Less clutter, more room for holiday memories

If you’re an empty nester or a grandparent who regularly opens your home for holiday gatherings and overnight guests, the season may arrive before you feel ready.

Instead of waiting for the clutter to pile up along with the holiday decorations, set aside some time to clear out what you no longer need. A little decluttering now can make your home feel more welcoming — and the holidays a little less stressful.

It may sound counterintuitive, but fall is primetime for holiday decluttering, says Laurie Lindberg, owner and founder of Delightfully Decluttering.

“That’s when organizations can sell the most donated decor and clothing,” she said. “It’s far more difficult to find a place to donate or for thrift stores to sell or store items if you wait until the holidays are over to purge.”

At the same time, holiday mayhem is not a good time to address the sentimental objects and “might need” items that can accumulate over a lifetime, Lindberg added. Once the holiday rush begins, there’s often little time or energy to make thoughtful decisions about what to keep and what to let go.

Lindberg’s Woodstock-based business is part of the National Association of Senior Move Managers, and her six-person team has extensive experience helping older adults downsize. Here are her expert tips for shifting your clutter mindset and getting your home ready for the holidays.

Start with the kitchen

“The kitchen is an easy start because you don’t usually attach a lot of emotion to it. It’s just inanimate objects, many of them a dime a dozen,” Lindberg said.

Start with cooking spices. Open the jars and shakers to check for expired spices or those that have lost their aroma.

“Replace them with new versions of only the spices you commonly cook with,” she said. “And be realistic about whether you still require baking spices.”

Next, go through shelf-stable foods. Toss anything that has expired and consider donating in-date items to a local food pantry. Dishes, kitchen textiles and small appliances are other good targets, particularly if you’re expecting holiday guests.

“Pull out your big dish sets and other tableware, knowing you don’t have to keep everything you have just because it’s always been there,” Lindberg said.

Look critically at the items that fill your drawers and cabinets, too. Do you really need several sets of tongs, multiple pot holders or a drawer full of utensils you rarely use?

Throughout the process, Lindberg suggests thinking of your cabinets, drawers and pantry shelves as valuable real estate rather than places to stash things.

“As I tell my clients, it’s OK to have an empty cabinet.”

Make room for guests

If you expect overnight guests during the holidays, October and early November are a good time to tackle overflowing closets in spare bedrooms, as well as the piles of belongings that creep onto the beds or other surfaces.

Decluttering now has a practical benefit, too. Gently used jackets, sweaters and long-sleeved clothing can go to organizations collecting essentials before temperatures drop, while providing your guests a more comfortable place to stay.

“Let people who come for overnight visits feel like they have a sanctuary,” Lindberg said. “That’s especially important when you’re a grandparent or empty nester and would like them to come back again.”

Consider letting go of some holiday decor

While Lindberg doesn’t expect people to pull out their holiday decorations in October just to declutter them, she recommends using the decorating process as an opportunity to take stock of what you have.