Ahh Christmas – ‘tis the season to be jolly, to decorate the house and give gifts to those you love. Unfortunately, it can also be a season for consumer excess and the accumulation of things you neither want, nor have the space for. Whether you’re wanting to re-focus on the things that matter – such as time with family and friends – or you’re soon to move house and don’t want more things to pack – the ideas below will help you have a clutter-free Christmas, with less of the stress and all of the joy.
Clutter Free Christmas Gifts
It can be a lovely feeling giving an receiving presents at Christmas-time, but if you’re looking to cut back on the clutter and expense, you’ll need to consider who you give to, and what you give.
First think – is a physical gift really necessary? Will a card or time together suffice? For example, many parents feel compelled to buy teacher gifts. However, if you ask teachers, they will likely tell you they don’t want any more mugs, fancy soaps or chocolates. What they will treasure is a card containing your heart-felt word of thanks.
Now how about your friends? Can you all agree not to buy each other presents and, instead, spend the money on a meal or night out together? You may find everyone is relieved not to have to shop, and will enjoy making memories all the more.
For adult children or the extended family, consider doing a kris kringle, where every person buys a present for one other person only. Or buy one gift for the whole family to enjoy, such as a big box of ice cream toppings and gourmet popcorn for a movie night at home.
Now consider the actual gifts you give or ask to receive. Rather than a physical gift that takes up space, try the following clutter-free alternatives:
- An experience, such as a show or amusement park
- A night out together
- Consumables such as homemade treats
- Gift card or vouchers
- Offering a service, such as babysitting or cooking a meal
- Club membership
- Music or TV streaming subscription
- Class enrolment
- Charitable donation
- Photoshoot
- A card or letter with a heartfelt message.
Clutter Free Christmas Decorations
There’s nothing quite like a beautifully decorated house at Christmas – but those trees and baubles take up a lot of storage space when not in use! Here are some ideas on how to decorate the house without the resulting clutter.
Christmas Tree
- Buy a live Christmas tree that you will get rid of after Christmas. Be sure to check that you can dispose of it responsibly (some councils offer a Christmas tree disposal service, or choose one you can break down into your green waste bin).
- Decorate a tree in your garden instead.
- Ditch the tree and go for a tree-shaped wall decal.
Decorations
- Cull your ornament and tinsel collection. Keep those that are most meaningful to you, and only keep enough to decorate your space without excess.
- Choose to decorate one space or room rather than the whole house. You can still make things Christmassy without filling every nook and cranny.
- String up Christmas cards to fill wall spaces, then recycle the cards after Christmas.
- Add Christmas cheer with a spotify playlist instead of CDs.
Christmas Table Settings
- Rather than having special Christmas crockery, platters and linen that have to be stored for most of the year, have a good quality white set that you can use every day, and that can be dressed up to suit any occasion.
- Consider hiring extra crockery, tables or chairs for large Christmas gatherings, or ask others to bring some, rather than storing them for the rest of the year.
It’s possible to have a festive, joyous and well-decorated Christmas without ending up with a whole lot of clutter. With less stuff to pack away, and less shopping to do, you’ll have an even more enjoyable time too!
If you’re getting ready to move house across or from Melbourne, Pinder Tower Movers provide the highest level of service with their household and furniture removals.