Bedding with stars on, placemats adorned with robins, throws and pillows covered in snow and Santa claus- they all have one thing in common- they are only suitable for one month of the year. Marketers would have us believe that we need Christmas specific and winter themed items for our home for the holidays in order to improve the experience, however this is far from the truth. Here’s a suggestion- rather than have something that you are going to store away for eleven months of the year, why not choose an item that isn’t bound by a celebration- but one that is usable all year around and can be brought out for Easter, Christmas or any day you please? Christmas shopping is seductive- I still get sucked in even though I am more mindful about my purchases now than ever before. So if you are falling into the trap of wanting separate items just for now, here are seven things we think we need over Christmas that are simply taking up excess space in our homes.
Image courtesy of Unsplash
Bedding: While it’s nice to put a new set of bedding on your bed on Christmas Eve, the reality is, you look at it before you turn out the lights and spend the rest of your Christmas in other rooms of the home- making it a bit of a waste of money. Our last set of bedding set us back an eye watering £70 because we have a superking bed and of course the larger your bed, the pricer the cover. What else could we have done with that money? Gone and seen a Christmas light show? Visited Santa? Had a festive meal out? In other words- what experience could we have shared that would have cost the same or even less? Quite a few things- but instead we opted for a town-house printed duvet cover so that we could feel slightly more festive before laying our head down over the Christmas week. Keep it neutral with your bedding so even if you do spend a lot on a good quality set, you can enjoy it every week of the year.
Tableware: It is lovely to see a table that is all decked out for Christmas dinner, with festive placemats, plates with a suitably snowy design on them and glasses that let you know what day it is- but they literally only get used once in 365 days. That’s it. Then they get packed away until next year. Even if you buy them in the sales, you would have to wait years before you got your money’s worth out of them- unlike a neutral set that could be utilised every day you eat at home.
Textiles: A perfectly appointed couch that looks like a giant festive marshmallow can appear very inviting for visitors and even if you just want a rest from the chaos of this season, but are all the cushions and throws really necessary? In a word- no. The ones you have out for the rest of the year will function just fine for December too- they don’t suddenly lose their ability to do their job just because Santa is coming. When packing up your Christmas textiles, consider the amount of time it takes you to fold them, wash them, store them in a box and transport them into your loft or basement. Even if this takes you ten minutes, if you do the same thing every year for the rest of your life, it mounts up and this is just one element of the Christmas decor.
Novelty clothing: You wouldn’t part with your money to buy an item of clothing you knew you were only going to wear once a year at any other time, so why now? Instead of getting yourself an ugly Christmas jumper- why not invest in a piece of partywear that you know you can bring out again for New Year or any other occasion you have lined up in the upcoming year? With the rising cost of Christmas sweaters, you could get something with the equivalent price tag to use for many a night out to come.
MORE: Minimalism: How to cope with gift overwhelm at Christmas when you're a minimalist
Handwash: I’m not going to lie, your bathroom is probably one of the most undecorated parts of your home at Christmas, but that doesn’t mean you need to give in and add more work to your list. Handwashes look cute but when wearing your practical head- think about this- it won’t run out just because it’s December 31st, meaning you have to use it up and have it lingering throughout the month of January (which is unlucky), you have to empty it out, which is a total waste of money, or store a half used bottle of wash until next year and just hope that it doesn’t leak over all of your other decs. Stick with your regular hand wash and save yourself the hassle.
Towels: Continuing with the bathroom theme- drying your hands on a hand towel that has Rudolph on it, will not make you any more excited about taking a pee in December. These mundane tasks will still be just as boring even with Santa looking at you from a flannel. Towels are bulky items to store away in your designated Christmas decor spot, so save yourself the room and stick with the ones you use all year through instead. If nothing else, it’s less washing!
Ornaments: Controversial- I know but if you watch any ‘decorate with me’ video on YouTube, you will see just how long it takes people to put out all of the tiny trinkets and ornaments just for the sake of it, that do nothing other than collect dust over the period they are out for. It’s very rare that people put treasured pieces on display- they are generally things that fit with the current year’s trend- whether that be Scandi, space or rainbows to name a few of the most recent sensations. Ornaments that are in vogue this year will undoubtedly be in the charity shop bag the following year to make way for what is in vogue next Christmas and I think we can all agree what a colossal waste of time and money that is.
One could argue that you don’t need any decorations to celebrate Christmas and that it should be about togetherness, but if you do like to prepare your home for the festive period- a tree, wreath, garland and stockings contain the chaos but also provide you with a splash of colour and interest without a great deal of effort attached. All I am asking is that you be more mindful about the pieces you display next year- the less there is- the more time you will have to spend on those who really matter.
Tagged in Christmas Minimalism