Ever since I moved out & am now living in my own place, my husband & I have accumulated quite a bit of holiday decor. It’s funny because when we first talked about living together, he had told me the only decor we would have was a Christmas tree & nothing more. Ha! He thought! How did we go from that mindset to an entire storage area filled with bins of seasonal decor? Some of it had to do with the pandemic atmosphere & wanting our home to feel festive when we were stuck inside. But I think it’s time to go through & narrow down to our most favorite items.
Here are things you might want to consider decluttering before you put up your holiday decor:
Broken or Damaged Ornaments
As careful as we try to be, there always seems to be a few ornaments that need to be retired out. If you are looking at your collection & have more than what could fit on the tree, maybe you should even get rid of one’s you don’t want to use. Ones that are in good shape can be donated. I’m sure there are other people who would love your unwanted ornaments. But the ones that have broke or are damaged in anyway can be recycled I believe. Have a curated collection of ornaments you absolutely love.
Lights That Don’t Work
The most annoying thing ever is discovering your Christmas lights are completely burnt out. We’ve had to replace our outdoor lights a few times because of this. Be sure you aren’t holding onto these types of items. Before we even try to display them, we test them out before hand inside. If they don’t work, they are trash!
Sparse Wrapping Supplies
Rolls of wrapping paper that are down to the last pieces, bags with holes, ribbons & bows that are used up or damaged are just a few examples of supplies to possibly downsize. Looking through your collection of supplies can also help you take inventory of what you have so you don’t buy things you don’t need.
Decor You Just Won’t Use
Although I try to choose classic decorations that can be used for years to come – there are some instances where some items have hit their expiration date. Either it’s not fitting the aesthetic you are wishing to showcase no longer looking like it once did – it’s time to let go of these type of items. Donate them to someone else who may love it in their home.
Decor That Was Passed Down
Going along with decor that isn’t used, sometimes the decorations that are passed down to us from generations just don’t fit our style. Instead of just storing it in a bin for years, why not let go of that guilt & send it on it’s way to someone who will use it & love it? There is no sense to hold onto items [ even though they were a part of the family ] if you don’t have a purpose for it. For instance, when I moved out of my parent’s house, I was given a small container of family ornaments they were no longer using. Although lots of the ornaments brought back nostalgia, I only kept a select few. The rest were quickly donated. The ornaments I did keep nicely fit the aesthetic of our more newer ornaments & they bring a smile to my face when I see them hanging on our tree.
Items That Are Annoying to Store
Half the battle of holiday decor is storing the items properly after the season. Sometimes when Im decluttering, the deciding factor is whether I can store an item easily or not. I’ve let go of plenty of bulky decor pieces for this very reason. And now, I try not to purchase anything that would give me trouble later. This can include an excess amount of outdoor lights or those inflatables that are displayed in yards. I stick to a set number of lights, a wreath & our fake tree. Other items need to be able to be placed in storage bins & stacked accordingly.
What are some holiday decor you could let go of this year? I find, when you declutter as you decorate, you can easily create storage space for when January hits. And sometimes, when I look through the bins, it’s funny how you can completely forget what you own.
-B
Mind Beauty Simplicity 