Downsizing the Holidays
No question about it, the hardest things to declutter are sentimental items. It hasn’t been too hard for me to declutter for my current season in life with a huge chunk of things. I don’t need to store my triathlon bike, that season is behind me. If I do choose to take it up again, it will be far enough in the future that I’m sure they’ll make all sorts of improvements, and I’d want to upgrade. So why hold onto it in the meantime? I have all sorts of really good memories with that bike, and I’d love for someone else get to make some of their own versus it getting rusty in the garage.
I can see why Marie Kondo starts with clothes, because those, for the most part, have been pretty easy for me to go through. It’s easy to get rid of things that I’m never going to squeeze into again or items that just don’t reflect my current stage in life. If I’m really questioning a piece I ask myself if Audrey Hepburn or P!nk would wear it. If the answer is yes, it’s more likely to stay. Comfort is another easy determination with clothes. I’m not quite to Steve Jobs yet with a black turtleneck uniform, but I am definitely simplifying my wardrobe, which has made life so much easier.
I was sad when I passed on our Santa plate and mug. I so want those years back, but that’s just not happening. Since my kids are way past leaving cookies and milk for Santa and carrots for his reindeer, I cleared those out. It was easier knowing they were going to my nephews who could carry on the tradition. It’s so hard to have those years behind us, but holding onto the stuff isn’t going to take us back in time, as much as we might want it.
I absolutely loved to decorate for Christmas and Halloween. Not to the point for Claire Dunphy or Clark W. Griswold, but I still loved going over the top. I remember when my mom was downsizing her Christmas stuff, I was thrilled to take it. I couldn’t believe she was at the stage in life where she wanted to start paring down and simplifying the holidays. I’m a big believer in the more the merrier with people and had the same opinion with décor.
I still have that opinion with people, but my tastes have changed. There are three simple pumpkins in front of me now, instead of a house with witches hats hung from the ceiling, black garland wrapped along the banister and too many creepy crawly things to list. It took a whole week at least to decorate, since I was doing it after work. It will be interesting to see what my kids remember – the cool decorations or the cranky mom trying to do it all.
Even knowing that, it still can be hard to let some things go. I’m keeping all of the faux pumpkins so I can use them for a festive workout with my senior group. Besides that, my Halloween décor has been shaved down to a single tote. I will no longer be the person people ask to borrow a costume and I’m okay with that. Its’ so much better for the costumes to get used instead of sitting in an attic, just in case. I’ll have to be more organized with my costume planning from now on, but that’s worth it too.
When you focus more on who you’re giving your stuff too, it helps to clear it out. Knowing my nephews are the perfect age to enjoy some of my spooky stuff has helped so much. Letting my kids pick through whatever they want helps too. I gotta say, seeing pictures of my little nephew cheering on his big brother at soccer with his new skeleton friend brings me so much more joy than storing it. I will definitely want the credit if he decides to be a doctor, but in the meantime the happiness it’s brought him makes me smile. It’s been a good lesson for me to focus on how happy we can make others when we give away stuff we don’t need. That feels pretty darn good, plus our homes are cleaner in the process. So many wins.