Welcome! And good for you, it's the first step that seems to be the hardest for me too.

And, your timing is good, in the sense that I've been thinking all weekend how what I REALLY want to do is simplify the holiday decorating around my house as well.

This past summer, when I had to declutter a lot of stuff for the work we did on our house, it ended up feeling so much more serene and pleasant when I didn't put it all back. And now, I'm looking at the variety of holiday candles, and bric-a-brac, and things sort of scattered around and thinking "hmmm, wouldn't a (very) few simple holiday theme objects carefully placed look better and feel more peaceful?"

I started this weekend, actually. I actually made a Martha/Pottery Barn style coffee table holiday centerpiece: took a large basket, spray painted it white and filled it with an assortment of (Target-the godsend again) glass balls, in white and silver and clear. It looks soooo pretty and simple.

So now I am itching to clear the top of the foyer table and put one beautiful Christmas item on top (not 4 or 5 random holiday theme items). And the top of the tv cabinet. And so on...

So, maybe you can use this new initiative to winnow your holiday items *before* you haul out everything. You can start with the idea of a serene and calm holiday home, and go from there.

Ann

Now is the time to take out ALL the Christmas stuff, and while their backs are turned, haul most of it to a thrift store where it will sell quickly.

Keep the stuff you really like, or the stuff with true sentimental value, and get rid of the rest.

My mom decided one year to use only hand-made or souvenier decorations, and a bunch of mediocre commercial lefdt in bags for the thrift stores. We never missed it.

I agree.
Pull out everything and get rid of what you don't want. Don't look at this as an opportunity to mess up yoru clean, decluttered, organized house. Look at this as an opportunity to clean something that only comes out once a year nad get it organized.

Way to go!
Ginger

Me too...I am sooo not in the mood, but am using this time to weed out my xmas stuff and make all decorations SIMPLE! So just switch gears for a few days and weed out the holiday stuff!

Everyone's advice to weed out the unwanted from your collections of holiday decorations is the greatest one ever and you will not regret doing it. If you only get part of it done, that's better than none...but sorting out decorations is like your cleaning has been some leads to more and before you know it you are done.
I second the motion to put up what you like, what has real value and meaning for you, and junk the rest.

you're getting started--hooray!

And I have a "bad timing" thing going on, too--not because I'm frustrated at Christmas clutter, but because I want to keep going on all the projects my mom and I identified, and I can't because I need to spend my time on Christmas.

And I agree that in fact, this might be GOOD timing. You can keep your momentum going, but just aim it at the Christmas stuff. That fact that you're dreading getting all that stuff out means you believe you have too much. NOW is the time to get it out of your home.

(if getting to a thrift store is too hard, take it to work (or send it w/ DH, if you're not employed outside the home), and give it away. If no one wants it, you'll know it belongs in the garbage!

Good job getting started! Your pace has been quick and it might slow down some and the trick here is to keep it moving. Even baby steps are steps...just don't stop!

I agree to go thru the Christmas dec's. I did this last year and it felt so good not to have so much. Also you don't have to put everything up that you like and decide to keep...you can rotate, put different things up each year. Don't let the holidays get you down. Your children will cherish these holiday memories. Before you know it, they will grow up and the time will come when you don't have to decorate if you don't want to. tish

I don't actually have all that much Christmas stuff. I'm not big on seasonal decorating. I actually bought a bunch of tree ornaments last night because my old ones are losing their shiny coating.
But I feel like I'm just starting to get junk out of my rooms, and the last thing I want is to bring more stuff in, even if it is one Christmas tree and a few garlands here and there. And like Talley Sue, I want to keep focused on moving forward, not stopping. I'm afraid I will lose that urge to declutter. I too need to spend a lot of time in the next few weeks doing holiday things and I guess I'm frustrated that I can't do other things. Whine, whine.

Beache -
Declare this a "Grinch" Christmas (no decorations at all) or tell the family to take over and do what they want.

This year I put out what *I* wanted, allowing a few that I didn't want but dh or dd did. The rest went in a box, I took it to Goodwill but they were closed, I brought it to school and wrote FREE on the side. It's all gone.

I think I will do that again when putting things away, and get rid of those tacky things (the acrylic Christmas Bears spring to mind) the same way. Just not put them away, put them in a "to go" box.

I get real grinchy. I hate all the clutter that is out just because it's Christmas-related. Most of it's tacky junk in the first place, I don't even know why we have it. Well, I do know, dh brings it home. Tacky red and green sparkly stuff. Grrr.