Putting up your tree and surrounding it with twinkling lights. Whether you’re doing it for your kids or you’re doing it to heal your inner child, there’s no denying that there’s something almost magical about sprucing up your home for the yuletide season. However, as house cleaning experts, we believe that holiday cleaning should always come before decorating. Without it, your Christmas stockings or garlands can easily lose their sparkle due to dust and disappear in the disarray of visual clutter at your place. As part of our Ultimate Holiday Cleaning series, check out this blog for expert decluttering tips!
Decide Between Light vs Major Decluttering
You’re probably worried about decluttering your home before the holidays. It can be overwhelming on any given day, and it’s even more overwhelming during the holidays when there are a million things on your to-do list.
However, not all home decluttering experiences should be stressful and anxiety-ridden. There are many ways to approach it. At a minimum, you can choose from two types of decluttering, depending on your time and physical, mental, or emotional bandwidth.
- Light decluttering—This is a smaller-scale effort that can involve anything from clearing one kitchen drawer each week to getting rid of eyesores on shelves and visible surfaces in the living room. Light decluttering can be part of one big decluttering project. It’s a good exercise in mindfulness and has positive mental health benefits because it can boost your self-esteem instantly.
- Major decluttering – This type of decluttering is more intensive and extensive. We’re talking about a purge of every closet, drawer, and attic or basement storage you have. Many people on a personal minimalism journey usually go through this step. Despite its large scale, taking on a major decluttering project doesn’t necessarily mean you must finish it in one sitting. You can still break it down into mini-decluttering tasks that can last for weeks or months.
We recommend doing a light decluttering as preparation before the festivities and major decluttering as part of your post-holiday cleaning efforts. Remember, whichever you choose, the main goal is to finish what you start, so get that happy dopamine effect and stay motivated.
Create a Clear Vision
Envision how you want your home to look and feel during the holidays and the New Year. Having a clear picture of what you want your home to be will help you streamline your holiday cleaning checklist and evaluate your options for decorations. In addition, you will gain a better perspective on what you need to let go or keep when sorting your stuff.
Use these simple questions as helpful guidelines.
- How do you want your home to serve you? Is it a warm and cozy venue for hosting memorable family dinners? Is it a calm and collected space for you to come to and recharge after circling several holiday parties?
- What’s your Christmas decoration theme this year? Are you going for a winter wonderland, whimsical woodland, or a rustic farmhouse Christmas? Do you have a budget? Do you have a no-buy rule?
- What are some goals you want to achieve next year? Do you want to be more organized? Do you want to stay on top of your health and fitness goals? Do you want to home-school kids or work from home?
Declutter and Clean Holiday Decor
- Decide which to keep, toss, or donate. Holiday linens, dishes, and party supplies can pile up over the years. Evaluate what you use regularly and part with items not touched in the past few seasons. If hosting large gatherings is no longer part of your holidays, consider downsizing your collection
- Clean your holiday decorations before use. If you didn’t pay extra attention to vacuum sealing and other measures to store your holiday decorations properly, chances are they’re probably covered in dust by now. If you have an artificial Christmas tree, clean it thoroughly before filling it with ornaments. Wipe balls, wreaths, and garlands, if possible.
Set the Stage for Holiday Decorating
Get rid of visual clutter and clean the main areas of your home. Before you hang wreaths, garlands, and ornaments, clear specific spots where you plan to display them. This way, you make your holiday decor the focal point. Dust surfaces, vacuum floors and carpets, and clean windows so your tree glows in natural light.
Swap Everyday with Seasonal Decors
The last thing you want when decorating is going over the top unintentionally, where every element morphs into each other, looking like one giant mess. Interior design experts recommend replacing your year-round stuff with seasonal holiday items to achieve an effortlessly chic and cohesive look.
For instance, highlight your newly thrifted Santa or Christmas tree lamp by putting one or two of your everyday lamps in storage for the meantime. Change throw pillow covers and blankets to Christmas prints to keep in the theme. Basically, the main idea is swapping one for another instead of adding more to avoid it looking cluttered and chaotic. This is an excellent holiday decorating idea, especially if you are working with minimal space at home.
Establish the “One In, One Out” Rule
For every new item you bring into your home, remove a similar or older item you no longer need. This keeps clutter at bay and ensures your home doesn’t feel overstuffed. If you’re a family with children, the holidays often bring an influx of new toys and gifts. Take this opportunity to sort through old toys, books, and clothes with your kids. Donate gently used items to make space for the new, teaching them the value of giving.
Let FreshSpace Make Your Home Sparkle This Christmas
Nothing beats a professional deep clean after a successful decluttering project is done. Let our expert house cleaners make your home shine even more while you spend the holidays stress-free!
