Christmas Season Organization

December 5, 2017
Renee Ory

GIFT WITH PURPOSE

 

While one of the main reasons for decluttering your home is to get a fresh start in your own space, it can also be of benefit to others. When reorganizing a space, there will be a lot of items that either are no longer needed, items to throw away or items to store in another location for future use.

For some it is hard to let go of these items, but knowing that your items can be of use to other people can help ease the process. If a client invested a good amount of money into an item that they no longer need but are still having trouble letting go of it, we begin to discuss another beneficial use, such as donating it to a charity of the client’s choice. Not only does this help the client stick to their goal of cleansing their space, but it also gives them control of where this important personal item will move on to.

I recently worked with a woman who had several bags of expensive clothes that she had outgrown over the years. Nice clothing is something that should definitely not go to waste. Donating her collection seemed like the best option and helped her to continue her organization process. I shared information with her about Faith House of Acadiana, a local donation center that not only takes donations of any type, but also provides housing and care for those who have suffered domestic violence. Knowing that the women in the shelter could receive this nice collection of clothing and would appreciate it most inspired our client’s choice in donating there.

 

GIVING AND RECEIVING

 

There are so many local charities and donation centers that could use any type of excess in the average household. Not only does donating help others in need, but you will receive a donation receipt for tax purposes and the gift of knowing that you are helping someone in need. So instead of throwing out items that you may perceive as out of date or useless, recycle items and share your wealth by donating them to a charity of your choice.

Popular items to donate are:

• Clothing items such as shoes, winter clothes, accessories, etc.
• Excess storage boxes and organizational storage units
• Small pieces of furniture such as side tables, cabinets or lamps
• Decorations such as rugs or art pieces
• Kitchenware or bathroom items that are no longer used

 

Local Donation Centers that take the above:

https://amazingspaces.org/decluttering-resources/

• Faith House of Acadiana

• Catholic Services Center

• Goodwill

• Salvation Army

• United Way

• Acadiana Outreach Center

PLAN AHEAD TO MINIMIZE
CHRISTMAS CLUTTER

Christmas is upon us! You know what means? CLUTTER.

Whether it’s breaking out the boxes of decorations that you’ve collected over the years or weekend visitors accompanied by presents or holiday treats, your home is bound to get messy!

To be able to stay organized and maintain peace within a bustling holiday home, it’s important to always plan ahead. Here are my top tips to help you manage:
• Clear out a space for extra bags, luggage and gifts
• Provide a space for guests’ personal items by clearing your desk off and storing the items in a container to place in a closet
• Store away bathroom personal items into one particular drawer or cabinet to clear up space for guests
• Stock the bathroom with extra towels
• Clear and reorganize kitchen counter space to allow for guests casseroles, snacks and other holiday goodies
• Empty the dishwasher and lay out a drying pad to help keep the display of dirty dishes to a minimum

DECORATE

 

Now for the fun part! Decorating can be exciting unless you prefer not to.  Amazing Spaces can help with the decorating process for holidays. Using existing decorations or incorporating new ones, we can place and position everything in just the right quantity and space. If you have a lot of decor and it seems overwhelming, we can organize and edit existing decor while you are away, or alongside you for a well designed holiday home.

Do you think you don’t have enough to display? Think again! Minimalist decorations can say a lot, depending on how and where you display them around your home. From big to small ideas, we can help brighten your home with the holiday spirit, with only a little reorganization design!
Here are some fun Christmas tree tips to help get decorating ideas going:
• Pick a color! If you have a variety of colorful ornaments but have decided to stick with a color theme this year, pick out only the ornaments with the color of your choice.
• Too much blank space left on the tree? Fill it in with lights, or use paper of the same color theme and create a string of cut-out shapes to drape around the tree, just like a home-made tinsel.
• Don’t stress about a big tree! If a large tree either doesn’t fit in your home or you don’t have the time to decorate, a small tree works just as great! Place it on a living room table or in the foyer, with homemade paper decorations or a LED string of lights. It’s a cute, simple way to add a Christmas glow in your home.

• Is a tree too much this year? Go to a Christmas tree farm and grab a couple of the loose trimmed branches or look around your yard for evergreen branches. Take these and use them around your home, such as placing them in a vase for a table centerpiece, or arranging them on the mantle above the fireplace.

 

 

Most importantly have fun and be blessed—it’s the most wonderful time of the year!

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