Christmas keepsakes add so much more than a bit of whimsy or an authentic vintage touch to our holiday decor. They represent unique memories for our families and deserve to be prominently on display to add to our celebrations year after year. But, because they only come out once a year, the Christmas decorations often get overlooked when it comes to our good intentions to declutter. If you are not careful, an overwhelming amount of storage space can be surrendered to seasonal decor you don’t even like or intend to use again.
Stuffed in attics, those boxes of old garland, tacky toppers, broken angel wings, and yes, lights that don't work (maybe they'll work next year...?) are literally hanging over your head all year. Often the laughs over their memories are lighter, brighter and more genuinely treasured than some of the musty, rusty items that need to go. You can spark more joy and simplify holiday decorating (and un-decorating) if you will give yourself permission to sift through the boxes this year for the treasures worth keeping.
Here are 3 ways to “trim those trimmings” and reclaim the space in our homes where old or unwanted decorations go to die:
1- Pull it all out before you let yourself shop for more. It’s easy to forget exactly what you already have and how much you really like it. Faced with all the shiny options, even a Grinch finds it hard to resist buying more! If you see something that sparks a flame of joy that you simply MUST have, strike a deal with yourself and swap it out for something you've kept that now only sparks a flicker of joy instead of decking the halls with one. more. thing. And, make sure it all passes the KonMari test before you mindlessly pack it back up for next year.
2- Let it go! (Sing bolder echo in unison: “Let it go!”) Just because a relative or friend loved it and gifted it or passed it down to you does not mean you must keep it. Many of us struggle with how to honor a loved one when given things we don’t need or want. It is possible to let it go and still make their sentiment meaningful. Keep only those ornaments and collectibles with personal meaning, find a lovely way to incorporate it in your current holiday decorating style and space, and sell or donate the rest.
3- Be part of the solution for posterity and keep your holidays beautiful and rich in memories and traditions that don’t have to be packed away in a box (The More of Less)— hand down your family recipes, go "green" and convert to decorating the old-fashioned way with live plants, fresh seasonal cuttings and fruits, watch Christmas shows or performances together, travel to meet relatives your kids may have only seen in pictures or heard stories about, tell the stories again, visit the lonely or shop together to give those less fortunate the kind of holiday delight that you have come to know.
Have yourself a merry little Christmas!
When you are ready, here are a few festive, thoughtful ways to send unneeded stuff on its way:
1. Instead of saving heirlooms for offspring who may not understand their importance, let your heart-felt memories inspire special moments in the here and now. Wrap up the item and send to a far away friend or even a local family member who can appreciate the significance of the item in the context of a memory that connects you. Let them know that the treasured relationship you have with them is a keeper, although the item is theirs to keep or pass along.
2. A donation to a charitable organization can appreciate the value of your unneeded items in the season much more than allowing those possessions to stack up unused in dusty bins and boxes (Triad Goodwill, Freedom House Thrift and Habitat Restore are some of my local faves). Use your imagination - or ask on FB! - you will find there are a lot of people (#greensboroteachers) who like FREE and are resourceful enough to use what you do not want for something they need.
3. Vintage books, toys and even ornaments can often be easily and quickly sold at consignment or online (read, and believe: retales of a whimsical thrifter @netzerodecor). Get younger children involved and let them collect the spoils and spend on gifts they would not normally have the funds to buy. Giving empowers and encourages, maybe most especially, the smallest among us.
4. Involve your village! Share your decoration downsizing idea with your friends or neighbors. Host a central donation party spot or gather momentum going house to house to gather and deliver the spoils together. You don't have to stop with Christmas decor. Add more categories of wintry essentials like gently used blankets, outgrown jackets, gloves and hats to make a welcome and meaningful gift to your community (Salvation Army, Greensboro Urban Ministry) Making it an annual tradition with a date on the calendar can help force you to clear out those closets... and it's less calories and time in the kitchen than a cookie swap!
Love this post. Permission to let go! We hold onto so many things we will never use but the guilt holds us back when it's time to part with things. Thank you for a great post this time of year Wendy.