From Decor to Sweaters: Making Room for New Things

Now that the busy holiday season is over, you may be faced with the quandary of what to do with all the great presents you received. Although you may absolutely love your new items, you may also be finding it a bit difficult to fit them into your already overcrowded home. Fortunately, the start of a new year is a great time to do a bit of cleaning, reorganizing and even purging around the house. If you need to make room for some of the great new items you received over the holidays, here are a few tips to help get you started.

Reducing Clutter

If you are like most people, chances are you've got at least a few areas of your home that suffer from clutter and disorganization. Whether your closets are out of control, your cabinets are overstuffed, or your dresser drawers need a good cleaning, there's undoubtedly some room for improvement. In most cases, it's easier to simply take everything out of the drawer, cabinet or closet first. Once you have everything out in the open, make some decisions as to the items you really need to keep. In most cases, you'll end up with a stack of items that can be donated to charity or even discarded. The end result will be extra space that can be used to store the items you truly use - including the new items you received over the holidays.

Rotate Your Home Accessories

If you received some great new candles or perhaps a spectacular piece of art as a gift this holiday season, you probably can't wait to display them around your home. Unfortunately, you probably also have your home already filled with great decorating finds. If you still love your original items but feel the need for a change of pace, consider swapping a few new items for a few of your older ones; for instance, you can replace a grouping of wooden wall decorations with one big wall art. There's no need to get rid of the items you truly love - just put them in a box and store them safely. After a few months, you'll be able to give your home a whole new look again, simply by replacing a few of your new items with the older ones. This can be a great way to keep the overall look of your home fresh and exciting year-round, without the need to spend money on new decorating items.

New Items In, Old Items Out

Establishing a policy of getting rid of one item from your home whenever you bring a new item in is a sure-fire method for keeping household clutter under control. This technique can work well for every member of your family, whether you're dealing with kitchen gadgets, workshop tools or your child's toy collection. By establishing this policy as a family, you'll have plenty of opportunities to help out those less fortunate by donating surplus items to your favorite charity. Not only will you keep your home neat and organized, but you'll also have the good feeling that comes from helping others.