Today, we’re decorating the house for Christmas.
Shhh.
I know that we should wait until after we’ve fully enjoyed Thanksgiving, but if we don’t get it done now, there won’t be a time to do it. And we’re going to my mom’s on Thursday anyway.
I know. Excuses.
Last year, after Christmas, I made an effort to get rid of stuff I didn’t use and consolidate boxes after Christmas. If I did, I’m scared to think how much extra junk I had before that. Because I have waaaayyyy too much now.
What exactly is the point of having Christmas decorations that are stored year after year and never displayed? I love decorating for Christmas, but there are a few things that I just don’t have a spot for. They’re things with “meaning” so I resist trashing them, but if they don’t have enough meaning to actually be displayed, then why have them?
We’ve been in this house for four Christmases now, and realistically, we’ll be here another 20 or so. If there isn’t a spot now, there probably won’t ever be.
This year, I have a few new pieces of furniture in my dining room that are perfect for display. So what am I displaying there?
Things that have been displayed in other over-crowded spots in years past.
I’m sentimental about things. There are memories I don’t ever think about until the moment when I pull that junky, tacky item out of the box.
For my Tackle it Tuesday project, I decided to come up with one box of stuff to put in my upcoming garage sale.
It took all of about 3 minutes to find enough to fill a box. What’s in it?
- The Santa-boot that I still think is soooo cute, but I only have one of . . . and that doesn’t make any sense.
- Four folding/flattening/not-sure-what-they-are containers for “stuff” that I was given as a wedding gift. They were part of a set of eight, and the colors of these four don’t match anything that I own. I’m keeping the four that are blue, even though I’ve never used them either, because I’m just not that strong yet.
- Ornaments that I bought to use at our last house, that went great with the decor there. I haven’t used them since we moved into this house.
- Ornaments that I grabbed at a garage sale during a “fill a bag for 3.00” moment. With my clutter-collecting issues, I should run as fast as I can from deals like that.
- Lights that I bought at the Dollar Tree the first year we lived in this house. I had the great idea to hang them in each and every window at the front of the house. I did . . . and they looked terrible.
It feels good to be rid of a few things, even though I know there are more things I should part with.
Progress, right?
This post was linked up with Tackle it Tuesday.
Definitely progress!!
I just love reading your progress. I love your vulnerabilty and honesty. You make me want to go clean out my storage room BUT it's 11 pm ..not a good idea 😉
Great tackle! I got rid of some stuff as well, and it sure did feel nice!
If you have a moment, stop by and check out my tackle! 🙂
Oh, this speaks to me…as I look over at the stack of boxes of Christmas stuff still not put away (yes, tomorrow will be the first day of March) because I want to go through and purge. I do now I’m making progress, however, as this year we actually put up some of the decorations we’ve been moving to house to house and never unpacking because the house was so messy (and the kids so young and getting into things) that there didn’t seem to be a point.
Three years later and every year we decorate a little more, but I know there are still things that never get used.
I used to say that I was like the Island of Misfit Toys…but for Christmas decorations. Anyone getting rid of anything Christmas sent it to me. And like you, I finally had to get rid of some.
One of your comments made me laugh out loud. “…that junky, tacky item…” A few years ago, my sister was hosting our family Christmas Eve party and as I sat at the counter in the kitchen, I picked up this awful ornament. In my opinion (which I SHOULD have kept to myself), I mentioned how ugly and tacky it was…only to find that my mother, who heard me say it, bought one for each of our families. And they weren’t cheap. I still have the…um…lovely thing and hang it on my tree every year. And now, if I think something is ugly, I keep my mouth shut. 🙂
Oh how I can relate to the unwanted, expensive knick-knack. My father-in-law somehow got it in his head that I like bird figurines. I must have commented how pretty ONE of his was (I’m not normally a bird person, but I do like ones with lots of color). Well, for the last eight years (that’s how long I’ve been married) I have received at least one, sometimes two, bird figurines for Christmas. They are not cheap, and they make me feel guilty each time I open one, but I think it has been too long to really say anything now. We also don’t have anywhere to display them without them being in harm’s way (a five-year-old and a Great Dane without a cropped tail). He is recently divorced, so he is coming over to our house for Christmas this year, and I am kind of thankful for the excuse of having recently moved as the reason for not having the birds out yet. That sounds really ungrateful, but I am honored that he thinks highly enough of me to spend that kind of money on me every year (he is hard to read as far as feelings go). I just don’t know what to do with these birds.
Oh I don’t envy you, Kristin. It never ceases to amaze me sometimes the things people will pick up on.
Is there a space in your house…a wide hall or entryway (or even a basement family room?) where you could put a curio cabinet to display them? That way you wouldn’t have to look at, or DUST, them very often. He would be pleased to see them displayed so nicely…especially if you say you wanted them to be the first thing someone sees when they come in (for an entrance), or this hall was so blah and drab that the birds were perfect to brighten it up. Not sure what you could say for a family room unless it isn’t used often…safest place to keep them? Or if it is used for big family parties….you want to be able to show them off to crowds?
Just make sure whatever you say is the truth. They would be the first thing someone sees in a hall, they would brighten up a hallway, and maybe they would be safer in a seldom used family room. You just don’t have to add that you chose the spot so YOU wouldn’t have to see them often. 😀
Oh Kristy K James you are GOOOD. But Kristin should remember to add that the curio cabinet is now full . Contain-er. I’ve been reading the blog for about a year now and totally get that concept.
Kristin,
I had to comment on this…. Get rid of the bird figurines if you don’t love them or want them! At the end of the day they were given to you as a gift & it’s up to you what you do with those gifts, never keep or display anything out of guilt because it will drain your energy ever time you look at it & make you resent it. Give it to Goodwill, let someone else love them & ask your hubby to mention to his dad that you would love something different (present wise) this year like your favourite perfume or theatre tickets….
I’m sure he won’t mind as you wouldn’t him, doing the same thing to a gift you gave him? x
I haven’t put up a tree for a few years. Not since my cats knocked one completely over. Well, I did put a small one on a table in my bedroom (cats not allowed), but ran out of time last year. Last year I also gave 3 or 4 large Rubbermaid tubs full of ornaments to my cousin. She’s 17 years younger than me so hasn’t had as long to accumulate! They also have a high ceiling and a 9 foot tree and don’t begin to fill the tree yet. She was pleased to get them. Some she will re-box into 3 separate boxes for her boys to take with them when they are grown. I gave her most of my beloved Peanuts ornaments – I know I can go to her house any time I want and see them displayed, with out all the work of getting out and packing back up. And this week I’m starting on Christmas wreaths, artificial, for indoors. I’m going to put many of my remaining ornaments on wreaths and hang them on my various doors in the house. Catproof! And I’ll be making 2 as gifts.
Oh how I relate to this one. We downsized two years ago, to a house we built on the same property, so that much of my stored “stuff” still lives in the basement of the house we moved out of (adult daughter and family took it over). This includes our Christmas stuff. I feel like this isn’t fair, and we’re supposedly working through that basement to get rid of it all – hahahaha. Last Christmas I downsized the Christmas stuff to about 8 boxes plus the tree box. This year, I’ve had the lightbulb moment to eliminate the Christmas linen box by putting it’s content in my linen closet, duh. I’m a wrapping paper re-user, but the collection is getting out of hand with my family grown – not as many gifts that need wrapping. So this year, I’m drastically cutting this back to one box for paper, tissue, bags and ribbon, rather than the 4 containers it was occupying. This will help a lot. Also, I found the four boxes for the outside lights – empty. The light strings were all in a DIFFERENT box together. Lol.