Create balance in a room and lighten the mood too

The holiday season and associated celebrations often involve the heaping on of decorations, gifts and goodies, so in the name of balance perhaps a post-holiday purge celebration is in order.

Receive we did, for ourselves and others. And as much as the voluntary excess can appoint the season, it also can come with an emotional weight. Just as one might want to begin a new exercise regimen for the year, being mindful of how you pack up and put away the décor and gewgaws from your home also can provide a lift to the step.

Round One for Post-Holiday Purge

Reflect on how many strands of lights you tested. It seems in the average year about 40 percent of the holiday lights fail to work. So why keep them? Go through the decorations, ornaments, seasonal candles and annual characters. Honestly, do you have five too many Santas? Four unity cups? Three Menorah sets? Two star toppers? One broken dreidel?

Seriously, if you have one too many of something – anything, really – give one to a friend. Drop it off at second-hand store of choice, or donate to a non-profit organization. You can use the donation as a tax write-off too.

Clearing space in your home clears space in your mind and can create a sense of calm accomplishment, and pride, too, in having helped a neighbor.

Make the post-holiday purge a celebration in itself. Put out some light, healthy food. Play some festive but relaxing music and involve family and friends.

Post-Holiday Purge Tradeoff

You received the new scarf you wanted, the one that piles up on you almost like a pillow. So, take a turn back into your closet. Find the mismatched gloves, the dollar store scarf that barely survives the summer top-down, and send at least one item the way of the spare pair of unity cups.

Find someone who will use them, donate or send to the trash. Boots you never wear? The old CDs you never spin, the books overflowing their shelf space? Treat every new acquisition as a book… and its place in your life as the limited shelf space. One in, one out. Or be brave and give away or send out on a 2:1 ratio. It’s new year!

The Great Toy Escape

If your kids are anything like mine, they’ll be dramatically stubborn about giving up old toys, or even parts of toys.

Remain unshakeable, my friend, the old toys must go.

Take the opportunity to talk with them about outmoded playthings when they’re attention is keenly focused on all of the newest and shiniest. They’ll be more likely to let go in the face of these newfound treasures.

And don’t be afraid to slip an extra bauble in the outbound bag, and prepare to be vindicated by your child’s eternal lack of notice.

Post-Holiday Purge Beyond the Pale

Clearly the attention should be paid to the prime living quarters. But wiping out all the cookie dust in the kitchen and swapping the old serving platter for the new only begs for the same attention to be paid to the carport, storage closet or shed.

No, no, don’t panic! It’s OK. Just a thing or two, right? While you’re headed to the donation center any how?

The spare tire you meant to put on a better rim? You never did. Rid yourself of the concern. Aunt Donna’s porcelain treasures you’ve been storing for a decade? Perhaps a new owner is in order?

Keep an open mind, for lighter and more carefree days are ahead.