Decluttering on Christmas Day

Yes, I was asked this very question by someone I met at an event this morning!  Ok, so it was partly in jest, but with a 3 year old and a crawling baby at home, through the whites of his eyes I could see he meant it!!

You know how it goes

Eight days from now wrapping paper will be strewn across living room floors in homes all over Manchester and beyond. Shiny new presents mean smiling faces all round. But for many parents, the aftermath of a present unwrapping frenzy is a feeling of heavy heartedness.

• The tricky task of gathering torn giftwrap up without inadvertently scooping up part of a new toy.
• Squeezing what you can into the recycling bin
• Breathing a sigh of relief once the floor is cleared. Or at least clearer than it was!!

Dealing with new clutter

What to do with all of the new booty? There’ll be incessant playing with everything for a day or two, but once the novelty wears off, you need to find a home for everything. Hmm…and therein lies the problem!

How to avoid the clutter build up

It’s a no-brainer that more will come in than will go out over the next week or so. It’s important to ensure that every new toy gets a look in.

So whilst you do still have a little time before the ‘man in red’ makes his appearance, make the time to gather up some lesser-loved toys, books and jigsaws, and remove them from the usual play area to somewhere where you can store them temporarily. Think – loft, spare room, garage, under the bed, at a relative’s house even!

Come 25th December let your children enjoy their new presents without them feeling overwhelmed with choice and you feeling frustrated with lack of storage!

Set aside some time in the New Year once the chaos of Christmas is well behind you, and have a proper sort through what was stashed away. Then make some decisions about what to keep/donate/throw/sell.

Enjoy your family time at Christmas – let kids be kids, let grown-ups be kids, loosen the rules for a few days and have fun!

If you’re not sure how or where to store your existing ‘stuff’ effectively, or where you can get rid of unwanted items, please do get in touch to arrange a Discovery Call and get your home back into order for the year ahead!

Grab my FREE organising tips for your office and home HERE!