Christmas. As the song goes: it’s the most wonderful time of the year. 

It’s also the time when you look around your home with fresh eyes… and panic. You already have toys crammed into every cupboard, alcove, chest and drawer. Just where are you going to fit the mountain of pressies Santa is bound to bring?!

It’s time to declutter. Quickly. 

It’s easy to feel overwhelmed, so start by breaking the job down into smaller, manageable tasks. Start by organising that overflowing toy box. Tackle the toys when your children are at school – otherwise they’ll want to keep everything! And be ruthless – get rid of anything they haven’t played with in six months. If it’s still in good nick, donate it to the local playgroup or charity shop. Or, earn yourself a few extra pounds by selling them via social media or online auction sites. 

Pack up old books, CDs and sentimental items in clear storage boxes (so you can see at a glance what’s inside) and store them in the loft until you need them again. 

Next, move to the closet. Kids grow so quickly – weed out all the clothes they no longer fit, and store seasonal outfits in vacuum storage bags that can be easily slid under the bed, or stacked neatly in the loft. One of my biggest problem areas is the corner where I stack all the girls’ school shoes. I try to keep it tidy, but it quickly becomes a cluttered shambles. Keep on top of it by regularly clearing out the ones that are scuffed, discarded or too small.

Now look at your own wardrobe with a clinical eye, and pull out all those ‘just in case’ clothes. Be realistic; if you haven’t had a reason to wear them for over a year, you probably never will! Think of it this way – the more space you clear, the more room you’ll have for new clothes… 

Slowly, but surely, you’ll whip your home into shape. Just in time to fill it with all your new Christmas goodies!! 

• sponsored post; image courtesy of Mammasaurus.com