Counting Down to a Clutter Free Holiday Season
When the leaves are no longer on the trees it's time to get your calendar out. By putting things in writing you have a 90% chance of making it happen. Block off specific days to get your wardrobe and home in order for the cooler weather and upcoming holidays.
Think of gaining back control of your life as a holiday gift to yourself. Be ruthless in your closet and drawers, weeding out those clothes that are torn, stained, old or the wrong size.
Now is the time to transfer your winter wardrobe to the closet. Make sure you keep like things together. One way to do this would be to sort by category: long sleeve, short sleeve, sleeveless ... upper body on the top rod, and lower body on the bottom.
An easy way to weed those clothes in your closet is by turning those hanger heads so that they're facing out towards the room. As you wear, launder, and return items, hang them back up with the hanger heads facing away like normal.
At the end of the season see how many hanger heads are still facing out - these are the season's unused items. Do you really need to keep them? It is a fact that we get 80% value out of 20% of what we have (1 out of 5 items is what you use regularly).
Keep in mind, what we readily see is what we use.
Example: if you have T-shirts for everyday wear stored in a drawer and hung up, many people forget about the ones in the drawer. Give the T-shirts in the drawer a purpose, like PJ's, and then they'll be used if that's the only place you can find them.
During the next 6 weeks schedule time or a day for the following:
Yard cleanup and winterizing
Fall decorating outside (Maybe even get the holiday lights up now while the weather is nice, just don't put them on yet)
Setting up a gift-wrap station with tape, scissors, cards, wrap, tissue and ribbon (Note that when you write out a gift list with the recipients' names, gift ideas, and budget, it will be much easier to shop and stay on target)
Doing your Holiday cards: Delegate the addressing part or have everyone do some. I love getting holiday cards since usually it's bill and ads in my mailbox
Holiday baking. Think of it as a time to gather those you love. Whether it's during the baking process or trading dozens at a cookie swap
Traveling? Take time to make good arrangements and plan what you're going to pack. Roll each day's outfit - top, bottom, undies and jewelry so it takes no time at all to get dressed. Clothes won't wrinkle either.
Now grab a handled shopping bag and start reverse shopping for donations - i.e. those items you no longer use, need or enjoy but that someone else might love this holiday. This should make room for the pumpkins, turkey, holiday tree and trimmings.
Happy Organizing!