Americans spent $729.1 billion on holiday decorations in 2019. That averages out to about $269 per household. Thankfully, most were quite happy with their purchases and even wished they could have purchased more decorations.
Which is awesome! While I typically advocate for less often being more, there are some very healthy benefits to decorating for the holidays. Especially for your mental health.
But that doesn't mean you have to or should, keep every single decoration you've ever received or purchased. Instead, here's how to declutter and make the most out of your holiday season.
Positive Memories Mean Less Depression
Yes! Studies show that surrounding yourself with items that remind you of happy times can actually reduce anxiety and depression.
But that also means it's time to remove any items that remind you of the not-so-happy times. There's no point in continuously triggering yourself. The trouble is that you may not even realize you're being triggered.
Pay Attention To Your Thoughts
Paying attention to your thoughts can help. Pull out each decoration and see what comes up in your mind. Does the ornament remind you of sipping hot cider and cozying up to the fire? Great, it's a keeper.
Or does it remind you of the myriad arguments your family got into? That one may need to go.
Declutter As You Unpack
As you go through the boxes of decorations, pay attention to which items are no longer in good condition. This is the perfect time to declutter these items. Those are the items that are:
Broken
Ripped
Missing pieces
No longer lights up
Smells funny
If you can repair the decoration, that's great. But only if you're actually going to do it. If it's still not repaired within say 2 weeks, let's assume it's not a high priority and it's time to let it go.
Also, if you no longer enjoy a holiday decoration, it's time to donate or sell it. No need to hang onto an item you no longer are using.
Declutter As You Pack Them Away
Don't forget that you can always declutter more when you pack them up after the season is over. If something broke or you just don't like it anymore, don't pack it up for next season.
And while you may try to convince yourself that you might like it next year - seriously? How often does that actually happen? I'm willing to bet you'd feel much more excited about buying something new that you really love next year than trying to psyche yourself up for something of which you've already grown tired.
Pack Away With Care
If you decorate and make the most out of myriad seasons, it's a good idea to separate your decorations. Here are a few tips to help keep your decorations looking brand new for years to come:
Store in sturdy bins
Carefully wrap all fragile items
Place heavier more durable items on the bottom
Place more fragile, lighter items on the top
Label your bins
Store them in a place where the items won't be disturbed.
Decluttering Doesn't Have To Be Hard
Decluttering is an investment in yourself. It's a commitment to realize you're worth surrounding yourself with the items that have true meaning in your life.
Organizing doesn't have to be hard either. You just have to learn the basics. That's where I come in. If you're ready to learn some new skills to help you lower your anxiety and make life a little easier, it's time to work with me.