Tips for Decluttering Christmas Items {Net Zero Clutter Challenge 2019}

How is it December already?! And yet here we are. Christmas is three and a half weeks away. As the song says... "It's the most wonderful time of the year!" And it really is.

But December is also the most busy time of the year for most of us. Or the most stressful time of the year. Those aren't things they usually write holiday songs about.

When things get overwhelming for me, one of the things I do to alleviate the stress is to declutter. Call me crazy, but extra stuff around me adds to the anxiety at any time of year, but especially in December!

• When I need to find places to store all the Christmas gifts we'll be giving. 
• When Christmas decorations, though beautiful, sometimes make my home feel smaller. 
• When entertaining means hiding things in the rooms we don't use as often. 
• When our schedule is extra full with school concerts, Christmas parties for every group or activity we're part of, and extended family gatherings. 

On their own, each of these things is wonderful, but all together, in the space of a month, it can be overwhelming.

I don't know about you, but I have a heightened awareness of how much stuff is in our home. And when I think about all the stuff that will be entering our home throughout the month.... well... it's even more overwhelming.

So... I declutter. It makes me feel better at any time of year, but especially in December :)

Since I started the #NetZeroClutter challenge 5 years ago (can you believe it's been 5 years?!), I've really noticed how much better I feel as the month goes on.

Join me this month!

Decluttering Christmas Items {Net Zero Clutter Challenge 2018}

It's December! And you know what that means... clutter! For most of us, more items enter our homes this month than any other time of year. And we're so much more aware of the clutter in our homes because we tend to entertain more this month than other times of the year as well.

Besides all that, December can feel so overwhelming... there are so many extra tasks to do, places to go, and people to see.

All of these factors make it hard to enjoy this otherwise wonderful time of year!

Whenever I feel overwhelmed I've learned that I will usually feel better if I declutter (at any time of year... it's really a stress reliever!). But over the last several years I've found that the single most important thing I can do to help me feel less overwhelmed in December is to declutter throughout the month.

Once I reduce that overwhelm, I can enjoy Christmas much more! So this year I will be decluttering again :)

For the last three years, I've hosted the #NetZeroClutter challenge and many of you joined in and decluttered in December. Will you join the Net Zero Decluttering Challenge this year?

Week 1 - Introduction and Holiday/Kids' Items {Net Zero Clutter Challenge 2017}

December can feel so overwhelming... there are so many extra tasks to do, places to go, and people to see.  But more than demands on our time, are the demands on our space. If we're entertaining during the holidays, we suddenly become much more aware of the clutter in our homes. And just the thought of how many new items will be entering our homes this month is overwhelming! All of these factors make it hard to enjoy this otherwise wonderful time of year.

There are lots of tips out there for managing your time better during the holidays, but I've found that the single most important thing I can do to help me feel less overwhelmed in December is to declutter throughout the month.  And reducing that overwhelm means I can enjoy Christmas much more.

For the last two years, I've hosted the #NetZeroClutter challenge and many of you joined in and decluttered in December. Will you join the Net Zero Decluttering Challenge this year?

Week 1 - Introduction and Holiday Items {Net Zero Clutter Challenge 2016}

Do you feel overwhelmed during the month of December with all the stuff that enters your home? It makes it hard to enjoy this otherwise wonderful time of year.

I've found that when I declutter throughout the month it really helps me feel less overwhelmed and I can enjoy Christmas much more.  Will you join the Net Zero Decluttering Challenge this year?

Tips for Decluttering Holiday Items and Decor {Decluttering Sentimental Items - Day 13}

Today in the Decluttering Sentimental Items series we're decluttering holiday items / decorations.  These can be for any holidays, although most people tend to have a favourite season that they primarily accumulate things for.  If Christmas is the holiday you have the most "stuff" for, your things are probably packed away in the attic, basement, or garage, but it's actually a good idea to take some time to go through them now.  The Christmas season is always so busy and it's harder to be objective about what to keep and what to let go of when you're in the midst of the holiday season.