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Tips to keep Christmas clutter at bay - 10th December 2018
I'm assuming that if you are a regular reader of this blog, then you are on a mission to declutter. Had it ever ocurred to you that Christmas is in some senses, the 'worst' time of year for adding to your clutter pile?
Have you noticed how the retail world is hell bent on you going overboard with your festive shopping? Whether it's food, drink, decorations, gifts or clothing - they don't want you to go without!
Everyone says Christmas has become more and more commercialised over the years. The thing is, we all have a choice. Just because the shops are promoting all this Christmas stuff doesn't mean we have to part with our hard won cash - unless we want to.
Food and drink
The best plan is to know who you will be feeding and to write a list of what you want. That way you are less likely to be swayed by all those little extras. Excess food is clutter. You bung up your fridge storing it, you eat it when you're not hungry and ultimately it gets thrown away. That is such a waste of your money and the resources used to produce the food.
I think most people can work out what to buy for a particular meal but the temptation is always the add-ons. The nibbles, the chocolates, the tiny mince pies. Things you justify by saying, well, it is Christmas!
Drink is as bad. Buy what you need without going overboard! Otherwise you will have to store lots of bulky cans and bottles.
Decorations
Most festive decorations get stored for the bulk of the year. Make sure they don't take up unnecessary space! Does your home need to look like Santa's grotto? Whatever decorations you have there is always a temptation to add to them. Remember, lots of streamers and hanging decorations will make your home feel much smaller. Opt instead for a more minimalist look - far more chic! This also means you can store it away quite easily when the time comes.
In this same category is seasonal table wear such as napkins and tablecloths. Remember, you will have to store all this after the day. Is it worth it? Do you need it?
Gifts
Think about previous years. Are you the frequent recipient of unwanted Christmas gifts? Do you get stuff you would never buy for yourself? Most people do, to be honest. This might not sound easy, but I strongly suggest a conversation with all those who give you a gift. Otherwise, come January your home will be even more full of clutter and it's not even stuff you brought in yourself. You are probably also gifting clutter. Is it time to call a Christmas gift truce? The gift of time, attention and support is so much more valuable and relevant to the time of year.
Clothing
The Christmas jumper! There's an item of clutter for starters. Winter may be long and cold, but you are time limited to the number of days when you could wear a Christmas jumper. Again, it has to be stored for 365 days a year, for what? Four days of wear?
Even if you don't succumb to the Christmas jumper you might feel obliged to buy a new dress for the day. Do you really need to do that? What about the one you wore last year?
I hope the above has given you some food for thought. January is a good time for decluttering, but don't make your task even harder by adding unnecessary Christmas related clutter in December!
Keywords: christmas
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