How to declutter after Christmas – and what not to do
Taking down the Christmas decorations always feels like a sad and sombre occasion. It’s one of the reasons I prefer to have a Christmas tree that takes minutes to assemble, rather than one that requires painstakingly dismantling every branch!
I’ve always tried to get through this chore as quickly as possible because of the sentimentality involved – but the trouble with this is you can wind up opening a box of shards the following year because you’ve rushed through it.
Luckily, there are ways to make this arduous task feel less upsetting. In fact, if you look at it in a new light, it might even feel, dare I say it, fun! Once you know what you need to do and the best order to do it in, you can tackle your Christmas decor with ease. And if you take the time to store your decorations the right way, you know they’ll be safe and sound, ready to deck the halls next year. Here’s everything you need to know when it comes to decluttering after Christmas.
Set a date and stick to it
Nothing makes a job feel more laborious than one that goes on for ever. If you’re slowly taking down your Christmas decorations, one at a time, it can feel endless.
It’s a good idea, then, to set a date to take down your decorations. Mark it in your calendar and make sure there’s sufficient time to do what you need to do. Don’t be afraid to break it up across a few days, if necessary for a busy schedule. Just make sure you have an allotted time planned and, crucially, an end time.
Remember to keep an eye on the weather if you’re dealing with outdoor Christmas decor, too. No one likes taking down string lights in the rain!
Prepare yourself
Taking down holiday decorations will feel less of a struggle with the right tools. If you find yourself guilty of crushing your Christmas tree into its original box each year, it’s probably time to invest in a dedicated bag to make storing it much easier. An example would be this Jumbo Christmas Tree Storage Bag from Amazon.
Make sure to keep delicate baubles and decorations in proper protective containers. I’ve been upset to find parts missing from ceramic decorations in the past, and it’s all down to how they’ve been stored. Don’t trust the box your decorations arrived in unless it’s secure and sturdy. Scrunched up newspaper and kitchen roll can help secure loose decorations.
Check out our top tips for packing away your Christmas decorations, so you know your decorations will be safe and sound, ready for next season.
Make a plan
Rather than just having “Take down Christmas decorations” on your to-do list, make a plan of how you’re going to approach the task. This will make it feel more organised and manageable.
For instance, depending on the weather, you might want to start outside and work your way in. My family often did this to avoid the neighbours’ judgement of lights being left up way past the season’s end. Or, if you want to get the bulk of the work out of the way, you may want to start by taking down the tree. Once that’s down, what’s left will seem less daunting.
Decluttering methods might help in facing this task, too. For instance, you could try approaching it with the Ski Slope method, which was first introduced by Anita Yokota in her interior design book Home Therapy. This involves moving from corner to corner and side to side of the room as you would ‘ski down a slope’. In doing this, you’ll be both thorough and efficient, while making the task feel less daunting.
Turn it into a tradition
Putting up the Christmas decorations brings the family together, so why should taking them down be any different? Don’t look at this as a melencholy task – instead, think of it as an opportunity. When I was young, my mum used to take down the decorations without warning. So, I’d come home one day to find everything stripped and back to how it was for 11 months of the year. It was quite a shock and, naturally, a little saddening.
Getting the family involved can make this feel like less of a chore, and it gives them a chance to adjust to the seasonal change, too.
Play music to lighten the mood and introduce winter or spring-themed decor, so the house feels like it’s evolving rather than losing festive cheer. You may even want to keep some of the lights up during the long, holiday-free month of January. Whatever you decide to do, making this a family routine means the task becomes easier for you and gives closure to the family.
Reward yourself once you’re finished
No matter how organised you are, taking down Christmas decorations is still hard work and requires time. Once you’re finished and everything is packed away, make sure you reward yourself and your family. By having a pre-planned treat and something to work towards, packing away Christmas will feel less saddening, to adults as well as children.
Either make time for yourself to relax at the end of the day or treat the family to a movie night or a family outing. The choice is entirely yours, so long as there’s a light at the end of the festive-decorated tunnel!
Make sure you’ve finished
While the decorations might be down, the job’s not done until things are stored safe and sound. Many of us will pause at this final hurdle, because the effort of entering an unused space – such as the attic or garage – can seem like one imposition too far. But, in doing this, your decorations will inevitably end up sitting on show where they shouldn’t.
Make sure your decorations have a dedicated space to return to. They shouldn’t be crushed or inaccessible, but at the same time, you don’t want them in the way of other items as they’ll be even more likely to be moved and damaged.
If you have more than one theme of decoration that you alternate between – “Kitschmas” is one of my favourites – try to keep each theme grouped together and labelled, so you don’t need to remove and sort through everything each year.
Before you return your decorations, be sure to sort through those you didn’t use for signs of damage, too. If they’re still in working order but you’re not likely to use them again, they can always be donated.
You Might Also Like
