‘Tis the season to suddenly have the almost overwhelming urge to GET RID OF ALL YOUR STUFF.
I like to say that just because a space exists doesn’t mean it has to be full. I love Christmas decorating. I also love the feeling of clean and calm that comes with packing all the decor away at the close of the season.
I try to stay on top of the decluttering and donation cycle but sometimes it does get ahead of me. I went a little crazy cleaning out cabinets after Christmas. I count it as a cardio workout getting the bags loaded with dishes, roasters and various household items out to the car.
I did get them dropped off at the donation site, which I consider a good sign for a new me in 2026. I happily said goodbye to the dream of becoming a person who regularly uses a breadmaker. I hope someone can use it in good health.
Granted, I went ahead and shopped while I was at the thrift store. That’s my process. I donate around the back and then go around the front to shop. I don’t mind this cycle at all. I tend to think of auctions and thrift stores as the ultimate rental option.
Secondhand buying offers an affordable method to refresh your home or wardrobe without permanent commitment — not to mention the quality of antique and vintage clothing and furnishings, for example, are often legions above what new “fast fashion” and low-end furniture are today. I also enjoy a “treasure hunt” for unique items — whether we plan to keep them for a season or two, or for life. I can buy something, use it, and if necessary, pass it back or pass it on.
Consignment and thrift stores are brimming right now. January is generally accepted to be a “get organized” month because the new year offers a fresh start and aligns perfectly with resolutions to declutter, set new goals and create better habits for life. This time of year just naturally encourages tackling physical and digital clutter to reduce stress, increase productivity and improve overall well-being for the year ahead. It’s also just a time to look around your house and say “Enough stuff.”
I love to get rid of things. I adore a list. I love a label maker. An afternoon cleaning out a cabinet, closet or cupboard? Don’t threaten me with a good time.
There is a reason we generally feel so good after cleaning. Our homes should be an extension of ourselves and our energy field. Items that no longer suit who we are carry old energy. Broken things carry stuck energy. This is why cleaning your spaces, organizing a closet, rearranging furniture and getting rid of clutter can have a profound impact on your mind, body and spirit. Never underestimate the restorative power of letting go of the things that no longer serve you. Please forgive my hippie hoopla. I grew up in the 1970s, after all.
Visual clutter can be more exhausting than we realize. Studies show that our brains work overtime just to ignore the chaos around us. If you feel scattered or drained when at home, it might just be your “stuff.”
I know that some people prefer “lived in” or “homey.” I get it. I always say we can all be wired differently and different is not “wrong.” I, however, am wired so that I cannot willingly leave a cluttered dining table, dirty dishes in the kitchen sink or the house with an unmade bed at all.
Don’t let me front like I’m the embodiment of perfection. I’m not a clean freak, I swear. Please don’t come over and white glove test the top of my doorframes, for example. I like things to look nice. Just be nice and don’t look too closely, please. We live here. It’s far from perfect.
We also live about 25 minutes — one way — from a thrift store that accepts donations, so I tend to load up the car and drive around until I find myself in the area. Then, I have to hope the planets align so that they are open, and I have time and, perhaps most importantly, remember that I have to drop things off.
My hand-me-down bags average a few hundred miles on their journey to the donation station. Sometimes they even have a layover in the mudroom or on the porch. It’s part of the curing process.
There is a method to my madness. If I ride around with a donation bag in the back of my car for long enough, it’s not a problem at all to let it all go — most likely because I can no longer remember what was actually in the bag anyway.
