Let’s face it, as soon as December hits, it’s going to be full-on Christmas mode. I think that will be the case even more so this year, as we all want something to look forward to. So here’s a quick blog post to help you get organised so that you can enjoy a stress-free December and crack on with the festive fun..!
One of the main things that we all need to do at Christmas is to make space – for the tree, for the gifts we might receive, space in the freezer for all the food and so on. So now’s the time to start making some space in your home and cupboards, ready for the big day.
DECLUTTER
It can be difficult to fit in all the new gifts your family will be receiving if you don’t clear out the clutter first. We’ve all had a January with new toys and trinkets strewn about the house until you find some storage space for them. This is especially true if you have children who will definitely have piles of new toys and books to store away after Christmas.
So get ahead and make some space in the toy box and the kids room by decluttering some of their old toys. I’m not talking about favourite items or sentimental stuff, I just mean the things they’ve outgrown or no longer play with. Donate them to a charity, knowing that another child will get joy out of the toys in the future.
MAKE SPACE
It’s a yearly struggle for us to fit a Christmas tree and other decorations into our home. It’s so exciting to bring a tree into the living room, but it always seems so much bigger when you get it inside, doesn’t it?! Get ready in advance by clearing out some stuff to make space now, and have a bit of a spring clean while you’re at it.
This year, I’ve got more stuff to move out of the way than ever because, when the tree was taken down last year, I filled the gap with a new-to-me Jentique sideboard. Plus, our cheese plant has grown massively this year and it’s about the same size as a Christmas tree now! So this furniture and plant need to be stored out of the way for me to even stand a chance of getting a Christmas tree in the room.
You can either move furniture to the garage (if it’s watertight) for December or you could rent a storage unit for a short while to keep larger pieces of furniture out of the way while you decorate for the festive season. Pack away unnecessary chairs, side tables, large floor lamps, desks – anything that takes up space but that you can do without for the next month – and your home will feel more spacious.
Even though getting the decorations and faux tree out of the loft probably leaves you will some extra storage space up in the attic, you definitely shouldn’t be trying to shove heavy and bulky furniture up there – just a box of trinkets is the maximum you can store in the loft. And, actually, you’ll probably be putting the empty decoration boxes back where they came from after you’ve hung your baubles, so there’s probably not that much extra space in the attic anyway.
FOOD STORAGE
Now’s the time to start eating your way through items in your freezer and pantry to make a bit of space for any festive food you plan to buy for Christmas. You’ll not only make space by eating up those meals – but you’ll also be able to cut down on the cost of your food shopping for a couple of weeks while you eat your way through the supplies you already have.
If you put aside the savings you make by skipping a couple of supermarket shops, you could spend this on your Christmas dinner. You probably won’t even have to find any extra money for your festive shop this year – bonus! Another plus is that you’ll be eating up items that might otherwise be forgotten and might exceed their use-by-date in the meantime, so you’re cutting down on food waste too.
Let me know how you are preparing for Christmas now, I’d love to hear your tips for decluttering or getting your house in order in advance so please leave me a comment below.
PIN IT FOR LATER
This article is a sponsored collaboration. The pink links in the content indicate a sponsored link or information source. The blog post reflects my own experience and the sponsor hasn’t had any control over my content 🙂
