I also experience "Christmas rage" when I see stores pushing Christmas too early, especially if they are playing Christmas music, and I adore Christmas! I think my love for Christmas may actually be the reason why I get so annoyed. Christmas is really special, and it definitely loses something if it lasts half the year rather than a short season.
I remember when Christmas shopping & decorating did not start until the day after Thanksgiving & I long for that separation! We are bombarded earlier every year! So I agree with you, 1000%!
When Xmas is on your mind for 3 months I agree, it’s not as special. It really takes away from enjoyment in the now. Ideally, I’d like to concentrate on one holiday at a time to avoid “overwhelm”. For busy moms, every day is jam packed anyway so when you add any holiday it’s easy to feel anxious.
As someone who works in retail, Christmas stuff that gets put out before December is something that I absolutely LOATHE. Let us actually enjoy the fall season and Halloween (and Thanksgiving for us Americans) without Christmas taking up all the attention. At my store, the Christmas music started playing today. We've had decorations for sale since the first of October. By the time Christmas actually arrives, I'm so sick of it that I just can't enjoy it anymore. I still like going around to look at Christmas lights though, so there's that.
Amen! Agreed as a customer and as someone who worked on retail before. In retail the best day of the holidays is the day after Christmas when you can start taking down all the decor that has been up too long and overstayed it’s welcome and start playing any other song besides Mariah Carey’s “All I Want For Christmas”. 😵🤣🤣
I couldn't agree with you more Kota. I love the season of fall and all the coziness it entails. I'm fine to just have the month of December exclusively for Xmas. Admittedly, sometimes I wish we celebrated the winter holidays every other year!
I think the early Christmas decor in stores adds the “silent to do list” to us while we still have Halloween on our plate. It’s not as irritating on November 1st because Halloween is gone and we have room for it in our head.
For me its Catalogs that come with holiday decor and goodies. They are great but you're right, All Saints Day is my ok date. Catalog came today, excited now. No longer grouchy.
So I'm going through radiation treatment and have very little energy this week. Your video inspired me to clean out my coat closet (which actually made room to put some of husband's jackets in there- gasp) and to throw out a full bag of junk from my bathroom. This was a HUGE emotional win for me today! THANK YOU!!!!
Both my husband and I have been through radiation treatments. We both felt tired during and after. Thinking of you and hoping you feel more like yourself soon. Take care.
I lost my mom 4 years ago, and Christmas was her favorite holiday. I have a lot of stuff that I can’t get rid of but that I am not using for decorating. Putting some of that in a memory box is a good idea. I might make a tote that is JUST Mom’s Christmas stuff, so I know where it all is and if I want something of hers, it’s all in one place. It might also make me cry a little less while decorating 😅❤
Agreed. This is why I cannot declutter my Christmas. It was different when she was alive; I knew she'd give me something else in the future. Now, that is no more. So if I get rid of it, that's it. It's a finite resource. And that is why I can't get rid of Christmas stuff.
Cas, I totally feel you on the Christmas before Halloween is crazy. I personally believe this "instagram culture" makes us feel rushed to get through the year with no emotion or anticipation involved. We look forward to nothing because everything is already here. We all need to just slow down and breathe. Thanks for all the tips, love them and you!
"Christmas creep is a merchandising phenomenon in which merchants and retailers introduce Christmas-themed merchandise or decorations before the traditional start of the holiday shopping season, which in the United States is on the day after Thanksgiving. The term was first used in the mid-1980s" so no, I wouldn't blame this on Instagram culture
Totally agree about the expansion of the holiday season. Many years ago, when I was young, the christmas season started the day after thanksgiving, when Santa had just arrived fresh from his holiday parade. The holiday music started, stores were decorated, and street decorations were going up. It seemed magical! I realized, about 15 years ago, while trick or treating with my granddaughters at the mall, that the pictures in the foreground of them in their Halloween costumes, included christmas decorations in the background! Seemed, incongruous, and, for me, somewhat sad. That vast change and resulting magic that I still feel after the parade, will never happen for them. Sigh
As a compulsive tidy drawer person, that was hard to watch. I did not judge…I just couldn’t help but think how much space you could create by taking 5 minutes to fold those PJ’s. My Mother instilled the concept that respect for your clothes was an important behaviour. She had a way of folding clothes right off the cloth line making them look ironed. Crumpled clothes, crumpled look. But I confess….my PJ’s get the least attention!!😉
Last year I made a change in my gift wrap. I decided to only use fabric bags. I made basically pillow case shaped bags and I use ribbon, yarn or jute to tie it at the top, and add a gift tag. It makes wrapping SOO much easier and faster. And it's really pretty and old fashioned looking. Also...Christmas Day mess all over the floor isn't nearly as overwhelming. Not to mention the money saving of not having to buy new wrapping paper and tape continually.
I appreciate you so much. I am in the dumps. I am working a ton, taking care of some elderly neighbors. My home and yard are neglected and a total disaster/cluttered mess. I'm supposed to be hosting a large family holiday dinner that I had to pawn off on someone else because I was not given any time off work to prep for it, and it's all too overwhelming right now. The house mess and home repairs that I truly need to do are turning me into a mopey mess, its all too much. I say that to say this. THANK YOU! It's snowing where I am today, ruined my outdoor plans. I am binge watching Hot Mess House and your videos and tackling the mess one surface at a time, one touch at a time. Hearing you repeat your rules and talking about letting go, is therapy for me today. Again, I appreciate you!
There IS a difference btwn Oct 31st and Nov 1st bc I also, start fully embracing Christmas on Nov 1st. But really, that is because I hate Halloween so I am celebrating the end of the what I call the ugly/scary/gory/icky decor and November 1st is finally a reason to do that :) I don't get stressed about Christmas commercialism bc I just embrace the true meaning of the holiday..ahhh and then you have peace
Yes, I hate Halloween and the creepy decor ( our neighbor put up a 12' tall skeleton in his yard) and live the Christmas lights and stuff. After COVID hit, a lot of our townsfolk decided to leave up the lights a lot longer to add cheer to our Midwest dreary weather.
@@bettywinslow6387 that is so wonderful!! It sounds like we are on the same page of these types of things. We also live in the Midwest. I hope you have a beautiful and blessed Christmas!
Years ago, I worked in a Fabrics & Crafts store.... Christmas Rage is so relatable. I was once asked what my favorite time of Christmas was, I said March - the new Christmas stuff wasn't in yet and the old was either clearance sold or discarded. I understand crafters and sewers have to start far earlier than everyone else but seeing little snowman fabric in June made me say bad words. Working retail really squashed my Christmas spirit for years. I'm seeing this a few days after it posted, but I laughed out loud because I have just gone through my closet, bathroom, food, food storage, and pot/pans.... it made me smile that I had already hit so many on your list.
Oh gosh, I am a July Christmas Shopper…. Don’t judge me, I have reasons! As a single parent raising my kids almost single handedly, money was super tight. I would shop for Christmas gifts in the summer sales because I could get more for less money, and spread the cost of Christmas over half a year instead of all at once, which was impossible for me. It gave me lots of pleasure to choose gifts at my leisure instead of under pressure, and gave me a real sense of achievement too, when life could be quite tough in other areas. Well, kids all grown up and flown the nest now, but the habit remains and I still feel the thrill of finding an expensive gift for half price or less!!🤗🤗
I do the same because my kids birthdays are both at Christmas time. No way I could afford to wait on that! I do hide the gifts away and wait until the day after Thanksgiving to decorate though.
The way you fold your nightgowns was beautiful! Anti fold nation wohoooo! I dont fold anything that wont wrinkle or wont be seen. Laundry is half the time its magical!
I love the seasonal declutter tips. If you already have it out, the process is much easier. Totally with you on the holiday rage. With the exception of fabric and craft stores, please let us enjoy one season before getting bombarded with next one. We solved the reusable shopping bag issue by getting a small insulated zippered bag (the kind that holds 6 cans of soda) and put our folded bags in there. It lives in the trunk, so we can't leave without them. The bonus is that we have somewhere to put things like butter and cheese in on the way home. Now I have to figure out a way to remember to take it out of the trunk! 🙃
OMG! I invited some coworkers and their spouses to my home for grilling and drinks. One of the wives immediately started looking through my cabinets and drawers. I asked her if she needed something, her reply- no, I’m just looking where everything is in case I do. At first i I thought it was weird but later when we had become closer friends I was so glad she knew where everything was! She was the person that could help out when I was having people over, the person that could go make her child a sandwich, drink, toys etc when he was having “a day” without having to ask where things were. I loved that she took that initiative to be so bold on that first day we met! All that to say, I’m so glad my cabinets, fridge, drawers had been clean that first day lol!
I love getting Christmas out of the way by Thanksgiving. Decor done. Shopping done. So I can just enjoy December and just do service and spend time with people. And since my husband's family is Canadian, I embrace Thanksgiving before Halloween and done. Our second Thanksgiving is just for fun...
I have taken your training, watched your videos and live my life fairly organized and have rarely commented on your videos. They are wonderful, often make me laugh, always make me think and today's video validated that I am not alone for being angry about Christmas/Holiday decor in August and September!! TY for continuing to be your authentic self, for your honesty and for being someone who is a true inspiration!!
As far as the candles go, one thing I am trying to do is fully use up each candle over the season. Instead of using it sparingly to stretch it to two years worth, I try to get it to the point that it's too low to burn any more. That helps me a lot. You're so funny...this is the first video I've seen of you, and I'm subscribing now!
I avoid the whole “what, Christmas crap already?!?” issue by not going into stores. Although,this meant that yesterday, at 5 pm, I was running from store to store, trying to find some kind of Halloween candy to hand out to trick-or-treaters. 😂 Also, last year I tried to declutter my four totes of Christmas decor down to three or two, by putting it all out and asking what my husband and kids cared about. I wound up getting rid of… four things. Sigh. It’s hard to declutter by committee.😊 Thanks for the motivation, from a fellow Canadian 🇨🇦!
Jackets: "Milo is now a 10-12 and this is a 6-7." Wow! Cass! That line was both surprising and comforting. I think of you as a decluttering guru so it helped hearing that you still have kids' clothes that need to be handed off. Thanks for being REAL!
For years I have been wanting to go through the old decorations in my house but it never seems to happen. This year, I'm going to MAKE it happen. Thank you for the inspiration and nudge!
Our holiday decorations are in a shed so I went out there in September when it’s not too hot and not too cold and went through all the totes. In about 30 minutes I was able to reduce what I’m keeping by 1/3! I’m sure when I go to decorate there will be more I decide not to keep but it was a great start and a lot less that I have to haul into the house.
@@lisakallunki5042 I have collected way too much Christmas over many years. It’s too bad I’ve gotten tired of all the chaos and mess that it creates for me when trying to display everything. I feel guilty if I don’t put everything out. Unfortunately, my husband is very much against getting rid of anything, including sentimental Christmas decorations. I will have to work on decluttering one day when he’s not home…
Hi Cas! I'm a professional organizer because of you!! 🙏❤️😁 One idea for your baking pans and cutting boards- put a couple of curtain tension rods in upright in that cabinet so you can separate the two categories. 😀😁❤️
I’m watching this while side-eyeing my candle cupboard, that is so full the door won’t close all the way… Candles are one of the top five gifts I receive each year. 😂
"Happy Hallothankmas"! Christmas is my jam, my #1 favorite, across the board, the homey family feel, the scents, the lights, the joy, the happiness, the togetherness, gifting others, spending time with family, traditions, etc. BUT, I agree 1,000%, NOT until AFTER Halloween thank you very much! My husband used to get mad if I even tried to decorate the day after Thanksgiving, although he's kind of given in to that because I'm going to do it anyway, and it takes forever to decorate, and the holiday speeds by so fast, I want to enjoy it as long as I possibly can! But not until after Halloween! But this is also where I get tossed up on decorating....Fall items first, then sprinkle in Halloween, then take Halloween down and leave fall out until the day after Thanksgiving, then full on Christmas?! I don't want Halloween decorations all month long either! I LOVE your mantle decorations! I need to purge all seasons again because it gets to be too much!! Thanks for always giving me inspiration! When you showed what you accomplished in 2 hours I looked at the clock....2 hours before the kids get home...I can do this too! Off I go!!
Hey Cass! I would love to see you do a series of videos about how to use "unconventional" items for organizing! Most organizing solutions only fit modern or sometimes farmhouse styles. I think many of us would loooovvveee to see ways to embrace different aesthetics in organizing! Maybe vintage or thrifted items or old sentimental items that can be put to good use in organizing/storage! Many of us love the vintage/flea-market/granny-chic type of aesthetic... hint hint 😉 And cottage-core aesthetic is HUGE right now! I personally think videos like that would get a ton of views! 😎
My best friend from high school came to visit over Thanksgiving. I had planned on putting up my tree over the weekend. She offered to decorate my tree. It was a fun way to enjoy the holiday.🌲
Hallowe’en 31st October. In UK we also have Guy Fawkes Night on 5th November (fireworks, bonfires and toffee apples) then Remembrance Day on 11th November (to remember all those military personnel who were killed in action in all wars) THEN after that I can feel Christmassy. But until then, I get anxious seeing all the tinsel and chocolate advent calendars and cards etc in the shops, selling out!
Love these ideas! I am also terrible about using the reusable grocery bags so what I do is reuse them for my donations. Not only am I using the bags but also passing them onto others with my donations leaving the house = win/win!!
Thanks for the great idea! I use most of my cardboard boxes for weed suppression in the garden and sometimes then have a stack of donation items cluttering up my house because I don’t have anything to put them in (especially heavy items like books)
YES, I too hate seeing X-mas stuff out at the stores before Halloween, like what is wrong with these retail store owners thinking. I love the fall season so to see it being skipped makes me sad and a bit mad too!!
I'm with you on your feelings about Christmas stuff before November 1. Actually, it's not just limited to Christmas anymore. We lived internationally for 7 years and would come back for a few months every 2 years. It reached a point where I'd have a difficult time finding pants (trousers) in spring, and swimsuits in summer, because retailers had moved on to the next season, even though the weather hadn't. I just want things to be available in the actual season they are needed. Instead I feel this frantic need to buy things months in advance.
OMG I relate to the Christmas rage SO MUCH. My favorite holiday is Halloween, so I always feel like Christmas is eating into and invading my favorite holiday more and more each year.
I just decluttered a lot of medical paperwork from 2020 as far back as 2017. We have a wood stove so I rolled stacks of papers super tightly and taped them into logs. I dipped each end into melted wax and they became perfect fire starters for us. Hint: use your air fryer to melt the wax in an old jar or can. Perfect for those old candles of yours. Easy peasy!
Love this. Yes I am the same with not feeling the Christmas spirit in October or earlier. Each year it seems to get earlier. I too went to get fall decor and most of the stores had limited fall decor but an abundance of winter decor. Frustrating!!!
I enjoyed watching you declutter your home and inspiring me by sharing your wise suggestions. I agree with you about the annoyance of the early holiday decorations in the store. Rushing Christmas displays feels like an assault to me. It's like having a pushy and boorish salesman call unexpectantly at dinnertime. It's clumsy. November is like opening and walking through a door leading me to family, dedication, and fellowship. But, when pressure and focus are on taking my money prematurely, it's a Scrooge in disguise that steals Christmas's sentiment and joy.
I am with you completely! As an, ahem... 52-year old I find stores pushing Christmas earlier, and earlier, I thought it was just something that happened in the U.S. so I guess I am glad we are not alone! I love Christmas, but it used to be right after Thanksgiving that we got bombarded and now I am seeing Christmas inflatables right next to Halloween inflatables in September!
In the Netherlands half october the schools have autumn holidays. In that holiday the garden centres have their Christmas "Shows" ready😜 Most of the time they have the Christmas landscapes with Christmas houses and lights and trains and lots of other moving things, so you can go with your children in the holidays.
We had family around and my sister in-law looked into my chest freezer , thank goodness I've organised well right from the beginning. She actually said . Your freezer is so neat and tidy, nothing like mine. Lol
Love this! No matter how many years I have followed along with your videos, I always re-accumulate stuff that needs to be decluttered! I love the idea too of getting rid of stuff while it’s still useful for people in need!!
Great tips as always! Thank you for all your hard work throughout the years. My husband and I just moved, and I used all your tools to declutter so much! Thank you, thank you, thank you!!
Just wanted to share I've been doing five min matters on dreaded areas, & last wk they turned into 20m, & last two days turned into 2 hours! Appreciate all you, and Dana and Dawn do and share. Simplifying feels sooooo good. Thanks again Cass!
You're hilarious!!😂 I totally get the October Christmas anger!! Stop!!! Or Back to School before school is even over!! Thanks for the great declutter ideas!! I'm still working on this journey! It's been a year. I'm getting better at it!!🎉❤
I’m so purging my holiday decor this year! 💪 And, yes I 100% agree with Christmas rage. It begins earlier each year. I think I don’t enjoy Christmas music much anymore because it’s shoved in our faces much too early. 😆
Oh man...I decluttered my Christmas stuff last Christmas. I pulled out the boxes containing the stuff I was planning to use that season and got rid of the stuff I knew I wasn't going to use anymore. After New Year's day I pulled out the rest of the Christmas stuff I still had to go through before I took down my current decorations and organized everything according to the way I decorate, everything in it's own container. It was torture, but now it's done and easy to pull things out where I don't have to go through everything just to decorate my dining room for example, all dining room stuff in it's own container. I used to pack stuff away according to color or like items, now I store according to the space it pertains to. I got rid of 4 large tubs ....what a relief!
This video so demonstrates why you are my favourite declutterer. The unexpected joy of money in a coat pocket, the NERF dart in the pj drawer ... I laughed so hard at that! As a pagan, absolutely with you on the Christmas rage, particularly when the Halloween stuff usually doesn't appear until three weeks beforehand. May have actually done a little dance of joy in TK Maxx when it appeared in July this year (in the UK).
I've worked in retail for years and I feel a black cloud form in my very brain when Christmas stuff is put out alongside Halloween months in advance. Soon I'll be avoiding shopping when all the stores play endless Christmas music. The other day I walked into the staff breakroom and there's a Christmas tree up already- It's Freezing in there, but Look- we have a tree up. I feel like a need to start taking breaks out in my car even though it's minus 20 or something. Bah Humbug.
I love finding random items from the kids like ‘nerf’ bullets!! Nope if Halloween fell off the calendar I would be grateful! Christmas doesn’t come earlier but when Halloween stuff comes into the stores I feel like that ‘grumpy old man’ 😂 summer is ending and yucky Halloween!! If we went from flip flops to mistletoe and ivy id be a happy camper!! ❤
I can identify with so many things you mentioned! I have a candle collection too, lol! And, I enjoy the seasonal decor but retail needs to stop rushing it. I can't think about Christmas decor in the middle of a heatwave in July and August. Let's enjoy each season and what it brings!
I don't begin to decorate for Christmas until AFTER Thanksgiving!! I feel that Thanksgiving is an important holiday and it seems to get shoved off to the side!!
Love that you're not afraid to show us your overfilled cabinets and bins! I actually laughed out loud when you opened your drawer at the end of your bed (sorry, but it was healthy to see that even the people we follow on TH-cam are not perfect all the time); and now I'm going to go through my entry closet and dresser drawers and do some serious editing - thank you!!
After Thanksgiving is when Christmas, winter, decorations should show up. I worked in a small kitchen shop and the owner always had a thanksgiving table set up in the window display. Then the day after thanksgiving he would paper the windows and later unveil a holiday display.... Really kept the mood where it should be and shoppers loved it. Oh remember window displays? Big Box stores don't have them
When I was a child decorating for Christmas started maybe in the middle of December. We decorated Christmas tree on 24th. And decorations stayed to middle of January. Imagine my rage at Christmas decorations this early nowadays.
I literally planned to do the whole Christmas declutter yesterday while digging for items to make a last minute costume for my little guy (can anyone relate 🤦🏻♀️) So to see this this morning was like my ultimate sign to forge ahead through the treacherous bins of 20+ Christmas’ past 😜 Y’all, pray for me…this won’t be a quick process. As for the Christmas rage thing. I absolutely get it too. Not that I mind all the shiny and cheer but because COMMERCIALISM. Same with every other holiday. Capitalism is great but outright greed on the other hand boils my blood 😬
I'm a little late to the party bc I took a break from TH-cam to get some of my time back for the holidays, but I completely agree with you about the stores and the holidays. I am an absolute Christmas nut! Christmas Mouse has nothing on my house with every room being in a different theme. However, I absolutely REFUSE to celebrate "Hallothanksmas Eve Day" and run Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years, and Valentines Day together. Each has a special meaning and deserves its own spotlight. I have fall decorations out from September until the day after Thanksgiving and accent with Halloween in October and Thanksgiving in November, then decorate for Christmas the day after Thanksgiving. I use some "winter" themes like snow men and snowflakes that I can leave out through the end of January, and I leave the rest of my Christmas out through "Old Christmas" (January 6th). So no, you are not the only "crabby old lady" that doesn't want to hear Christmas music or see green glitter and red sparkles in October!
Great tips! I agree, I do not like that I feel so rushed to decorate for Christmas. I LOVE Christmas just like anyone else but it is almost like we are being forced to forget about decorating for the fall season. NO!!! I can’t! One season at a time! I do not; however, mind putting up beautiful white lights in the Fall to add holiday sparkle (one less thing to worry about when decorating for Christmas). But I definitely have to decorate for Fall and the Thanksgiving season! 🍂🧡🍂🦃🍂
Thank you for your well presented video. Your decluttering stratergy is straight forward and makes a lot of sense! Sending best wishes from Hampshire, United Kingdom.
I'm with you Cass. So sick of having holidays shoved down my throat before its time. Easter in January; Christmas in August; etc. Hate it. I refuse to buy into any of this, and don't shop those sections until I'M ready. My daughter is the same. Her birthday is 11/18, and she says that Christmas in the stores shouldn't start until after then. Oh, and the difference between 10/31 and 11/1 is that you have released Halloween in your brain, and are now free to think about Christmas.
Thank you, from Melbourne Australia. I showed my 4 and 6 year old the portion about decluttering toys for christmas and mr 6 ran to go do it and brought me a bag full of vehicles he is too old for. Miss 4 brought 2 little things but it was awesome. Also great idea for the decoration declutter, that will be my job since my kids made such a great example!
Great suggestions and ideas for places to declutter! We‘ve just moved into a new home and your tips along with Dawn and Dana have helped me stay sane. I can’t wait to decorate for the holidays! After I unpack. I also feel like some stores put out Christmas way too early but in some stores I understand. If you make your decorations you need stuff from Hobby Lobby and craft stores but others are just nuts. 😅
YEEESSSSS!!! I feel you on stores pushing holiday stuff too early! Lol. I work retail and it's mentally messing up my flow of traditions my family does, ugh!!! I'm trying to enjoy the holidays but it's like the retail life is telling you how to feel and when to shop. NO! I refuse!! 🤣🤣🤣
It's so funny you found a random nerf bullet because it's so relatable 😂 I find them too and also test strips, never understood how they can end up everywhere! This was such a helpful video, thanks so much 💝🥰
Stefanie, I hear you in the test strips. They show up everywhere. I have type 2 and have 2 kids (now adults) that are type 1. EVERYWHERE! Thanks for giving me a chuckle and not feeling alone.
Walmart had Halloween costumes literally across the aisle from Christmas! That does bother me. And I love Thanksgiving and it just gets a tiny corner of an aisle. I find that sad and a bit disturbing too.
Last year while I put up my Christmas tree. I had a box for my child's Christmas decorations he made or that we had received during his childhood and gave it to him for his Christmas decorations as he has his own family.
I love this idea of putting things up to see what I would and then donating the rest. This has definitely motivated me, I'll have to rewatch this on a day that I can actually get to this. 😆 Thanks for always showing us different ways of doing things ✨️ 💕 Ps LOVED your folding technique!! 😂💕
Cas, GREAT VIDEO!! This one hits on all of the areas that I need to decluttter! From Christmas decor to the bathroom drawers this is a welcomed list of areas to hit before the holidays! Thank you so much for your ideas!!
When I walk through the stores and Christmas is out in September, I walk by with my hand up to guard my eyes from the brightness of the way too early stuff. I think everyone knows my what my protest is about!
YES I'm with you re the early Christmas decor in stores. MUST wait till after Halloween. The mingling of holidays is just wrong. Follow the calendar, people! lol
This year especially due to finances we have simplified the holidays, secret santa for the adults so gift giving costs are reduced and we always split the cost of the Christmas food. Less is more,its about being together.
Oh friend, you’d hate our tradition! We don’t celebrate Halloween, so we have decided as a family to put up our Christmas tree on Halloween, hide in our home and eat our own candy while we watch the first Christmas movie of the season. Our kids sleep in front of the tree every night until Christmas and we turn on the tree every evening. It’s crazy, I know…but it’s what OUR family does. 😊 You are just brilliant and your videos are delightful, fun, and motivate me to take control of the crazy in my own home. Thank you for doing this! You’re a blessing!!!
I also experience "Christmas rage" when I see stores pushing Christmas too early, especially if they are playing Christmas music, and I adore Christmas! I think my love for Christmas may actually be the reason why I get so annoyed. Christmas is really special, and it definitely loses something if it lasts half the year rather than a short season.
Hi 👋 Deb how are you doing?
100% agree with you about Christmas losing it's "special-ness" if it's spread out, rather than its own short season.
Now that you know Christmas/holidays start after Halloween instead of thanksgiving, just enjoy it.
Totally agree deb!
@@RLR117 i think the luster has def fallen off the gilted rose. nothing has been preserved.
I remember when Christmas shopping & decorating did not start until the day after Thanksgiving & I long for that separation! We are bombarded earlier every year! So I agree with you, 1000%!
Me too!!! 🍂🧡🍂
@@lisawatts1096 The holidays seemed more special back then -
When Xmas is on your mind for 3 months I agree, it’s not as special. It really takes away from enjoyment in the now. Ideally, I’d like to concentrate on one holiday at a time to avoid “overwhelm”. For busy moms, every day is jam packed anyway so when you add any holiday it’s easy to feel anxious.
We just don’t have the time anymore, see the “quickening.”
EXACTLY!
As someone who works in retail, Christmas stuff that gets put out before December is something that I absolutely LOATHE. Let us actually enjoy the fall season and Halloween (and Thanksgiving for us Americans) without Christmas taking up all the attention. At my store, the Christmas music started playing today. We've had decorations for sale since the first of October. By the time Christmas actually arrives, I'm so sick of it that I just can't enjoy it anymore. I still like going around to look at Christmas lights though, so there's that.
Thanks for sharing!
Amen! Agreed as a customer and as someone who worked on retail before.
In retail the best day of the holidays is the day after Christmas when you can start taking down all the decor that has been up too long and overstayed it’s welcome and start playing any other song besides Mariah Carey’s “All I Want For Christmas”. 😵🤣🤣
Yeah. Once we had people working the store overnight. The minute it hit midnight on halloween, the Christmas music kicked in.
I couldn't agree with you more Kota. I love the season of fall and all the coziness it entails. I'm fine to just have the month of December exclusively for Xmas. Admittedly, sometimes I wish we celebrated the winter holidays every other year!
@@gypsybelle4757 I’m with you! For me January 26th is “boxing day” ‘cause I’m boxing up all the Christmas decor that day!
I think the early Christmas decor in stores adds the “silent to do list” to us while we still have Halloween on our plate. It’s not as irritating on November 1st because Halloween is gone and we have room for it in our head.
1000% yep!
Yep. It definitely drives sales. Ive been seeing Christmas for weeks now, yikes. It seems to irritate nearly everyone.
For me its Catalogs that come with holiday decor and goodies. They are great but you're right, All Saints Day is my ok date. Catalog came today, excited now. No longer grouchy.
So much this. Christmas would be far less stressful if I didn't have to think about it for MONTHS.
At the very least wait till after Remembrance Day.
So I'm going through radiation treatment and have very little energy this week. Your video inspired me to clean out my coat closet (which actually made room to put some of husband's jackets in there- gasp) and to throw out a full bag of junk from my bathroom. This was a HUGE emotional win for me today! THANK YOU!!!!
Both my husband and I have been through radiation treatments. We both felt tired during and after. Thinking of you and hoping you feel more like yourself soon. Take care.
Take care of yourself! 🌻
💕💕💕💕💕
I lost my mom 4 years ago, and Christmas was her favorite holiday. I have a lot of stuff that I can’t get rid of but that I am not using for decorating. Putting some of that in a memory box is a good idea. I might make a tote that is JUST Mom’s Christmas stuff, so I know where it all is and if I want something of hers, it’s all in one place. It might also make me cry a little less while decorating 😅❤
I understand, 6 yrs my mom passed on. The holidays can be difficult
I'm sorry for your loss. I did the same with some of my mom's things. She's been gone 11 yrs. Christmas has never been the same 😢
Agreed. This is why I cannot declutter my Christmas. It was different when she was alive; I knew she'd give me something else in the future. Now, that is no more. So if I get rid of it, that's it. It's a finite resource. And that is why I can't get rid of Christmas stuff.
Great thinking
Cas, I totally feel you on the Christmas before Halloween is crazy. I personally believe this "instagram culture" makes us feel rushed to get through the year with no emotion or anticipation involved. We look forward to nothing because everything is already here. We all need to just slow down and breathe. Thanks for all the tips, love them and you!
You're welcome!
Geri Henry, that was perfectly said!
"Christmas creep is a merchandising phenomenon in which merchants and retailers introduce Christmas-themed merchandise or decorations before the traditional start of the holiday shopping season, which in the United States is on the day after Thanksgiving. The term was first used in the mid-1980s" so no, I wouldn't blame this on Instagram culture
Totally agree about the expansion of the holiday season. Many years ago, when I was young, the christmas season started the day after thanksgiving, when Santa had just arrived fresh from his holiday parade. The holiday music started, stores were decorated, and street decorations were going up. It seemed magical! I realized, about 15 years ago, while trick or treating with my granddaughters at the mall, that the pictures in the foreground of them in their Halloween costumes, included christmas decorations in the background! Seemed, incongruous, and, for me, somewhat sad. That vast change and resulting magic that I still feel after the parade, will never happen for them. Sigh
It is sad.
“Watch me fold! Don’t judge!” LOVE it!! 😂❤
That was great!
As a compulsive tidy drawer person, that was hard to watch. I did not judge…I just couldn’t help but think how much space you could create by taking 5 minutes to fold those PJ’s. My Mother instilled the concept that respect for your clothes was an important behaviour. She had a way of folding clothes right off the cloth line making them look ironed. Crumpled clothes, crumpled look.
But I confess….my PJ’s get the least attention!!😉
Last year I made a change in my gift wrap. I decided to only use fabric bags. I made basically pillow case shaped bags and I use ribbon, yarn or jute to tie it at the top, and add a gift tag. It makes wrapping SOO much easier and faster. And it's really pretty and old fashioned looking. Also...Christmas Day mess all over the floor isn't nearly as overwhelming. Not to mention the money saving of not having to buy new wrapping paper and tape continually.
"My name is Cassandra and I'm an old candle addict." Me too, Cas! Me too! I'll declutter some old candles today. Thanks for the laugh and motivation!😉
I appreciate you so much. I am in the dumps. I am working a ton, taking care of some elderly neighbors. My home and yard are neglected and a total disaster/cluttered mess. I'm supposed to be hosting a large family holiday dinner that I had to pawn off on someone else because I was not given any time off work to prep for it, and it's all too overwhelming right now. The house mess and home repairs that I truly need to do are turning me into a mopey mess, its all too much. I say that to say this. THANK YOU! It's snowing where I am today, ruined my outdoor plans. I am binge watching Hot Mess House and your videos and tackling the mess one surface at a time, one touch at a time. Hearing you repeat your rules and talking about letting go, is therapy for me today. Again, I appreciate you!
A good use for those weird crumpled bits of wrapping paper is to put them through the shredder and use them as packing!
Nice!
There IS a difference btwn Oct 31st and Nov 1st bc I also, start fully embracing Christmas on Nov 1st. But really, that is because I hate Halloween so I am celebrating the end of the what I call the ugly/scary/gory/icky decor and November 1st is finally a reason to do that :) I don't get stressed about Christmas commercialism bc I just embrace the true meaning of the holiday..ahhh and then you have peace
Yes, I hate Halloween and the creepy decor ( our neighbor put up a 12' tall skeleton in his yard) and live the Christmas lights and stuff. After COVID hit, a lot of our townsfolk decided to leave up the lights a lot longer to add cheer to our Midwest dreary weather.
@@bettywinslow6387 that is so wonderful!! It sounds like we are on the same page of these types of things. We also live in the Midwest. I hope you have a beautiful and blessed Christmas!
Timestamps:
0:25 Old holiday decor
1:34 Wrapping paper & gift bags
2:17 Baking supplies
2:51 Mugs
3:17 Baking pans
3:48 Fridge, freezer & pantry
4:33 Outerwear
6:05 Reusable bags
6:38 PJs
7:44 Clothing
8:20 Bathroom
9:40 Paper Clutter
10:06 Toys
11:09 Candles
12:14 Unopened boxes/items (great for re-gifting)
:)
Love having a list. I'm going to screenshot this! Thank you.
!thanks so Much!
Are these times the time you took for each job or did you do it all in 12 mins and 14 seconds 😂
Omg this is super helpful thanks 😁
Years ago, I worked in a Fabrics & Crafts store.... Christmas Rage is so relatable. I was once asked what my favorite time of Christmas was, I said March - the new Christmas stuff wasn't in yet and the old was either clearance sold or discarded. I understand crafters and sewers have to start far earlier than everyone else but seeing little snowman fabric in June made me say bad words. Working retail really squashed my Christmas spirit for years.
I'm seeing this a few days after it posted, but I laughed out loud because I have just gone through my closet, bathroom, food, food storage, and pot/pans.... it made me smile that I had already hit so many on your list.
Thanks Cas. You’re awesome! Congratulations on your weight loss. I topped out at 325lbs. I’m down to 225lbs.
I love your folding technique with the pyjama's - really lol'd at that
Oh gosh, I am a July Christmas Shopper…. Don’t judge me, I have reasons! As a single parent raising my kids almost single handedly, money was super tight. I would shop for Christmas gifts in the summer sales because I could get more for less money, and spread the cost of Christmas over half a year instead of all at once, which was impossible for me. It gave me lots of pleasure to choose gifts at my leisure instead of under pressure, and gave me a real sense of achievement too, when life could be quite tough in other areas. Well, kids all grown up and flown the nest now, but the habit remains and I still feel the thrill of finding an expensive gift for half price or less!!🤗🤗
I do the same because my kids birthdays are both at Christmas time. No way I could afford to wait on that! I do hide the gifts away and wait until the day after Thanksgiving to decorate though.
The way you fold your nightgowns was beautiful! Anti fold nation wohoooo! I dont fold anything that wont wrinkle or wont be seen. Laundry is half the time its magical!
I love the seasonal declutter tips. If you already have it out, the process is much easier. Totally with you on the holiday rage. With the exception of fabric and craft stores, please let us enjoy one season before getting bombarded with next one. We solved the reusable shopping bag issue by getting a small insulated zippered bag (the kind that holds 6 cans of soda) and put our folded bags in there. It lives in the trunk, so we can't leave without them. The bonus is that we have somewhere to put things like butter and cheese in on the way home. Now I have to figure out a way to remember to take it out of the trunk! 🙃
Thanks for sharing!
@@Clutterbug Thanks so much, Cas! 🤗
"watch me fold" *swiping all down and shoving the drawer closed* 🤣Love it❤
Cas: "I'd be so embarrassed if anyone saw my freezer right now." Also Cas: "Hey internet- look at my freezer!" I love it :-)
😁 Right?
I thought that same thing! LOL But, it's why I watch, because it's reality for most of us, and Cass gets it. Cass, don't ever stop being you. 🥰
And then, "Watch me fold. Don't judge." I love it!
Love it!!!! Watch me fold, swipes in drawer, DON’T Judge!!😂😂
@Chandra Apperson Hamilton ikr, she'd also STILL not fit a turkey in there!!! 😂
OMG! I invited some coworkers and their spouses to my home for grilling and drinks. One of the wives immediately started looking through my cabinets and drawers. I asked her if she needed something, her reply- no, I’m just looking where everything is in case I do. At first i
I thought it was weird but later when we had become closer friends I was so glad she knew where everything was! She was the person that could help out when I was having people over, the person that could go make her child a sandwich, drink, toys etc when he was having “a day” without having to ask where things were. I loved that she took that initiative to be so bold on that first day we met!
All that to say, I’m so glad my cabinets, fridge, drawers had been clean that first day lol!
"Watch me fold don't judge" LOL 🤭Love it!❤ I feel super inspired after watching your vidéos! Taie care and cheers from Ottawa🧡🌻🍁
I love getting Christmas out of the way by Thanksgiving. Decor done. Shopping done. So I can just enjoy December and just do service and spend time with people.
And since my husband's family is Canadian, I embrace Thanksgiving before Halloween and done. Our second Thanksgiving is just for fun...
I have taken your training, watched your videos and live my life fairly organized and have rarely commented on your videos. They are wonderful, often make me laugh, always make me think and today's video validated that I am not alone for being angry about Christmas/Holiday decor in August and September!! TY for continuing to be your authentic self, for your honesty and for being someone who is a true inspiration!!
As far as the candles go, one thing I am trying to do is fully use up each candle over the season. Instead of using it sparingly to stretch it to two years worth, I try to get it to the point that it's too low to burn any more. That helps me a lot. You're so funny...this is the first video I've seen of you, and I'm subscribing now!
I avoid the whole “what, Christmas crap already?!?” issue by not going into stores. Although,this meant that yesterday, at 5 pm, I was running from store to store, trying to find some kind of Halloween candy to hand out to trick-or-treaters. 😂 Also, last year I tried to declutter my four totes of Christmas decor down to three or two, by putting it all out and asking what my husband and kids cared about. I wound up getting rid of… four things. Sigh. It’s hard to declutter by committee.😊 Thanks for the motivation, from a fellow Canadian 🇨🇦!
Jackets: "Milo is now a 10-12 and this is a 6-7." Wow! Cass! That line was both surprising and comforting. I think of you as a decluttering guru so it helped hearing that you still have kids' clothes that need to be handed off. Thanks for being REAL!
For years I have been wanting to go through the old decorations in my house but it never seems to happen. This year, I'm going to MAKE it happen. Thank you for the inspiration and nudge!
Getting them all out, decorating and then decluttering from the rest is a really good indicator of what you use and not use.🎄
Same. This is the year!
Me too
Our holiday decorations are in a shed so I went out there in September when it’s not too hot and not too cold and went through all the totes. In about 30 minutes I was able to reduce what I’m keeping by 1/3!
I’m sure when I go to decorate there will be more I decide not to keep but it was a great start and a lot less that I have to haul into the house.
@@lisakallunki5042
I have collected way too much Christmas over many years. It’s too bad I’ve gotten tired of all the chaos and mess that it creates for me when trying to display everything. I feel guilty if I don’t put everything out.
Unfortunately, my husband is very much against getting rid of anything, including sentimental Christmas decorations. I will have to work on decluttering one day when he’s not home…
I am a very slow crafter so I appreciate supplies and ideas out in advance.
Hi Cas! I'm a professional organizer because of you!! 🙏❤️😁 One idea for your baking pans and cutting boards- put a couple of curtain tension rods in upright in that cabinet so you can separate the two categories. 😀😁❤️
wow, what a great idea! thank you🙏
I’m watching this while side-eyeing my candle cupboard, that is so full the door won’t close all the way… Candles are one of the top five gifts I receive each year. 😂
"Happy Hallothankmas"! Christmas is my jam, my #1 favorite, across the board, the homey family feel, the scents, the lights, the joy, the happiness, the togetherness, gifting others, spending time with family, traditions, etc. BUT, I agree 1,000%, NOT until AFTER Halloween thank you very much! My husband used to get mad if I even tried to decorate the day after Thanksgiving, although he's kind of given in to that because I'm going to do it anyway, and it takes forever to decorate, and the holiday speeds by so fast, I want to enjoy it as long as I possibly can! But not until after Halloween! But this is also where I get tossed up on decorating....Fall items first, then sprinkle in Halloween, then take Halloween down and leave fall out until the day after Thanksgiving, then full on Christmas?! I don't want Halloween decorations all month long either! I LOVE your mantle decorations! I need to purge all seasons again because it gets to be too much!! Thanks for always giving me inspiration! When you showed what you accomplished in 2 hours I looked at the clock....2 hours before the kids get home...I can do this too! Off I go!!
Woohoo!
Magic baking powder!! You just gave me a MAJOR flashback to my childhood...wow!! 🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦
Hey Cass! I would love to see you do a series of videos about how to use "unconventional" items for organizing! Most organizing solutions only fit modern or sometimes farmhouse styles. I think many of us would loooovvveee to see ways to embrace different aesthetics in organizing! Maybe vintage or thrifted items or old sentimental items that can be put to good use in organizing/storage! Many of us love the vintage/flea-market/granny-chic type of aesthetic... hint hint 😉 And cottage-core aesthetic is HUGE right now! I personally think videos like that would get a ton of views! 😎
My best friend from high school came to visit over Thanksgiving. I had planned on putting up my tree over the weekend. She offered to decorate my tree. It was a fun way to enjoy the holiday.🌲
OMG! That Nerf dart!! I am constantly finding them in the most random of places, including my purse! Good to know I'm not alone!! 😆
My sons are 43 and 38 and I still find nerf bullets various places
Hallowe’en 31st October. In UK we also have Guy Fawkes Night on 5th November (fireworks, bonfires and toffee apples) then Remembrance Day on 11th November (to remember all those military personnel who were killed in action in all wars) THEN after that I can feel Christmassy. But until then, I get anxious seeing all the tinsel and chocolate advent calendars and cards etc in the shops, selling out!
"Watch me fold..Don't judge." 🤣🤣 Love it!!
:)
I totally agree with you about the store rushing not just Christmas but all of the holidays.
Love these ideas! I am also terrible about using the reusable grocery bags so what I do is reuse them for my donations. Not only am I using the bags but also passing them onto others with my donations leaving the house = win/win!!
Thanks for the great idea! I use most of my cardboard boxes for weed suppression in the garden and sometimes then have a stack of donation items cluttering up my house because I don’t have anything to put them in (especially heavy items like books)
Oh I do this too! I have a lot to get through so means I'll be getting more stuff out of the house!
“Watch me fold” *shoved in drawer* I love you so much 😅❤🎉
I'm so glad!
YES, I too hate seeing X-mas stuff out at the stores before Halloween, like what is wrong with these retail store owners thinking. I love the fall season so to see it being skipped makes me sad and a bit mad too!!
the little divided bins in your wrapping paper bin are genius!
Done it! TWENTY TWO things gone, in under 15 minutes and totally pain free. Thank you so much, from one ladybug to another x
Great point to declutter and donate prior to the season, when people can use them!
I'm with you on your feelings about Christmas stuff before November 1. Actually, it's not just limited to Christmas anymore. We lived internationally for 7 years and would come back for a few months every 2 years. It reached a point where I'd have a difficult time finding pants (trousers) in spring, and swimsuits in summer, because retailers had moved on to the next season, even though the weather hadn't. I just want things to be available in the actual season they are needed. Instead I feel this frantic need to buy things months in advance.
I ❤️ everything you said about Christmas in stores too early! I feel the same!
OMG I relate to the Christmas rage SO MUCH. My favorite holiday is Halloween, so I always feel like Christmas is eating into and invading my favorite holiday more and more each year.
Lol!
I just decluttered a lot of medical paperwork from 2020 as far back as 2017. We have a wood stove so I rolled stacks of papers super tightly and taped them into logs. I dipped each end into melted wax and they became perfect fire starters for us. Hint: use your air fryer to melt the wax in an old jar or can. Perfect for those old candles of yours. Easy peasy!
Love this. Yes I am the same with not feeling the Christmas spirit in October or earlier. Each year it seems to get earlier. I too went to get fall decor and most of the stores had limited fall decor but an abundance of winter decor. Frustrating!!!
Exactly!!
I enjoyed watching you declutter your home and inspiring me by sharing your wise suggestions. I agree with you about the annoyance of the early holiday decorations in the store. Rushing Christmas displays feels like an assault to me. It's like having a pushy and boorish salesman call unexpectantly at dinnertime. It's clumsy. November is like opening and walking through a door leading me to family, dedication, and fellowship. But, when pressure and focus are on taking my money prematurely, it's a Scrooge in disguise that steals Christmas's sentiment and joy.
I am with you completely! As an, ahem... 52-year old I find stores pushing Christmas earlier, and earlier, I thought it was just something that happened in the U.S. so I guess I am glad we are not alone! I love Christmas, but it used to be right after Thanksgiving that we got bombarded and now I am seeing Christmas inflatables right next to Halloween inflatables in September!
Thanks for sharing!!
In the Netherlands half october the schools have autumn holidays. In that holiday the garden centres have their Christmas "Shows" ready😜 Most of the time they have the Christmas landscapes with Christmas houses and lights and trains and lots of other moving things, so you can go with your children in the holidays.
We had family around and my sister in-law looked into my chest freezer , thank goodness I've organised well right from the beginning. She actually said . Your freezer is so neat and tidy, nothing like mine. Lol
Love this! No matter how many years I have followed along with your videos, I always re-accumulate stuff that needs to be decluttered! I love the idea too of getting rid of stuff while it’s still useful for people in need!!
"watch me fold" - hilarious. Love you, Cas!
Great tips as always! Thank you for all your hard work throughout the years. My husband and I just moved, and I used all your tools to declutter so much! Thank you, thank you, thank you!!
Oh my, anything left in the bins you donate, I like that. I’ll see if I can do that this year.
Just wanted to share I've been doing five min matters on dreaded areas, & last wk they turned into 20m, & last two days turned into 2 hours! Appreciate all you, and Dana and Dawn do and share. Simplifying feels sooooo good.
Thanks again Cass!
You're so welcome!
You're hilarious!!😂 I totally get the October Christmas anger!! Stop!!! Or Back to School before school is even over!! Thanks for the great declutter ideas!! I'm still working on this journey! It's been a year. I'm getting better at it!!🎉❤
I’m so purging my holiday decor this year! 💪 And, yes I 100% agree with Christmas rage. It begins earlier each year. I think I don’t enjoy Christmas music much anymore because it’s shoved in our faces much too early. 😆
I get that.
Oh man...I decluttered my Christmas stuff last Christmas. I pulled out the boxes containing the stuff I was planning to use that season and got rid of the stuff I knew I wasn't going to use anymore. After New Year's day I pulled out the rest of the Christmas stuff I still had to go through before I took down my current decorations and organized everything according to the way I decorate, everything in it's own container. It was torture, but now it's done and easy to pull things out where I don't have to go through everything just to decorate my dining room for example, all dining room stuff in it's own container. I used to pack stuff away according to color or like items, now I store according to the space it pertains to. I got rid of 4 large tubs ....what a relief!
Yes yes!!!! The older I get the crankier I get! It's horrible to push push Xmas so early! I totally agree with you! 🥰
:)
I agreed with all of this clean before and after the Holidays and shared this with my daughter : )
This video so demonstrates why you are my favourite declutterer. The unexpected joy of money in a coat pocket, the NERF dart in the pj drawer ... I laughed so hard at that! As a pagan, absolutely with you on the Christmas rage, particularly when the Halloween stuff usually doesn't appear until three weeks beforehand. May have actually done a little dance of joy in TK Maxx when it appeared in July this year (in the UK).
I've worked in retail for years and I feel a black cloud form in my very brain when Christmas stuff is put out alongside Halloween months in advance. Soon I'll be avoiding shopping when all the stores play endless Christmas music. The other day I walked into the staff breakroom and there's a Christmas tree up already- It's Freezing in there, but Look- we have a tree up. I feel like a need to start taking breaks out in my car even though it's minus 20 or something. Bah Humbug.
I love finding random items from the kids like ‘nerf’ bullets!!
Nope if Halloween fell off the calendar I would be grateful! Christmas doesn’t come earlier but when Halloween stuff comes into the stores I feel like that ‘grumpy old man’ 😂 summer is ending and yucky Halloween!! If we went from flip flops to mistletoe and ivy id be a happy camper!! ❤
I can identify with so many things you mentioned! I have a candle collection too, lol! And, I enjoy the seasonal decor but retail needs to stop rushing it. I can't think about Christmas decor in the middle of a heatwave in July and August. Let's enjoy each season and what it brings!
I don't begin to decorate for Christmas until AFTER Thanksgiving!! I feel that Thanksgiving is an important holiday and it seems to get shoved off to the side!!
Love that you're not afraid to show us your overfilled cabinets and bins! I actually laughed out loud when you opened your drawer at the end of your bed (sorry, but it was healthy to see that even the people we follow on TH-cam are not perfect all the time); and now I'm going to go through my entry closet and dresser drawers and do some serious editing - thank you!!
I’m totally with you on the Christmas rage 🤣 lol
"Let me fold....don't judge." Lol! Laughed 'till I cried!
:)
After Thanksgiving is when Christmas, winter, decorations should show up. I worked in a small kitchen shop and the owner always had a thanksgiving table set up in the window display. Then the day after thanksgiving he would paper the windows and later unveil a holiday display.... Really kept the mood where it should be and shoppers loved it. Oh remember window displays? Big Box stores don't have them
Thanksgiving in Canada is Oct 10 lol so I wait after Remembrance Day in November
My Thanksgiving in Canada is in October, :p
When I was a child decorating for Christmas started maybe in the middle of December. We decorated Christmas tree on 24th. And decorations stayed to middle of January. Imagine my rage at Christmas decorations this early nowadays.
I literally planned to do the whole Christmas declutter yesterday while digging for items to make a last minute costume for my little guy (can anyone relate 🤦🏻♀️) So to see this this morning was like my ultimate sign to forge ahead through the treacherous bins of 20+ Christmas’ past 😜 Y’all, pray for me…this won’t be a quick process.
As for the Christmas rage thing. I absolutely get it too. Not that I mind all the shiny and cheer but because COMMERCIALISM. Same with every other holiday. Capitalism is great but outright greed on the other hand boils my blood 😬
I'm a little late to the party bc I took a break from TH-cam to get some of my time back for the holidays, but I completely agree with you about the stores and the holidays. I am an absolute Christmas nut! Christmas Mouse has nothing on my house with every room being in a different theme. However, I absolutely REFUSE to celebrate "Hallothanksmas Eve Day" and run Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years, and Valentines Day together. Each has a special meaning and deserves its own spotlight. I have fall decorations out from September until the day after Thanksgiving and accent with Halloween in October and Thanksgiving in November, then decorate for Christmas the day after Thanksgiving. I use some "winter" themes like snow men and snowflakes that I can leave out through the end of January, and I leave the rest of my Christmas out through "Old Christmas" (January 6th). So no, you are not the only "crabby old lady" that doesn't want to hear Christmas music or see green glitter and red sparkles in October!
Great tips! I agree, I do not like that I feel so rushed to decorate for Christmas. I LOVE Christmas just like anyone else but it is almost like we are being forced to forget about decorating for the fall season. NO!!! I can’t! One season at a time! I do not; however, mind putting up beautiful white lights in the Fall to add holiday sparkle (one less thing to worry about when decorating for Christmas). But I definitely have to decorate for Fall and the Thanksgiving season! 🍂🧡🍂🦃🍂
Thank you for your well presented video. Your decluttering stratergy is straight forward and makes a lot of sense! Sending best wishes from Hampshire, United Kingdom.
I'm with you Cass. So sick of having holidays shoved down my throat before its time. Easter in January; Christmas in August; etc. Hate it. I refuse to buy into any of this, and don't shop those sections until I'M ready. My daughter is the same. Her birthday is 11/18, and she says that Christmas in the stores shouldn't start until after then. Oh, and the difference between 10/31 and 11/1 is that you have released Halloween in your brain, and are now free to think about Christmas.
Thanks for sharing!
Thank you, from Melbourne Australia. I showed my 4 and 6 year old the portion about decluttering toys for christmas and mr 6 ran to go do it and brought me a bag full of vehicles he is too old for. Miss 4 brought 2 little things but it was awesome. Also great idea for the decoration declutter, that will be my job since my kids made such a great example!
Great suggestions and ideas for places to declutter! We‘ve just moved into a new home and your tips along with Dawn and Dana have helped me stay sane. I can’t wait to decorate for the holidays! After I unpack. I also feel like some stores put out Christmas way too early but in some stores I understand. If you make your decorations you need stuff from Hobby Lobby and craft stores but others are just nuts. 😅
I agree about the Christmas season starting too early! ❤
YEEESSSSS!!! I feel you on stores pushing holiday stuff too early! Lol. I work retail and it's mentally messing up my flow of traditions my family does, ugh!!! I'm trying to enjoy the holidays but it's like the retail life is telling you how to feel and when to shop. NO! I refuse!! 🤣🤣🤣
My anger is when it is March or later and I see Christmas decorations still up!! Big pet peeve. My adult children find it amusing 😊
It's so funny you found a random nerf bullet because it's so relatable 😂 I find them too and also test strips, never understood how they can end up everywhere! This was such a helpful video, thanks so much 💝🥰
Stefanie,
I hear you in the test strips. They show up everywhere. I have type 2 and have 2 kids (now adults) that are type 1. EVERYWHERE!
Thanks for giving me a chuckle and not feeling alone.
I get the same rage at “way too early” Christmas stuff. Let everything have its season before moving on to the next!
Walmart had Halloween costumes literally across the aisle from Christmas! That does bother me. And I love Thanksgiving and it just gets a tiny corner of an aisle. I find that sad and a bit disturbing too.
Last year while I put up my Christmas tree. I had a box for my child's Christmas decorations he made or that we had received during his childhood and gave it to him for his Christmas decorations as he has his own family.
I love this idea of putting things up to see what I would and then donating the rest. This has definitely motivated me, I'll have to rewatch this on a day that I can actually get to this. 😆 Thanks for always showing us different ways of doing things ✨️ 💕
Ps LOVED your folding technique!! 😂💕
Glad you liked it!
Christmas rage 😂😂😂 I thought I was the only one feeling this way. What a relief to hear you talk about it.
Also, thanks for your videos.
Cas, GREAT VIDEO!! This one hits on all of the areas that I need to decluttter! From Christmas decor to the bathroom drawers this is a welcomed list of areas to hit before the holidays! Thank you so much for your ideas!!
You're so welcome!
I love how you fold jammies!
Such great tips, Cas! Thank you for always inspiring me. You are so amazing! 🙂
When I walk through the stores and Christmas is out in September, I walk by with my hand up to guard my eyes from the brightness of the way too early stuff. I think everyone knows my what my protest is about!
YES I'm with you re the early Christmas decor in stores. MUST wait till after Halloween. The mingling of holidays is just wrong. Follow the calendar, people! lol
Exactly!!
I agree with you Cas. I greatly dislike the early holiday decor in stores.
This year especially due to finances we have simplified the holidays, secret santa for the adults so gift giving costs are reduced and we always split the cost of the Christmas food. Less is more,its about being together.
Oh friend, you’d hate our tradition! We don’t celebrate Halloween, so we have decided as a family to put up our Christmas tree on Halloween, hide in our home and eat our own candy while we watch the first Christmas movie of the season. Our kids sleep in front of the tree every night until Christmas and we turn on the tree every evening. It’s crazy, I know…but it’s what OUR family does. 😊 You are just brilliant and your videos are delightful, fun, and motivate me to take control of the crazy in my own home. Thank you for doing this! You’re a blessing!!!