The Halloween season is over and November is upon us in full force in all it’s windy and snowy glory. It’s the time of the year where we prepare for the holiday season. We rearrange, we replace, we reuse, we buy more – a never-ending story.
We know decluttering can be overwhelming but the hardest part really is to start! Once you’ve buckled down, we have created a guide- room by room- to help the soon-to-be organized transition be a smooth one.
L I V I N G R O O M
While a huge Christmas party probably isn’t in the cards this year, a nicely decorated tree with sparkly baubles- to fill your home with Christmas magic- surely can be! So the first place to start is your boxes full of old decorations (and we know you have them!).
When sorting through, ask yourself if this is something you used in the previous season? Or the season before? And maybe you have too much of the same type of decoration. If so, consider giving them away to your local charity (Salvation Army) or thrift local store (Value Village).
We really like this guide from the Association of Professional Declutters & Organizers (UK) on how to start decluttering. You may find it helpful as well!
G U E S T R O O M
With all the extra time you will save from hosting a huge get-together, why not try your hand at upholstering? Take your DIY skills to the next level and try to repair that old chair you were so hesitant to throw away. Get creative with your preloved end table! Repeating after Jim from Jim Connelly Studios, our Master Artisan: “relove, restyle and don’t feed landfill”. Watch his video tutorial on how to restyle old piece of furniture using chalk paint.
Or maybe, it’s the time to say goodbye and get rid of some unwanted furniture. For furniture removal, we’ve created a list of options available in Toronto.
K I T C H E N
Christmas is the time when we bust out our good china and fancy dishware. We tend to spend most of the time in the kitchen, and this is the best excuse to finally take out all of our serving dishes, small appliances and extra kitchen utensils and decide what to do with them.
Now, when disposing of kitchen utensils, you have a few options:
While the first two organizations will sell your donated items at a reduced price, here at Furniture Bank, we prepare a packaged with kitchen utensils and all the essentials needed for our clients for free. It’s a new start for them, and we are always in need of more pots, pans, bowls and mugs.
W A R D R O B E
And finally, as the weather is getting colder and we are forced to bundle up, you may realize you have an abundance of older winter wear that doesn’t get that much use- and just takes up room in your closet. It’s a perfect time to give back to the community and free up space: there are many people in need of warm clothes that can’t afford to buy them.
Have you ever heard about the clothing deficit myth? When it comes to textiles reusability, 85% of the clothes we donate to charities will eventually end up in the landfill. So it’s worth taking the time and doing the research to help organizations that will actually give your used clothes to the families and individuals who need it most. Source: https://youtu.be/elU32XNj8PM
Happy decluttering!
