stored in under-bed bins or a cedar chest until the temperatures dip. This is the time of year when I like to go through everything to see if it needs fixing, cleaning, donating, selling, or responsibly recycled at places like Suay or Ridwell. If you have kids at home, you know how quickly they grow out of things. Now is the time to ensure that boots and winter coats still fit.
Heavy Blankets
Winter-weight blankets, flannel sheets, and heavy comforters should also get a review. If you haven’t used these items in years, your closet or bins don’t need to keep housing them. Donate old, clean sheets to the local animal shelter. Check area non-profits to see if anyone is doing blanket drives in the near future. If so, securely bag your items, put them in your car, and schedule a donation drop-off.
Cold Medications
With Covid going around still, you may already have a good supply of cough medicine, Covid tests, Vicks Vap-O-Rub, and other over-the-counter meds. Even if you aren’t worried about COVID-19, these items will be helpful for cold and flu season. Of course, some parents are already digging into their medicine chests as kids returned to school and came home with colds. This is a great time to review your expiration dates, declutter your medicine cabinet, and replenish so you are ready for whatever comes your way.
Pantry Items
If cold weather comes to your area early in the year, you’ll want to add your pantry to the list of places to declutter before the winter holidays. Start by eliminating anything expired to free up space for canned soups, fresh spices, or holiday baking supplies. I just did this, and I was shocked and saddened to find out that not only were several cans of chickpeas expired, but I had also lost molasses and baking chocolate to the ravages of time.
Did you realize at the last minute that you didn’t have a turkey baster on Thanksgiving last year (our turkey baster, tragically, got lost in our move)? Get one now rather than waiting for the mad rush as you begin your hosting prep this year. Trust me on this, you do not want to be hunting for tools or ingredients the morning of Thanksgiving. I still have nightmares.
Gardening Supplies
Take a look at your seeds. Unless you have kept them in protected, climate-controlled storage, seeds are less and less likely to germinate after a couple of years. I have successfully started sugar snap pea seeds at the three-year mark, but it took many more of them to get a successful crop. Declutter before the winter holidays, and you’ll be able to more successfully plan your late fall/early winter plantings if your climate allows for it. It’s also a terrific time to start planning how to use indoor gardening systems for your winter greens and herbs. Sage, basil, oregano — whatever you want for your Thanksgiving feast, you can start growing it indoors now for a plentiful harvest.
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