Photo by Andrew Coop on Unsplash
Admit it, you have way too many holiday decorations.
Every year you pull out container after container only to find you don’t use half of what’s inside. So why not get rid of them?
Well, it’s a little hard to say goodbye to things, isn’t it? Especially items passed down to you from your family members. Even gifts from friends can be hard to let go of.
Downsizing your holiday decorations doesn’t have to be hard. Just ask yourself these four simple questions.
Photo by Daria Shevtsova from Pexels
Do you like it?
This season is the season of giving and boy, do people like giving holiday-themed gifts. Some of it’s cute. Some of it not so much. And others are so far out of your taste range you wonder if the person who gave it to you knows you at all.
Because seriously, that velvet elf with the wide-set eyes and rosy cheeks is NOT your style.
When decorating this year, ask yourself as you remove items from the containers, Do I even like this?
If the answer is no, you should have no issue putting it in a donation box.
Maybe you know someone who would appreciate it instead. A friend, co-worker, another family member. Could you bring it to the office and use it as a holiday decoration there? Regardless of what you do with it, if you don’t like, get rid of it.
Don’t worry about hurting someone’s feelings. If the item in question was a gift the person won’t know whether you gave it away. Unless that person asks you, “Hey, where’s the elf I got you?” there’s nothing to worry about.
And if anyone does constantly ask where their gift is...well, it’s unlikely.
Do you ever use it?
The second question to ask yourself when decorating is, Do I ever use this?
Did you buy the cute stuffed snowman two years ago but haven’t put it out since then? Do you have anywhere to put it? No? Into the donation box it goes.
Don’t feel bad. We all impulse buy holiday decorations. The problem is they’re cute until they start taking up space. Then they become a burden. You don’t want your decor to become a burden.
Decor is meant to bring joy. To quote Marie Kondo, if it doesn’t spark joy, it doesn’t belong in your home.
A lot of these impulse buys make great gifts. Follow the one in, one out rule. Regift a decoration the new one will replace. But if you set that snowman out once and it’s in pristine condition, consider gifting it to someone.
Your goal is to lighten your containers. Get rid of anything you haven’t used in a year or more. Again, don’t feel bad. You got some good use out of these decorations. But now it’s time for them to find new homes.
Why don’t you want to get rid of it?
Sentimental attachment isn’t our friend when downsizing. For good reason. The Christmas tea set your grandmother gave you looks gorgeous sitting in your hutch. The twenty handmade ornaments your kids made you bring a smile to your face.
Are the memories of said item keeping you from getting rid of it?
If so, you’re not alone.
Memories attach themselves to things we own. The holidays more so. Even though you don’t put up half the ornaments you have, you remember when your son or daughter gave them to you.
You have tons of personalized ornaments showing your growing family. You love the ones where it was just you and your spouse. How could you possibly throw it away?
Mind over matter. Telling yourself it’s okay to let certain decor walk out the door won’t be easy. Believe me, I know. But remember, it’s the memories that are more important.
Try this to make the task easier. Take a picture of the item. Email it to yourself. Create a folder on your computer labeled “Memories.” Save the image in there and write a one-line file name in relation to the memory.
Let’s go back to the tea set. Name the file something like, “Grandma’s tea set that she brought over from Poland.”
The point here is not discarding stuff because it isn’t important to you. Memories last. Finding clever ways to hold on to them is the trick.
What do you do with it?
Congratulations! You took the leap and downsized your decorations. Give yourself a high five. I’m giving you a virtual one right now.
Photo by Vlada Karpovich from Pexels
Now it’s time to figure out what to do with the stuff you’re getting rid of. And it’s a lot!
There are different ways to recycle holiday decor. It depends on the type of decor and what it’s made out of.
Set aside anything you can gift to someone. Create a box for items you plan to give to family members, friends, or even local businesses. Nursing homes and libraries are often on the lookout for hand-me-down decorations. Reach out to them.
Here’s a running list of items you might be tossing and how to get rid of them. It’s always best to check your local guidelines for garbage and plastic disposal. But this will give you a good place to start.
String lights. Made out of plastic, copper, and glass. String lights should be as separated as possible per material when disposing of. For the best proper disposal, check out Holiday LEDs.
Plastic yard decorations. Don’t be fooled. These plastic yard decorations are made up of many kinds of plastic. This makes it difficult to toss them out in regular recycling. Remove any light or electrical attachments inside of them. Then reach out to TerraCycle. They take hard to recycle items and are available in 21 countries.
Inflatable yard decorations. This decor is made out of nylon, which is very hard to recycle. TerraCycle will come in handy again here. You can also try USAgain. They recycle a ton of different textiles, including nylon.
Greeting cards. Regular paper recycling will do. If there’s a card in particular you love, snap a picture of it for digital safekeeping. Don't let it take up space in a drawer.
Letting go is never easy, but it’s a necessary step if you want to maintain an organized home. Out of control holiday decorations means stress every single year you take them out. You don't want that, do you?
Don’t let your things control you. Take control of your things.
I’m here to help. Schedule a consultation — virtual or in-person — and let me help you take back control.