How Do You Downsize: Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving Tips for Downsizers
Are you the one who prepares and serves Thanksgiving dinner? For those who love to cook, preparing a celebratory meal for family and friends
can be a rewarding experience. If you have ever entertained on a large scale, or prepared big meals for a crowd even once a year, you probably have some specialty equipment and service pieces in your entertaining inventory.
If you’re downsizing, the holidays can be the perfect time to enjoy your favorite things and let go of items no longer needed. Use your time in the kitchen this year to take inventory of your kitchen and entertaining supplies with an eye toward downsizing and moving.
Let Go of Leftovers
If you have the time, pull out your serving dishes and prep items the week before
Thanksgiving to save yourself the headache of locating those items when the big day arrives. Once that’s done, take a peek at all of the unused pieces left in your cabinets
when all of your best and most used items are out? Is there anything that can be donated or otherwise re-homed?
Play Favorites
Of course, this advice goes for any genre of equipment in the house, but if you plan to downsize soon, now is a good time to take a hard look at how many colanders, potato mashers, tiny little saucepans, and glass mixing bowls you have. Pick your favorite and most necessary
ones to use during your cooking and entertaining this season, and set aside the rest for donation.
Say No to Old Spices
When was the last time you organized your spice cabinet? Take a few minutes to find everything you’ll need for Thanksgiving and toss any spices you haven’t used in the past year or two. Chefs say anything older than that has lost its flavor—so do yourself a favor, grab some fresh poultry seasoning, and finally ditch that crusty dried sage from 2014.
Share the Love (and the Stuff)
Once you’ve decided to part with some of your “big meal” serving dishes or storage containers, put them to good use on Thanksgiving night! Use unneeded serving or storage pieces to send leftovers home with guests—along with any extra cans of pumpkin or cranberry relish you don’t plan to take with you when you move.
Most importantly, be sure take plenty of photos of you, your family and friends, and your favorite dishes served in your favorite platters, bowls, and baskets! The memories of your Thanksgiving traditions
can be enjoyed going forward (no cooking or cleaning required)
And of course, no matter what you’re doing, we hope you have a very enjoyable Thanksgiving!
Hello friends, When the calendar flips to January, we’re suddenly flooded with possibilities of fresh starts, clean slates, and promises to ourselves that this is the year we’ll finally get organized. Organization isn’t about perfection—it’s about creating systems that make your life easier, calmer, and more intentional. 1. Start with on small space Instead of tackling the whole house, choose a single drawer, a nightstand, or a pantry shelf. Small wins create momentum. 2. Set realistic, measurable goals Replace 'Get organized' with specific, achievable goals. 3. Do a quick purge of everyday clutter Spend 10 minutes collecting items you no longer need. Immediate relief! A visual timer helps. See link below for a timer recommendation: https://a.co/d/jjDKhoB 4. Create homes for your most-used items A home for everything keeps chaos away. 5. Simplify your daily routines Prep the night before. Make mornings calmer. 6. Embrace the ‘One In/ One Out’ rule Maintain clutter-free spaces all year. 7. Use Visual Systems Labels, clear bins, color coding - especially helpful for kids and busy families. Kids do well with pictures and word labels. Link for products below: https://a.co/d/8uFMLzw 8. Schedule your organizing time If it’s not scheduled, it won’t happen. Consistence is key! 9. Ask for help when you’re overwhelmed Support accelerates success! 10. Celebrate progress, not perfection Every organized drawer is a success! Here’s to a simpler, lighter, more organized year ahead! Life Simplified is here to help you every step of the way!
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.