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11 Christmas decluttering hacks to try
Tis the season… to get your home in order. As magical a time of year as it can be, Christmas can also be pretty overwhelming, particularly when it comes to the clutter of it all.
With all the socialising, wrapping and prepping, our homes can end up looking less relaxing retreat and more like Santa’s workshop.
Thankfully there are some ways to take some of the frazzle out of your festive season, starting with a spot of decluttering.
“Christmas offers the perfect opportunity to refresh your home and create a calm, inviting space for the festivities,” explains Camilla Lesser, property development manager at Essential Living.
“Decluttering at this time of year helps you focus on what truly matters, making your home feel lighter, more organised, and ready for the celebrations.
By clearing out what you don’t need, you’re also creating room for the joy that the season brings—be it festive decorations, gifts, or simply a serene environment to relax in.”
As well as a clear and clutter-free space, doing a big pre-Christmas tidy-up could counter the negative impacts of mess on wellbeing. One study, published in Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, found that women living in a cluttered home showed higher levels of the stress hormone cortisol.
Of course, when there’s mulled wine to be drunk, pigs in blankets to prep, and presents to purchase, decluttering your home can easily slip down the to-do list.
But there some simple ways to tackle the big Christmas clear-out, with a sprinkling of festive fun.
Try the “reverse Santa” rule
Who doesn’t want their home to look festive?
The trouble is it can be hard not to go overboard with Christmas décor and gifts, particularly when you want to keep up with the seasonal trends (Kitsch is big for 2024).
If you find yourself wanting to go bigger and better each year it could be time to introduce the “Reverse Santa” rule.
The concept is pretty simple. For every new gift or decoration you bring in, remove one item from your home.“
This makes room for holiday additions without the extra clutter,” advises cleaning expert Miroslav Radov at Rainbow Rubbish Removals.
Gift wrap your junk
Come across items you can’t decide whether to keep or cull while clearing your space? Miroslav suggests wrapping them up!
This gift wrap technique can help you make your mind up about the items you aren’t sure you need in the day-to-day.
“Wrap up your item and if you don’t feel compelled to ‘open’ it by the time New Year rolls around, it’s time to donate or bin it,” he explains.
Take on the “12 days of decluttering” challenge
On the first day of Christmas, my true love gave to me… a messy home that I wanted to flee.
Well, maybe we can change that feeling with this festive hack.
“The 12 days of decluttering challenge is the perfect way to get everyone in your household involved, especially children,” advises Miroslav.
He suggests setting up a designated bin, and for 12 days straight removing those items you no longer need or use.
“Day one, one item. Day two, two items – and so on.
“By the end of the challenge you should have freed your home of 78 items you no longer need!” he adds.
Have a Christmas countdown clear-out
A daily five minute mini-blitz per zone helps to declutter without the to set aside dedicated ‘decluttering days’.
Instead of tackling a whole room at once, Miroslav suggests focusing on specific areas within each room.
“This technique is a successful way to declutter as working in a time crunch makes your decision process work faster,” he explains.
“Plus taking on small sections at time is less complicated and overwhelming.”
Whether it’s a cluttered basement or a messy kitchen, Miroslav advises breaking the room into sections either by space or category.
“Label one box ‘To Keep’ and another ‘To Go’ and set a timer for five minutes each day,” he adds.
“See how quickly you can make decisions and clear surfaces.”
Do a present triage
When considering the gifts you plan to give this festive season, take a moment to reflect on the items in your own home; if you can’t imagine giving those items as a gift, it might be time to let go of them.
“Make a mental note of the people you want to get presents for this year and look around your bedroom, living room and bathroom cabinet,” Miroslav advises.
“Picture each item as a gift for the people in your life, if you can’t imagine gifting it, why keep it?”
Try the snowflake rule
Embrace the idea that, like snowflakes, each item in your home should be unique and essential.
“By eliminating duplicates – whether it’s extra spatulas or redundant kitchen gadgets – you create a more functional and streamlined space, ensuring that everything you keep truly serves a purpose,” Miroslav explains.
He suggests starting by assessing categories like kitchenware or clothing and deciding if you really need more than one of each item.
“Keep only the most functional or favourite pieces, then donate or recycle the extras,” he adds.
“Moving forward, commit to only replacing or adding items when truly necessary to maintain an organised space.”
Play festive declutter bingo
One way to get everyone involved in the big declutter is to create a Christmas-themed bingo card, with a prize for your winner.
“Make a list of all the items you want to sort through and create bingo cards for the family to begin working their way through,” advises Cat Wiltshire from Online-Bedrooms.co.uk.
“Each square can have specific tasks such as ‘donate two books’ or ‘clear through wardrobe’.
“Turning decluttering into a fun game and having an incentive at the end is a great way to get kids involved.”
Create a toy library
Children no doubt get the most gifts over Christmas, but with the influx of toys coming in, there should be some going out.
“It is really important to do an edit of toys before Christmas arrives as it can get out of control come January,” advises Craig Hoareau, APDO member and owner of A Tidy Mind London.
Plus having so many options can be overwhelming for little ones. “Go through with your children what toys they no longer want or use,” advises Craig.
“Practice altruism and donate to charity so other children can also receive lovely gifts for Christmas which would have just been gathering dust at the bottom of a box in your home.”
After Christmas…
Do a decoration detox
As you pack away decorations, make a note of any gaps in your collection or items you’d like to replace.
This helps streamline next year’s festive preparations.
“When packing up holiday decorations, separate items into ‘use next year’ and ‘retire’ categories,” advises Camilla.
“Invest in sturdy storage boxes to keep everything organised and in good condition for next year.”
Refresh your soft furnishings
Refresh your living room layout by changing cushion covers and rearranging decorative items. “A few simple tweaks can breathe new life into a space,” advises Alex Bridgman, CEO of Bridgman.
He also recommend fluffing and rotating your sofa cushions to ensure they retain their shape. “Especially if they’ve been well used over the holidays,” he adds.
Turn to plant power
Rob advises bringing in some new houseplants to rejuvenate your freshly cleared spaces.
“While it’s dark and cold outside, bringing a touch of nature indoors is guaranteed to infuse your home with positive energy and encourage growth ready for the year ahead,” he adds.
Need more festive inspiration? Try Stylish Christmas decorating ideas for your front garden or How to make a Christmas doorway garland from real foliage
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