Holiday Tips for Downsizing
The holidays present some challenges for downsizers. While the idea of entertaining, giving and receiving gifts, and generally staying busy with seasonal obligations and activities can make us feel like we don’t have time to think about downsizing, December can actually be a great time to make some progress on your downsizing goals. Our 12 Days of tips for downsizing can help you make the most of the season and get ahead on downsizing tasks too!
1) Sort and Declutter your Holiday Decorations
Take the time to pull out ALL of your holiday decorations early in the season. Use your favorite items to decorate indoors and out using the supplies (and the energy!) you have available. Any supplies that don’t make the cut should be donated early in the season so that others may use them. When it’s time to store them again, you’ll be grateful for the extra space!
2) Look for Opportunities to Donate Items for Gifting
Look around your community for schools, churches, or local charities that sponsor Holiday Markets. These popular events create an opportunity to donate household items, coats, costume jewelry, and other gift-able items so that others may re-use them for gift-giving.
3) Address Your Honey-Do List
Make a list of small repairs or improvements that will make your home safe and welcoming for the season. Be sure to leave electrical and plumbing repairs to the experts, and to use supplies that you have on hand before you head out to the hardware store. When you’re ready to move, you’ll be glad to have a shorter list of home maintenance tasks.
4) Use Up Your Wrapping Supplies
Make an effort to use up all of the gift wrap, greeting cards, ribbons and gift boxes you’ve accumulated over the years. If you have holiday supplies you haven’t reached for in many years, it’s probably time to move them to the donation or recycling pile.
5) Clear Out the Pantry
In preparation for the season, check your pantry, refrigerator and freezer for outdated or unwanted food items. Once you have only fresh food on hand, work on eating or sharing what you have and resisting the urge to stock up again.
6) Let the Liquor Go
Some say that spirits don’t go bad, but if you have liquor you’ve had on hand for several years, it may be time to move it out. Low-quality or cloudy bottles should be tossed, while others should be shared or enjoyed.
7) Choose Your Favorite Dinner Ware
Use your favorite items to set a holiday table or buffet, and set aside the pieces you chose not to use this year or no longer need.
8) Lighten Up Your Linens and Towels
Take a quick pass through your linen closet and remove tired towels, fraying blankets, or unneeded table linens. Look for textile recycling in your area for well-worn items.
9) Sort Your Gadgets
Take note of the kitchen tools you use as you prepare your favorite meals this season. Most downsizers find that duplicate or specialty tools don’t usually make the cut when they pack their kitchen for their next home.
10) Pitch Plastic Containers
Plastic food containers seem to multiply in our cabinets. Make an effort to use the ones you have on hand to send holiday treats or send leftovers home with guests. In the future consider only having enough to save a few days’ worth of food storage.
11) Offer Items to Visiting Family Members
If you are thinking about downsizing over the next year, now is an excellent time to offer heirloom or sentimental items. If you don’t get any takers, allow yourself to donate or sell those items instead.
12) Focus on What Really Matters
Most downsizers report that the best part of the process is enjoying the freedom to enjoy spending time with friends and family without the responsibility of managing a large home and owning a lot of “stuff”.
Are you downsizing your belongings and looking forward to a smaller, more manageable space? Let us know what you’re up to! We can give you free tools and resources to get you started, and introduce you to qualified, helpful people in your area to step in when you need them.
Don't stress! Follow these helpful hints to stay organized and enjoy your time with family and friends. Hosting Holiday Meals Ask your guests to help Lists! Lists! Lists! (grocery, menu, etc.) Remember the batteries Use disposable pans & Plates as much as possible Consider Grocery delivery Service Also, support any local farmers markets or farms by buying any produce from them! Stay focused, Hydrated & keep that protein level up! Have 10 quiet minutes? Wrap a present! Grab a glass of wine Turn on a Christmas movie Be sure to have your camera ready but don’t forget to sit back & enjoy the moments Set the coffee to automatically brew. You'll love having a hot cup of coffee to start your day! Most Importantly... Enjoy this time with your family and friends . Yes, it can be stressful; yes, it can be overwhelming, but it can also be fun! Allow yourself to enjoy it - stress and all!
How long do you leave your holiday decorations on display in your home? We hear from a lot of people that they continue to enjoy their holiday decorations well into the new year . We’re all for squeezing every last drop of joy out of the season and we think you should leave your decorations up as long as you’d like! However, when the time comes to un-decorate, we highly recommend that you downsize holiday decorations: take the time to sort and organize them before you put them away. Always edit your collections before you store them. This concept is harder than it seems, but if you decorate your home for the holidays and still have more decor in storage, you may want to donate or re-home anything you didn’t display this year . If you’re ready to apply this principle, try this method: 1) Pull out ALL of your holiday decor and supplies at the start of the season. 2) Decorate your home and set up your gift wrapping area, holiday supplies etc. 3) Box or bag anything that didn’t make the cut this year for decor and supplies. 4) Retain any storage containers that could be useful to better organize the items you want to keep for next year. The pros recommend clear containers so you can see what’s in there! If you’re downsizing or short on space, consider: Choose unbreakable and easy-to-store options when you can. Fragile decorations that need a lot of protection take up a lot of space in storage. We know some downsizers who have chosen to go all-natural (as much as possible) with live garlands, wreaths, tree trimmings, floral arrangements, etc. so that there is less to store at the end of the season. You can always choose fewer areas to decorate , focusing on the spaces where you will most enjoy your holiday trimmings. When it’s time to store: Use the right container for the job . Specialty ornament containers may cost more, but they will protect delicate items. Consider off-site storage . We’re seeing more and more specialty storage solutions for small-space dwellers, including services that will pick up and deliver your holiday supplies on demand.
How do you decorate for the holidays? For many, transforming their home with elaborate holiday zeal is a seasonal ritual that lightens the mood and brings joy to the whole household. There are lots of ways to go crazy on the holiday decorations, but one of our particular favorites is the Christmas village . These table-top displays tend to grow over the years and can manifest as a full-on miniature town complete with tiny inhabitants going about their holiday errands. Collectibles advisor Charles Tinsley weighs in on What’s It Worth: Department 56. Department 56 Of all the versions of ceramic towns that pop up in American homes every December, the Department 56 Christmas Villages continue to be one of the most popular items in the Christmas collectibles market. The charming Department 56 ceramic pieces, decorated for the holidays and lit brightly behind their tiny windows, were the brainchild of Ed Banzinet , a talented designer who oversaw the Gift Import Department (Department 56!) of the Bachman Company in Minneapolis. The first Department 56 buildings were released in 1976. The Original Snow Village consisted of six pieces: four little houses and two churches. The Original Snow Village was based on an actual town near Ed’s home in Stillwater, Minnesota. Stillwater had a tradition of decorating the houses, stores and churches for Christmas with garlands, wreaths and bright lights. The first Christmas village set the character for the brand: highly detailed ceramic buildings that are brightly lit to create the look that originally inspired him. In the first two years of the collection, nine more pieces were added. These first designs in the collection remain the most highly prized by collectors today. A Focus on Popular Culture Like many decorative or seasonal collectables, Department 56 releases new designs every year, inspiring collectors to commemorate the years and the celebration of family milestones with new pieces. Department 56 enjoyed a popularity boost from an unlikely source: pieces based on the 1989 film National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation . In the movie, Clark Griswold’s boss Mr. Shirley did not give Christmas bonuses that year, but did have a celebration in his large and well appointed home. This scene was the inspiration for the very popular miniature Boss Shirley’s House. The film inspired a whole host of buildings, characters and accessories, including Todd & Margo’s House. The Christmas Vacation series remains among the most popular and sought-after pieces. Over the years, Department 56 has released many other designs based on popular culture and holiday films, including “A Christmas Story” , many Disney characters, a vintage Harley Davidson store and even a miniature Downton Abbey . The greatest challenge for this particular collectible is that they are ceramic, and therefore fragile. The value decreases greatly if they do not come with their original box and packaging . Since they are usually associated with the holiday season, they spend most of the time in storage. They take up a lot of room which means collectors have to sacrifice valuable storage space in their homes. So, What’s it Worth? As is the case with many collectibles these days, the value of Department 56 pieces is not as high as it has been in the past , but they do continue to be highly sought after. Notable online auction sales in the fall 2021 include National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation series . These designs remain at the top of the heap for collectors: • Todd and Margo’s House $2800 • The Department Store $500- $900 • Griswold Family Buys a Tree $375 The Dickens Village pieces are highly collected as well. In 2021 the top prices for pieces in this set were: • Kensington Palace $125 • Norman Church $220 • Dead Creek Village Mill $200 Smaller pieces in the collection such as “The Christmas Carol” may go for $40 to $50. Other sought-after designs include the Halloween Haunted Mansion ($800-$1000) and the Chick-Fil-A Dwarf House ($450). Common Designs Currently, the majority of the Department 56 collectibles are sold in larger lots, in their original boxes. Lots of 8-12 pieces may go for $200-$225 . Large collections of 75 or more pieces in their boxes may sell for as much as $1200 . If you love constructing a tiny village in your home for the holidays, and you have the space to store them, our advice is to continue enjoying your collection as long as you can! You could even scoop up some delightful additions to add a new neighborhood at a relatively low cost. When you’re ready to sell, you’ll probably do best to package them as a lot and sell them online or at a local auction house .