Making a Little Room Before Christmas
Christmas might still feel a little way off, but this is often the time when the festive to-do list starts quietly writing itself.
Perhaps the dining table has gradually disappeared beneath paperwork, the spare bedroom has become the household's unofficial storage department, or the kitchen worktops could do with a little breathing space.
And then there's the Christmas decorating, present buying, wrapping, entertaining… and trying to remember where you put the sellotape you bought specifically so you wouldn't lose it.
It's quite a list when you think about it. And this is supposed to be the most wonderful time of the year!
But preparing your home for Christmas doesn't have to mean embarking on a huge decluttering project.
A few thoughtful changes now can make things feel much more manageable later.
Rather than looking around the whole house and wondering where on earth to begin, think about how you'll be spending Christmas.
If you're hosting Christmas dinner, perhaps reclaiming the dining table would make the biggest difference. Particularly if it's currently doubling as an office, filing cabinet and general dumping ground!
If family or friends are staying, making the spare bedroom comfortable and welcoming might be your priority.
And if you're keeping things quiet this year, perhaps you'd simply enjoy having a cosy living room where you can put your feet up without looking at everything you feel you ought to be doing.
Choose one space and begin there. You don't need to sort the entire house.
Start with the spaces you'll actually use
A little thought when the decorations come out
Here's something I'd really encourage you to try this year.
When you get the Christmas decorations out, notice the ones you decide not to put up.
We all have things tucked away that seemed like a good idea at the time. Perhaps a decoration no longer suits your home, your tastes have changed, or you've acquired some new favourites over the years.
And then there are those decorations that make the annual journey down from the loft, only to go straight back up again in January without ever leaving their box. They've had a nice little outing, but perhaps it's worth asking why we're still keeping them!
If something stays in the box Christmas after Christmas, it might be time to consider whether you still want it.
Of course, some decorations hold precious memories, even if they never make it onto the tree. Those are quite different, and there's absolutely no reason to part with something meaningful simply because you don't display it.
But if you're keeping decorations you no longer particularly like, just because you've always had them, perhaps this is the year to let a few go.
And wouldn't it be lovely to open the decorations next year and find a collection of things you genuinely enjoy, rather than having to rummage past the same unwanted ones all over again?
Christmas can bring more into our homes — presents, food, decorations and all those little extras that seem to appear from nowhere.
You don't have to start clearing cupboards in anticipation, but it can help to notice where things are already struggling to fit.
Perhaps there are toys the children have outgrown, games nobody plays anymore, or everyday items that have been sitting in the wrong place for months.
And we've probably all got a few things that we put somewhere “just for now” — about six months ago!
A little sorting now can save some frustration later.
And if you have toys or games that your children have outgrown, why not take them to a charity shop sooner rather than later? That gives the shop time to put them on sale and another family the opportunity to find something lovely before Christmas.
It's a nice thought, isn't it? Something that's been sitting unused in your cupboard could be making someone else's Christmas a little brighter.
A little more room for you could mean a lovely Christmas find for someone else.
Make room before more things arrive
I think this is the most important bit.
The purpose of making room isn't to add another enormous job to your festive to-do list. It's to make the things you actually want to do a little easier.
You might spend half an hour clearing a worktop, an afternoon reclaiming the dining table, or ten minutes looking through your Christmas decorations.
It all counts.
And if there are areas of your home you don't manage to get to? That's perfectly fine too.
Nobody's handing out prizes for having an immaculate airing cupboard on Christmas Eve!
Christmas doesn't require a perfectly organised house.
It just helps to have a little more room for the people, moments and traditions that matter to you.
Don't make it another Christmas chore
If there's a space in your home you'd love to reclaim before Christmas but you're struggling to get started, Willow & Home offers gentle, practical organising and decluttering support.
You don't have to tackle it alone.
Sarah x