Clear the decks for Christmas with the 99 Day Declutter Challenge


So, we’ve finally seen some summer at long, long last and – what do you know? – it’s already less than 100 days to Christmas. As I write today it’s exactly 99 days until December 25 to be precise.

But before you panic and start drawing up gift lists and menus, how about some seasonal preparations that will bring you real dividends in the form of more space and extra Christmas  spending money? Try my 99-day declutter challenge.

It’s very simple. All you have to do to start is choose one unwanted item that’s taking space in your home, and dispose of it today.  And do the same for every day from now until Christmas. Of course you can choose to get rid of more than one item at a time if you want to, but if you make a pact to get 99 or more unnecessary items out of your life by December you’ll have much more space, not just to hide the pressies you need to keep a secret till the big day, but to store the gifts that (hopefully!) you’ll receive. 

A good place to start is with turning out the unwanted gifts you had last year – come on, I know you’ve got at least a couple lurking somewhere!  I had a big clear out of my bedroom cupboards and drawers at the weekend, and found three presents I’d forgotten about and clearly won’t use. Now they’re listed on eBay and with luck will bring in a few pounds to my own personal Christmas savings club.  

Make space for this year's Christmas presents by
clearing out your clutter
Alternatively you could identify someone who would welcome them as a gift this year – saving on your festive pressie spending at the same time, but if you can’t clearly remember where something came from in the first place, don’t risk embarrassment and offence by unwittingly passing an unwanted gift back to the friend or relative who gave it to you!

What about the books you’ve read this year that are now overcrowding your living room shelves? Give them to a charity shop and give yourself the warm glow of knowing that someone else can enjoy them and you’ll have helped a good cause at the same time.

Putting away your summer clothes and looking afresh at your autumn/winter wardrobe offers another clear-out opportunity.  If there are summer clothes that you didn’t wear –  not just because the weather wasn’t right but because they don’t fit any more or are looking dated – don’t waste storage space putting them away for another season, give them to a charity shop or clothes recycling bank. And likewise, if you dig out your  winter togs and are wondering what that moth-eaten woolly or crumpled cardy is still doing taking up space in your wardrobe, let it go!

If you’ve got children, start noting what toys and games they have stopped playing with, and they too could be recycled to make way for the new treats Santa will bring in a few months. 

As the next few weeks go by, weed out your kitchen, bathroom and spare room cupboards, and don’t forget those clutter-magnets, the garage, loft  and the shed. You never know what forgotten stuff you’ll discover that could make fab Christmas gifts for somebody else – or bring in some much-needed festive dosh!

If you'd like professional help with clearing your clutter this autumn, Clarify Interiors covers Oxfordshire and surrounding counties, or get in touch with one of my colleagues in the Association of Professional Declutterers and Organisers, which has members all over the UK.