Reorganize or Eliminate These 8 Items Prior to Christmas
Is it the most delightful or the messiest period? It's a tricky choice. Preparing for Christmas isn't always a breeze, but dedicating some time to declutter Christmas essentials is crucial. After all, you wouldn't want to be in a scramble for essentials on Christmas Eve. Here are eight things to declutter before Christmas—even if you tackle just a few of these things right now, you'll still be steps ahead of the game.
Damaged Ornaments
Whether it's that charming Santa ornament with a missing wiring for hanging or a silver bell without a clapper, it might be time to say goodbye. While holiday memories may linger for a lifetime, ornaments may not. So, it's wise to declutter them every year.
This especially applies to glass ornaments as dealing with broken glass can put a damper on the festivities. There are already enough hazards during this season—it's best to try and eliminate one.
Outdated Christmas Decorations
Is your tinsel looking sparse? Did your Elf On The Shelf lose its hat during last year's fall? Toss any Christmas decor that's not in good shape. It doesn't look nice and most decor can easily be replaced with something of higher quality that will last longer.
Knotted and Failed String Lights
Between holiday shopping, work, and family obligations, do you really have enough time to untangle Christmas lights? Or worse, do you want to untangle and plug in those strands only to discover some of the bulbs don't even work? Skip this one and treat yourself to something new this year and learn how to store tree lights to keep them knot-free.
Worn-out Fake Christmas Trees
In many ways, artificial Christmas trees are better than the real thing. They’re more affordable over the long term and you don’t need to shop for one every year. But, while they last longer than a month, they really don’t last forever. If your tree is missing a few branches or has faded—it might be time for something new.
Expired Baking Supplies
Do you bake your famous Christmas cookies every year? Remember, those snowflake cookie cutters don’t last as long as your memories. Go through your holiday baking supplies and make sure all of your cookie cutters are still in great shape. Throw out anything that's broken and replace it before your next baking session.
Then scan your cake pans. Anything with a worn-out, peeling or chipped non-stick coating should go. The same applies to cracked ceramic bakare, and don’t forget to evaluate your decorating supplies like sprinkles, flour, sugar, baking soda, frosting, and icing. Throw out anything past its expiration date.
Outmoded Holiday Attire
Are you going to an ugly sweater party? Is your ugly sweater from last year still wearable or did the moths enjoy a feast on it during the off-season? Peep your Christmas pajamas and holiday party wear. Anything that's worn out or has rips or holes should be decluttered and replaced. You might be able to score something new on sale or find cooler, more unique items at a vintage shop.
Almost-Empty Wrapping Supplies
We hate to be the bearer of bad news, but that tiny piece of wrapping paper that's half stuck to the roll isn’t quite enough to wrap that box of boots. Same for the quarter inch of tape that's still left over. Anything that can’t be used should go.
Last Year's Unused Gifts
As much as you might try to hint about what you want for Christmas—or say you don't want anything at all—it's inevitable, you're going to receive gifts you don't want sometimes. So, go ahead and use the one-year rule on these things while you're doing the rest of your pre-holiday decluttering. If there are gifts that have just been collecting dust in your closet since last year, it's okay to part ways with them. Maybe you can even regift the item to someone else this year (we won’t tell!).
- To ensure a smooth Holidays Entertaining season, consider decluttering your Holiday baking supplies. Go through your ingredients and replace any expired flour, sugar, baking soda, or icing, as quoted from RealSimple.
- During the excitement of holidays, it's easy to overlook damaged Christmas string lights. Instead of spending time untangling and examining their condition, consider investing in new lights and learning how to store them properly to keep them knot-free.
- It's not uncommon for holiday attire to get worn out over time. Before the festivities, take time to declutter your Ugly Sweaters and holiday party wear. Replace any items with rips, holes, or outdated styles to ensure you look your best for the upcoming holidays.
