No clutter in 2015 - How the Holidays can help you declutter!

This post is part of the No Clutter in 2015 series that I've been sharing every Thursday since the beginning of the year. Last week I was down with a nasty stomach virus so writing a post was the last thing on my mind, so this week, even though I have a lot of updating to do, I decided to change the motto a bit and talk about how the upcoming weeks until the year end are actually the perfect timing for decluttering. 

I sounds strange, right? That Holidays Season can actually help you declutter. But it can, trust me. Check out how in four simple steps:

1. Make room for upcoming gifts

After Christmas we usually find ourselves several gifts richer. This is especially true of children and their toys. So, the upcoming holidays season is the prefect excuse to go through your closets and get rid of any items you don't use or need any more. Engage your children to do the same and get them to discard some old toys to make room for the new ones they surely will get for Christmas. This way you reduce clutter and avoid accumulation.

2. Look for charities accepting donations

Most of the time getting rid of stuff is easier when you know your things will be useful to someone else. While charities usually accept donations all year long, most of them engage in special campaigns during the Holidays season to gather clothes, toys, books, etc, to distribute by the less fortunate. Look for a worthy cause and start decluttering. 

If you remember some of my previous decluttering posts, I was well behind in getting rid of my books. Well, just last week I found a charity that is collecting books this Christmas. Three bags full of books have already been dispatched yesterday, and the other will follow too!

3. Change your approach to Christmas gifts

While the Christmas spirit is in the giving and we all love to receive gifts, we often don't need six new mugs with painted reindeers or another set of scented candles to add to the dozen you already have in store from previous years and never get round to use. To avoid this, you can always tell people not to buy gifts altogether or, alternatively, to make a donation for a certain charity of your choice instead. 

We've managed to agree this successfully with part of our family and we only really exchange gifts for the kids, but beware that not everyone is so understanding. Some people can actually get offended if you suggest this. If that is the case, just go with the flow, accept that reindeer mug and find a way to pass it on later... 

4. Re-gift

I mentioned this briefly last Monday when I posted my 5 Tips to Save Money on Christmas Gifts, but it's a concept worth repeating. Don't be ashamed for re-gifting things that you received in the past and that are of no use to you. As long as the packages and the items are intact, it's just the same as if you went to a store and bought them. Just make sure you don't send them back to the person who originally gave them to you (read more tips on re-gifting here). Don't store in your house things that you don't use just because X or Y gave them to you. Find those items a new home where they can be properly loved.

Happy decluttering,