It seems like every year, we end up with more and more STUFF. We don't need it, half the time we don't want it, we barely have space to put it anymore. Everything feels cluttered, which can lead to a lot of stress, which no one wants around the holidays!
That's why I decided to write out a "De-Clutter December" Challenge. I have to admit, I was inspired by seeing so many people purge big bags of clothing when they cleaned out their closets. What a great feeling that must me!
See if you can follow along with my challenge. Even if you miss a few days, you'll still manage to de-clutter the house!
These are some of the days I'm looking forward to the most:
1st - Clean Out The Car
My car has kind of become my second house at this point! I've got shoes, old shopping bags, gym clothes, receipts, and about 600 plastic water bottles in there. Getting that all cleaned out and dealt with is sure to take away a lot of stress, especially considering I'm running out of room in the trunk to put my Christmas shopping!
6th - Clean Out Your Purse
Especially around the holidays, my purse gets pretty full. It's got more receipts than I can keep track of, mittens, headphones, my day planner, my wallet, lip balm, gum, makeup, my phone, my keys...basically anything you can imagine. Cleaning it all out and only adding in the basic is not only going to make it a lot lighter, but it's also going to make it easier to find things.
10th - Clean Out The Pantry
My pantry can get overrun with half-empty boxes of pasta, cans of soup I'll never eat, and more baking supplies than I'll ever need. Taking a day to clean it all out and organize it before filling the pantry again sounds like heaven...does that mean I'm getting old???
11th - Purge Your Closet
Yes! I can't wait to go through old clothes I haven't worn and will never wear again. My rule is if I haven't worn it in a year, it goes. Also, if you forgot you owned it...it goes! You can also use this day to go through your drawers, too.
15th - Purge The Bathroom Cabinets
Underneath my bathroom sink is basically an aisle at Walgreen's. Shampoo, conditioner, body wash, hair ties, cleaning supplies, it's all there. Taking the day to donate the new bottles I'll never use, and throw out the bottles that are basically empty, is a great way to clear out space and find out what you actually need.
19th - Purge The Tupperware Drawer
I swear there's a monster in my Tupperware drawer that basically makes a huge mess and then eats the lids. I can never find anything that matches! I'm excited to go through all the stuff I have and see what my actual inventory is. Then, if I realize I need a new set, then I can look out for Boxing Day deals.
23rd - Clean Out The Fridge
Same premise as the cupboards on this one: clear it out! Things in the fridge can get pushed to the back, and you never remember those leftovers from last month are sitting there. Plus, I'm willing to be you've got two bottles of salad dressing in your fridge that are definitely expired.
28th - Purge The Holiday Garbage
You're going to have boxes, plastic, paper, and whatever other packaging your Christmas gifts came in. For a few days it'll be scattered around the house until everything is opened, but take this day to gather it all up and get ready for garbage pickup.
30th - Organize The Kitchen
You'll have cleaned out the pantry, the cupboard, the Tupperware drawer, and organized the pots and pans, but there's still a lot to do! Take some time to put everything exactly where you want it, and even set up convenient systems in the fridge. I love having one shelf for snacks, one for meals, one for drinks, etc. That way when I'm packing my lunch for the day, I can just grab something from each shelf and be ready to go.
