"The holidays always bring a mix of cozy joy and creeping clutter. I love the lights, gatherings, and food, but my apartment rarely survives the yearly wave of gifts, decor, and "I'll deal with it later" piles. This year, I want to head into January with less stress and more space, so I'm trying something new: following a reverse advent calendar."
"A reverse advent calendar flips the classic holiday countdown. Instead of getting a new treat every day, you choose one item to remove from your home instead - whether you toss, donate, recycle, or give it away. It's meant to be a slow-and-steady approach to decluttering that avoids the overwhelm of a big, all-at-once clean-out. According to home organization expert Heather Stanwick, "Following consistent habits like the 'one in, one out' rule can help keep clutter from creeping back.""
"My goal was to make space before new gifts arrive, donate things someone else could use, and start the new year feeling lighter. In the past, though, I've felt too overwhelmed to even begin, especially once December hit. So this year, I decided to start early. I kicked off my reverse advent calendar in November to give myself a head start and ease into the habit before the holiday rush truly began, and committed to getting rid of one thing a day for 24 days."
A reverse advent calendar requires removing one item from the home each day, via tossing, donating, recycling, or giving away. The method promotes slow, steady decluttering to avoid overwhelm from large cleanouts. Starting in November, the experiment involved removing one item daily for 24 days to create space for incoming gifts and to donate usable items. Breaking the task into weekly, room-by-room sections maintained focus and limited sentimental detours. The daily pacing made the process manageable during a busy season. Consistent habits like the 'one in, one out' rule help prevent clutter from returning.
Read at Apartment Therapy
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