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Before all the Christmas celebrations officially begin, now is the perfect time to take some time out for some serious decluttering.
Keeping the house clean, organized, and festive may seem like an overwhelming task, but the snowflake rule offers a simple way to make it more manageable.
We caught up with professional organizer, Leslie Spellman, who hosts Declutter Hub Podcast with Ingrid Jensen, who explained what exactly this tidying trend involves and how it can bring a much-needed sense of peace amid all the Christmas chaos.
What exactly is the snowflake rule?
Just as no two snowflakes are alike, this decluttering trend encourages you to eliminate any duplicates in your home to create a more streamlined space.
“The idea is to look at your stuff in a very simple way and make a choice based on duplicates you have in your home,” explains Spellman. “You look at where you have duplicates, and then determine which one is most useful or most sentimental to you.
“This rule takes decluttering to a simple ‘pick this one or that’ type idea and encourages you not to keep anything extra in your home beyond what you need.”
This helps simplify the often difficult prospect of clearing away clutter.
“A very simple method like this is perfect for people who have recently found themselves in a situation where they have a little too much stuff and want to finish preparing for Christmas,” says Spellman. “The whole premise of the snowflake method is that it’s faster and faster and you can get into a lot of different rooms before Christmas.”
Why is the lead up to Christmas the perfect time to use this method?
helps to make space
This is a great way to prepare your home before the inevitable influx of stuff that accumulates during all the festivities.
“It obviously depends on your individual circumstances, but if you have kids there’s usually a spike in the influx of stuff into the house around Christmas,” says Spellman. “There’s only so much space in your house, so clearing the deck a little bit gives these things room to come in.”
Offers the opportunity to take extra items to a charity shop
The snowflake method can also help create a pile of items that are in good condition to take to a charity shop.
“This is an absolutely wonderful time of year to take things like partywear, brand new items and Christmas decorations to a charity shop,” says Spellman. “It’s a good thing to do this side of Christmas because a lot of these things will be less useful to charity shops later.”
helps you feel calm
“There’s this feeling of peace that comes with slowing down,” Spelman highlights. “Having control over your home and that feeling you get from organizing and decluttering your home makes you feel a little calmer.”
Provides an opportunity to teach your children a lesson
“If you have kids, I think it’s really important to teach them that you can’t ask for too much stuff from them.” Santa Or Mom and Dad without letting go of some of the things that you already have,” says Spellman. “I think teaching those lessons early is a really good thing.
can help you uncover things
“By following the snowflake method you’ll probably discover a lot of things you completely forgot about that might keep you from buying new things, so this will help you save money,” says Spellman. “Through this process you can also uncover things like Christmas cards, gift bags and wrapping paper that you can use instead of buying new.”
Gives you a head start on New Year’s Eve celebrations
“So many people wait until January, which is obviously a big time to clear out the clutter, but it’s great to start now and get ahead of the game,” says Spellman. “Investing a little time to declutter now will help you feel much calmer and more accomplished.”
Here are some helpful tips on how to get started…
Think about what the goal is
“It’s really important to understand what the big picture goal is,” says Spellman. “Ask yourself, why do you want to do this? Is it for the kids or are you having guests over?”
“Think about what’s important to you and what would help to turn the dial up a little more.”
Center one room at a time
“Decluttering the communal rooms will probably be a priority,” says Spellman. “The kitchen is a great place to start as it is the hub of the home and it is important to keep it as a space that you are proud of and feel comfortable in.”
break it into manageable pieces
“If you start a massive decluttering that takes you from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. on a Saturday, you’ll be completely exhausted and not want to do anything else the next day,” says Spellman. “But if you instead break it up over a few different weekends and start in the kitchen and break it down cupboard by cupboard it will help you manage your energy levels.”