December Declutter Strategy, 2024

[Harriet]

Deep in December, it's nice to remember... (smile)

Here is the Focus December tips and ideas post Indiana wrote for "Maintenance" part of Focus Cleaning forum, with lots of reminders that decluttering can still help even this late in the year. Perhaps it might jog some thoughts for us now, on what could benefit us leading up to holiday events or end of year. Also help to keep our minds from feeling cluttered with "to dos".


Now that all our rooms are deep cleaned we can enjoy the holidays by just doing maintenance and holiday preparation as our focus.

Maintenance:
dusting
floors
tidying
erasing footprints
cleaning bathrooms
cleaning kitchen
touch up where we see it is needed
give your plants some TLC.

Divide and Conquer:

Divide your home into 3 sections. Freshen the non-public areas the first week of December. Plan to give attention to the other areas over the next two weeks.

Declutter:

Declutter Thanksgiving decorations as you put them away.

Declutter Christmas or Hannukah and winter seasonal decorations as you bring them out.

Calendar:

Make a calendar for the month of December that includes the last few days of November.
Mark the holidays and celebration days that will affect your household, including New Year’s Day.
Mark all holiday activities.
Mark days that cards and packages must be mailed to assure delivery by Christmas or Hannukah.
Mark days for baking.
Mark days for shopping.
Mark on the calendar the day a project (if you are making one or some) must be done. Count back the number of days it will take to make it and mark it. Mark benchmarks for how much should be done. Be realistic on the time it will take – add a cushion.

Activities:

Begin thinking about menus.

Buy stamps, cards, and wrapping supplies.

Sign, address, and send holiday cards.

Spend a few hours shopping on weekdays or after work, when stores are calmer than they are on weekends.

Write out gift lists, write down clothing sizes, and organize addresses, preferably on a computer or a PDA to help with neatness and efficiency. Carry them with you for easy reference. If the store offers free shipping, you will be ready.

When shopping on the internet don’t forget to Google the store name followed by the word coupons for any discounts available.

[blessedw2]

thank you d harriet - I am hoping to be here throughout December and beyond.

[blessedw2]

I have ordered most of dd Youngers presents, all of dh's presents except one has to be brought back bc the button (for not stealing) is still attached.
I have to make a drive to Ma cy's for them to take it off.

I have the cans and cleaning items filled in cabinets and pantry for winter.

[Nancy]

CI -
I have dealt with the leaves that are bagged up yea!
A few still on the roof.

[Harriet]

blessed, that is so frustrating when the sales staff forgets that step. I hope the trip isn't too much of an inconvenience for you.

Big progress with dstepson doing much of the heavy lifting. He backed his/our enclosed trailer up to the screened porch and put all dd26's storage containers into it. HRH got most all the things from the closet still stored here ready and they went in, too.

Dd26 had an animal cage stored that no one knew what to do with. I found a "small-animal rescue" place that does mostly cats and kittens but some smaller dogs and rabbits, etc., sent them a photo, and lo and behold, they want it! So that will actually go into the world and help little critters.

[Nancy]

I have one ribbon I replaced on the outside wreath to roll up and put in the red & green tote.
I did get the Fall decor items put away.
Was chatting with some one that was working on putting away tea set items after their
holiday tea at church for older ladies was over.

I got fall pages in a planner for review when I set up q4. stuff to not loose them.
I have home maintenance ideas on my fb page to take notes of when I do my Jan. set up stuff as well.

Glad for the items off the bucket list last year that do not have to be done this year!
Part of my review.

[Harriet]

This pickup of the cage may happen tomorrow. They have a van they use to go to adoption events or pick items up. HRH says there's another older, smaller cage he will offer them, too. I don't want to donate unusable things, so I will watch that carefully to make sure it seems to be wanted. Strangely, a WMart order we had made arrived with an extra bag containing 2 different "Resolve" brand carpet spray products specifically for cleaning after pet urine, and the delivery people wouldn't come back for them because it wasn't worth it. They told us to keep them, but Tobias never has a urine accident. So those are more brand-new things they can have.

[Harriet]

We waited inconveniently, BUT it was a big help to have the pickup happen. HRH kept running around bringing more items that might work for donation. He even found a half-used spray container of some cage cleaner (?) and some litter. The lady was happy to take it all.

[Nancy]

Glad the pick up happened for you Harriet.
I cannot even get the donation center I like to use to accept things I take if I"m not on the right day.
Has me rather frustrated.
So I am going to put the items in a bag for the shed.
Got those items bagged up on Tues.

I Have 20 fabric gift bags in holiday prints I need to find a new home for thinking on that &
prayerfully considering that.

[Nancy]

Today made progress got the fabric gift bags I've not used
in a couple of years but added to em. Got em bagged in one of the bigger ones
and took to the neighbors that are glad to receive things and have grand kiddos
so I"m sure it will be of good use to them or they can share em. Yea!
That is a joyful thing.

My $ goes in envelopes and I no longer need or use the gift bags.
Gotta luv it that this dawn on me this year when I was putting out
my holiday decor. it was a moment!

-----
Sorted journals /
soft cover ones are going going gone at least 1/3 of them
they are upstairs and as I go out I"m putting em in the can.
They are old enough not longer need my a/m page ones yea for this
the trick I learned not to open em in case I might need some things did that last yr.
& got notes out of them already yea for that!

Hard cover ones not so much and not as topical. sigh might not do that this year.
Resorted the rest of them not as old as I thought,
the ones from pandemic & when I was in early grief keeping sigh
there is like a set and I have a diff. stack to let go of before those.
Rethinking this gain. Oh well at least I made some progress on em.