The pre-holiday purge: Why decluttering now will lead to a better holiday season.
It’s only mid October, but the holidays keep popping into mind. The travel plans, the Christmas shopping budget, and what to do with all the new things that loved ones will bless us with.
Our daughters’ birthdays are in November and December (the day after Christmas). In those two months, we will be gifted a quantity of toys that parallels the number we currently have in our home.
Living in a 1,000 square foot apartment, we simply don’t have space for our toy collection to double. And living a minimalist lifestyle has shown us that owning fewer toys really does promote better play and less overwhelm.
But I love tradition. Including the tradition of gift giving at birthdays and Christmas. If relatives and friends want to bless our girls with gifts, then I won’t oppose (although I may guide them with suggestions).
So this year, I’ve started a new tradition: a pre-holiday purge. A mass decluttering of toys and clothes to make space for the new stuff that will come our way.
I figured that if every person who usually buys for our daughters at Christmas got them one present, then each girl would get eight gifts. So with two girls, that’s 16 gifts. Now double that for birthdays and we’ve got 32 gifts. Now consider that some people will buy more than one gift, and we’re looking at potentially 40 or more new gifts coming into our home in the next two months. (And that’s just gifts for the girls, not including Christmas gifts for my husband and me).
Take a look at your numbers. How many new items do you think will be coming into your home this holiday season? Do you have a plan for where they will go? Have you made space for them?
The average American spends around $650 at Christmas time on presents alone, so I’m guessing you’ll have a good bit of new stuff coming your way!
I know we will. And after completing my pre-holiday purge last week, I feel ready for the holiday/birthday season. I didn’t count the number of items I donated, but am guessing it was around 120 (toys and clothes). It’s not about the numbers though. It’s about maintaining a living space that’s calm and promotes closeness, not chaos during the holidays.
If you’re considering a pre-holiday purge, here are some tips:
Involve your kids
Talk to your kids about what you’re doing. Be open and honest. Invite them to help you decide what clothes and toys to keep and which to donate. My five year old was reluctant to help at first. But when I explained that we needed to make space if we wanted new toys at Christmas, she began pointing out dolls and plastic toys she didn’t want anymore. It’s a perfect time to discuss how donations help those who are in need and to explain that we really don’t need all that much to be happy.
Decluttering toys with my girls.
Consider a month trial period
If you or your children are unsure if you should donate a certain thing, then live without it on a trial basis. Box up those toys that never get played with, those outfits that are so rarely worn, or those accessories that just sit there. Put the box away in the basement or on a high closet shelf. Now wait a month. Did your kids ask for any of the toys? Did you have to fish out pieces of clothing or accessories? If the items weren’t missed, it likely they no longer serve a purpose for you. Let them go and find new homes where they are needed.
Plan for more
Designate a place where new things will go once they come into your home. Order in the home leads to more calm and less stress. But order during the holidays can be difficult to maintain. Clear out closet shelves, 16 gallon storage totes, or even low kitchen cabinets. When new things come in, put them in their designated place for the time being. Then, after the holidays, you can find more permanent homes for things. This system will prevent piles of new things from accumulating around the house and leave plenty of space for holiday guests and activities.
Talk to family
Mention your pre-holiday decluttering to extended family, including those who will be gift givers this year. Give them suggestions on what could replace those items that no longer serve you. Make an Amazon Wish List and send it out. Email a page with links to gift ideas. You might ask for experience-based gifts: a family zoo pass, art classes, a museum membership, dance classes, or concert tickets. Any of these would be great gifts and would reduce the amount of stuff that will accumulate after the holidays. You might suggest limiting the number of people who buy for you and your family. This year on both my husband and my side we’ve all decided to just buy gifts for the children and grandparents. This helps communicate that while gift giving is a great holiday tradition, that’s not what the season is all about.
Encourage others
Share your decluttering stories and efforts to simplify the holiday season with friends and coworkers. Start communicating the message that accumulating more and more doesn’t equal happiness. That less really is more. Talk about why you’re letting go of more than you’re receiving this holiday season. Memorize some holiday spending stats and slip them into conversation. Let’s encourage others to make the holidays intentional, not overwhelming – filled with family memories and not fancy piles of stuff.
We all need space in our lives. Especially around the holidays. But in our culture, it’s going to take work and planning to make that space happen.
Let’s take a look at our traditions and see if pre-holiday decluttering could be a good one to adopt this year. If you’re still not sure, just give it a try. I’m guessing you’ll find your holidays filled with more calm and purpose for it.