By Georgina Martin, Professional Organiser & Educator 
Have you ever found yourself, after the Christmas and New Year period, feeling like you are being swallowed by ‘stuff’? What you might be experiencing is the “Clutter Creep”, a phenomenon where one moment you feel like you are on top of your home and systems, and the next you are drowning in end of year collections, presents and back to school items.
The key to beating the clutter creep? Tackle tasks month by month so you enter the school year organised, prepared and stress free.
DECEMBER – Prep for the Festive Season
The first few weeks of December are the perfect time to make space for the festive season and presents. I suggest dividing the following tasks over a couple of weekends.
Toy and book declutter: Sort toys and books that are too young, no longer used or damaged. Donate good quality items to organisations like Treasure Boxes, Puddle Jumpers, Pay it Forward groups on Facebook, or local Buy Nothing Groups. With cost of living pressures still high, there are families who would appreciate pre loved toys and books under their Christmas trees.
Rotation system: Store toys not currently played with in tubs or mesh cubes. Rotate them to reduce overwhelm and discover which toys are truly loved.
Pro tip: Recycle plastic toys via Big W’s Toys for Joy bins.
Wardrobe cull: Remove outgrown clothing. Donate wearable items to charities like Dress for Success and Geared for Success.
Pro tip: Clothes that are not suitable for donating, for example ripped, stained or stretched, can be recycled at H&M and some local councils have textile recycling options.
School keepsakes: Sort books and artwork immediately as they come home. Photograph or scan special pieces instead of keeping everything. Storage options include Officeworks Ezy Storage File Boxes, Ikea Sockerbit tubs or A3 zip pouches from Amazon.
Artwork storage: Use expanding folders or A3 portfolios. For a keepsake alternative, Australian company Jimmy Half Penny can transform artworks into memory books.
JANUARY – Take Control
Once everyone has emerged from the Christmas and New Year bubble, it is the perfect time to jump back into taking control of your home and the “stuff” in it. Here are some tasks for January.
Responsible culling: Whilst the initial week or two of the New Year is an ideal time for a post Christmas cull, it is not the best time to donate to local charity stores. In fact, many stop taking donations due to the number of items dumped illegally over the Christmas period when stores are closed. Use the same approach as the pre Christmas cull and consider donation options such as Pay it Forward and local Buy Nothing Groups if you are keen to clear your space asap.
Pro tip: Listing items for free on Marketplace can be a quick way to move along items including furniture, clothes and toys.
Spread out new toys: Consider adding new toys and presents to a rotation system. You may find that if all new toys and gifts are placed out at once, your child becomes overwhelmed and ends up playing with nothing. Prolong the joy of new gifts by placing new ones out over time.
Back to school prep: Take advantage of post Christmas sales to buy lunchboxes, drink bottles and other essentials. Order personalised items early from stores like TinyMe or Hippo Blue to avoid last minute stress.
FEBRUARY – Routine Reset
As routines and activities resume, I suggest the following.
Get ready station: Separating uniform items from casual clothes is one way to streamline mornings. Further, consider placing these items in a visible area such as a get ready station or basket to prevent getting dressed in the morning turning into a marathon.
Visual schedule: A simple visual schedule is a great tool to support morning routines. The aim being for independence and less nagging. This can be as simple as a whiteboard, a free template from Canva or personalised options online, think Etsy and Bright Star Kids.
Shared family calendar: This might be digital or a large whiteboard in a common family area. A shared calendar can help reduce the mental load of remembering everything such as library day, sports and care commitments. Teaching your child to refer to the calendar can also help build independence and personal responsibility.
Maintenance: Keep up rotation systems, school storage and artwork folders to maintain organisation throughout the year.
By approaching decluttering and routine reset step by step, you will enter the new school year with a calmer, more organised home, and maybe even a little more breathing space.
Hopefully these tips are helpful in entering a new year with less clutter and more calm!
For more information:
@collectiveorderau or collectiveorder.com.au
