I love decorating my house for Christmas. But the second Christmas is over, I hate the décor. It feels cluttery and adds to the chaos. I cannot wait to undecorate for Christmas.
However, undecorating inevitably leads me down an If You Give A Mouse a Cookie path. You know the book: the mouse wants a cookie which means he’ll also want a glass of milk, which causes a domino effect of wants and needs and distractions.
There’s something about taking down the Christmas decorations and changing the calendar. The combination causes a powerful urge to declutter and purge all the things.
We’re only a month into the new year and I’ve already taken a few trips to local thrift shops, delivering boxes of donations from different areas in my house. I’ve listed things online to sell, have a box of stuff to take to a consignment shop, and filled up my trash can.
I can’t help myself. Don’t tell my kids but there are two trash bags hiding in my closet, filled with stuffed animals. If they don’t notice the stuffed animals’ absence in the next two weeks, they’re gone. (The stuffed animals. Not the kids.)
In my daughter’s room alone, I got rid of an extra bed (Yes, we had an extra. It’s a long story.), which led to getting rid of a nightstand that only attracted clutter, which led to tossing an entire trash bag of treasures and a slight refresh of the room, including curtains and a new lamp.
Inevitably, my momentum to purge all the things will slow down as the year progresses. But in the meantime, I am here for it.
When the desire to purge strikes, sometimes I blame Instagram. Here are some accounts that I happily follow, that give me inspiration in the organizing, purging and cleaning departments.
House Peace
House Peace is a company located in Alabama. You can hire them to come into your home (or video chat with them) to help with problem areas. Full disclaimer: I have not done that. Instead, I follow their Instagram page which is curated by their founder, Tara Bremer. She frequently shares practical organizing ideas and resources for accomplishing those tasks. Plus she’s a little snarky, which makes her even more fun. My favorite thing is that she uses affordable containers from Target and Walmart most of the time.
Naptime Kitchen
Naptime Kitchen is run by a Charleston woman named Kate Strickler. Her profile includes everything from recipes to kitchen systems. She is so down to earth and relatable, I totally wish we were friends. Her practical tips for managing your home, especially if you have kids, are so helpful.
GoCleanCo
GoCleanCo is a cleaning company based in Canada. How did I find them? No idea. But they basically went viral sometime in 2020 with all of their cleaning tips. They have cleaning recipes (Did you know that Tide powder can clean many, many things and has many uses outside of the laundry room? Neither did I!), and cleaning tips that make cleaning your home simpler.
Who or what inspires you to purge, reorganize or clean your home?