Digging out from Christmas past

If you’re feeling like the space in your basement, closet or garage you devote to holiday storage is getting out of control, this may be the year to tame the Christmas creep. It’s hard not to add something new each year to your decoration stash. But it’s hard to make time to actually edit.

Here are some ways to reduce your holiday clutter and still be festive.

Donate it

Thrift shops that raise funds for charity are usually happy to have your donations of gently used Snoopy tree skirts or elves on shelves, but it doesn’t hurt to call first. There’s a spike in donations of holiday merchandise in December, as Americans unpack holiday treasures to deck their halls. But charities report that in recent years, holiday donations have been brisk throughout the entire year. What with baby boomers downsizing and inspiration from HGTV organizing shows and Marie Kondo’s tidying tips, more Americans are putting their homes on diets.

Sell it

Think your Rudolph mugs are worth cash? There’s a resale market for only a fraction of previously owned holiday merchandise. Lisa Siegrist, consignment manager at local consignment shop Evolution Home, says this time of year, her shop is deluged with holiday items.

“Last year, not many sold,” she says, “and the consignors had to take most of them back. Interestingly, people still buy vintage glass ornaments, even if their metallic paint is chipping off. They might sell for $4 to $6.” Top sellers include nostalgic wooden sleds or Spode’s Christmas Tree china, especially the original sets that were made in England, she said.

How and when to do it

Professional organizers say that growing piles of seasonal adornments seem to be a problem for many consumers. Consider examining your seasonal stuff as you dismantle your decorations this year, suggest Ashley Murphy and Molly Graves, founders of the Neat Method, an organizing company with 35 locations nationwide. “When you are decorating, you are usually in a rush trying to find all your lights and ornaments and other items, and you don’t have a lot of time to spare,” Murphy says. “We think the best time to evaluate your decorations is when you are taking them down.”