The Christmas countdown is on! For most of us Christmas will mean the accumulation of extra “stuff”, especially for those of us with kids. While present giving and receiving in some form is almost inevitable at this time of year, there are ways to help minimise extra clutter coming into the house. Here are my tips for a Clutter-Free Christmas.
1. Declutter kids’ rooms now. This is very important if you think Santa will be bringing lots of new toys or if the kids have super generous grandparents, aunties, uncles or Godparents! Make room for all the new things coming in by clearing out unused items now. Donate any suitable toys to local charities. At this time of year especially they will be gratefully received.
2. Encourage relatives to give children consumable gifts: itunes cards, movie tickets, a special day out at a museum/sporting event/rock concert.
3. If you have a large family and receive many gifts, consider having a Kris Kringle with family members, where an amount to spend is decided on and only one gift per person is purchased.
4. If relatives or friends ask you what you would like, consider asking them to donate to your favourite charity instead of a gift. I personally love to give and receive gifts from Oxfam Unwrapped. The Charity Gifts website has lots of great ideas too.
5. Buy one colour wrapping paper (red, green, silver, white or gold.) Buy contrasting ribbon and wrap all gifts using these. This will same time (no decision to be made!) and space, and will also look stylish under your Christmas tree.
I’d love to hear your tips for a clutter-free Christmas.
Simple Organising Solutions 