5 Places to Tidy Up Before the New Year

2020-11-30 Mama Minimalist

5 Places to Tidy Up Before the New Year

When you tidy up so that you only have items you love and use, you will enjoy your home more. This is especially true as we head into a new year.

Before January 1, remove the excess in your home so that you save time, refresh your living space, create some breathing room, and begin the year clutter-free.

Start with these 5 high-impact areas that will reward you with quick wins at the outset.

1. Tidy up your holiday décor

As you’re decorating your house for the holidays, quickly sort through your Christmas and holiday décor.

Get rid of anything you don’t love and don’t feel excited about displaying. Aim to only keep holiday décor items you love or use regularly.

If you don’t use or love it, you have no obligation to keep it. Keep in mind that it’s much harder to notice special items when there are many other items crowding them out. Fewer is more meaningful, so use only the items you really love. Putting out less makes cleaning up after the holidays much simpler, too.

2. Tidy up unused kitchen items

The holidays are usually a time when you do more cooking, baking, and hosting. Holiday entertaining tends to be much more enjoyable when your kitchen is decluttered and organized.

Go inside your cabinets, pantry, refrigerator, and deep freezer and clean them out, once and for all, as doing so enables you to both eat what needs to be eaten and make space for all your holiday preparations. Get rid of food items that are expired or have gone bad; donate non-perishable food items that you know you won’t consume to your local food bank.

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3. Toys that are no longer loved

If you have kids, decluttering the toys before the holidays is always a good idea. Make space now so you and your kids won’t end up feeling overwhelmed with new toys after the holidays by getting rid of toys that are unloved, are no longer played with, are broken, or are missing pieces.

I inform my kids that we won’t have room for anything new if they don’t let go of anything they currently have. This is usually enough motivation for them to pick out some toys they are no longer playing with. It also tends to increase awareness for how much they already own as you see some of last year’s toys that have gotten little to no love. Encouraging your children to declutter their toys alongside you is a great way to teach them about donating unused items to other children in need.

4. Tidy up your linen closet

Because many of us host family and friends over the holidays, December is a great time to declutter your guest linens including towels and bedding.

Determine what you actually use and need regularly for hosting guests, then get rid of any towels or bedding you never use as well as anything worn out.

Usually when we have guests stay over we give them the best set of linens. Repurpose the towels that are fraying or the sheets that are threadbare and reserve the best stuff so that you can effortlessly step into the role of host or hostess when the guests come and stay.

Similarly, zone in on your tablecloths and napkins. Make sure the ones you have aren’t stained from last year (This happens to me all the time, by the way). Don’t be like me; instead, inspect those table linens well before the holiday arrives so that you have time to either spot treat or acquire new table linens if need be.

5. Seasonal gear and entryway

A final great area to declutter before the holidays is your seasonal gear like coats, mittens, hats, and boots. Get rid of anything you or your family no longer use, need, or love as well as anything worn out or outgrown.

Not only can you donate your excess to someone who could truly use and need it during the colder months, but simplifying your entryway also makes hosting easier over the holidays. You’ll have a tidy, clutter-free entryway to greet guests along with plenty of space for guests to hang their coats when they come to visit.

Take inventory of what your children need as you declutter. This way, when your friends and family ask what the kids need you are armed and ready with a comprehensive list. (You may receive less junk as a consequence!)Related to decluttering your seasonal gear is decluttering your entryway.

You will likely be welcoming family into your home over the holidays, and a cluttered entryway is generally the opposite of welcoming. Look at your entryway storage solutions with a critical eye. Is your organizational system working? Maybe the answer is yes, they are working but perhaps they just need a bit of tweaking. If that’s the case, tweak them now.

Where do you tidy up before the new year? Share the minimalist love and leave your best decluttering tips in the comments!

5 Places to Tidy Up Before the New Year