The holidays present some challenges for downsizers. While the idea of entertaining, giving and receiving gifts, and generally staying busy with seasonal obligations and activities can make us feel like we don’t have time to think about downsizing, December can actually be a great time to make some progress on your downsizing goals. Our 12 Days of tips for downsizing can help you make the most of the season and get ahead on downsizing tasks too! 1) Sort and Declutter your Holiday Decorations Take the time to pull out ALL of your holiday decorations early in the season. Use your favorite items to decorate indoors and out using the supplies (and the energy!) you have available. Any supplies that don’t make the cut should be donated early in the season so that others may use them. When it’s time to store them again, you’ll be grateful for the extra space! 2) Look for Opportunities to Donate Items for Gifting Look around your community for schools, churches, or local charities that sponsor Holiday Markets. These popular events create an opportunity to donate household items, coats, costume jewelry, and other gift-able items so that others may re-use them for gift-giving. 3) Address Your Honey-Do List Make a list of small repairs or improvements that will make your home safe and welcoming for the season. Be sure to leave electrical and plumbing repairs to the experts, and to use supplies that you have on hand before you head out to the hardware store. When you’re ready to move, you’ll be glad to have a shorter list of home maintenance tasks. 4) Use Up Your Wrapping Supplies Make an effort to use up all of the gift wrap, greeting cards, ribbons and gift boxes you’ve accumulated over the years. If you have holiday supplies you haven’t reached for in many years, it’s probably time to move them to the donation or recycling pile. 5) Clear Out the Pantry In preparation for the season, check your pantry, refrigerator and freezer for outdated or unwanted food items. Once you have only fresh food on hand, work on eating or sharing what you have and resisting the urge to stock up again. 6) Let the Liquor Go Some say that spirits don’t go bad, but if you have liquor you’ve had on hand for several years, it may be time to move it out. Low-quality or cloudy bottles should be tossed, while others should be shared or enjoyed. 7) Choose Your Favorite Dinner Ware Use your favorite items to set a holiday table or buffet, and set aside the pieces you chose not to use this year or no longer need. 8) Lighten Up Your Linens and Towels Take a quick pass through your linen closet and remove tired towels, fraying blankets, or unneeded table linens. Look for textile recycling in your area for well-worn items. 9) Sort Your Gadgets Take note of the kitchen tools you use as you prepare your favorite meals this season. Most downsizers find that duplicate or specialty tools don’t usually make the cut when they pack their kitchen for their next home. 10) Pitch Plastic Containers Plastic food containers seem to multiply in our cabinets. Make an effort to use the ones you have on hand to send holiday treats or send leftovers home with guests. In the future consider only having enough to save a few days’ worth of food storage. 11) Offer Items to Visiting Family Members If you are thinking about downsizing over the next year, now is an excellent time to offer heirloom or sentimental items. If you don’t get any takers, allow yourself to donate or sell those items instead. 12) Focus on What Really Matters Most downsizers report that the best part of the process is enjoying the freedom to enjoy spending time with friends and family without the responsibility of managing a large home and owning a lot of “stuff”. Are you downsizing your belongings and looking forward to a smaller, more manageable space? Let us know what you’re up to! We can give you free tools and resources to get you started, and introduce you to qualified, helpful people in your area to step in when you need them.

Once the high of the holiday season is over reality sets in. It’s time to pack up everything to get ready for the next season. Are you dreading it even more this year because you have a lot less storage space? I hear you. Living in a small home sometimes takes creativity to find the space for what’s important to you. Below are some strategies to get you through the holiday decorations packing process. Simplify Your Collection Consider simplifying your collection to a theme or just the sentimental stuff. As you decide what to keep, opt for smaller items and consider replacing decorations that take up a lot of space. For instance, use a house light projector instead of string lights. Keep Your Collection Small Each year, take time to edit your collection. When you bring in new things, such as those annual ornaments marking the year, try to remove something else to make space. Before packing your things away, remove anything that’s broken, doesn’t work, or missing parts or pieces. Then donate, sell, or gift anything you haven’t used. Take Everything Apart I know it’s more work but taking everything apart and putting it back together each year, like your faux trees, is going to save you much-needed space. Take apart your string of lights and roll them individually around cardboard instead of a large holiday light reel. Same goes for your extension cords. Separate Indoor vs. Outdoor Indoor decorations, especially things like candles and wrapping paper, need to be climate controlled. Separate them from outdoor decorations, which you can store in an outdoor shed or garage. Containerize + Label ​Pack everything neatly into bins and bags by season/holiday and indoor vs. outdoor then label everything. Use every last drop of space in the container and utilize storage solutions meant for what you have, such as a wreath bag or figurine box. Protect Fragile Items No point in taking up storage space for 10+ months with broken figurines and ornaments. Protect your treasures and use options that take up less space like cardboard dividers and ornament boxes rather than packing paper and bubble wrap. Use paper plates to divide china instead of wrapping them individually. Use Vertical Space You need to be creative in a small home with limited storage. Think vertical. Use the walls of a closet, the back of a door, or garage ceiling racks, which are ideal for outdoor décor. Don’t forget to look down too. Use under-bed bins, ideally with wheels, to tuck things under furniture. This is a great option for storing your birthday gift wrapping supplies and other things you’ll need year-round, so you can access them easily. Wrap Up Storing holiday items doesn’t have to be a seasonal nightmare. Use these steps to face it head on, so you can relax and enjoy the next season. You may even find you have a little fun now that you know what to do. Stay focused on the reward… Being able to bring the next season’s treasures out! Happy packing!