Punxsutawney Phil has the right idea. One of the largest members of the ground squirrel family and a “true” hibernator, he suspends regular activity during the winter, entering a deep sleep and avoiding frigid weather in an underground hibernation chamber. Humans also tend to slow their activity through the winter (albeit in climate-controlled homes and with a host of entertainment options), but we can take a few cues from the world’s most beloved weather prognosticator. This week, the Organizing Blog turns things over to Phil to get his advice on a life well-lived. His initial counsel? “Cut the #clutter for a restful winter. And keep your burrow #tidy.”
Tag: clutter
Revisiting Hygge’s Warm Minimalism
Now that you’ve put away the #holiday decorations (#decluttering and #organizing along the way, of course), it’s time to settle in for the remainder of winter’s cold, dark nights. But to do so cheerfully in #minimalist comfort and style, you’ll want to revisit the concept of #hygge.
Hygge (pronounced “hoo-guh”) is a Scandinavian concept that celebrates warm and welcoming indoor living — likely a compensating response to the region’s long winter nights. The term appears to derive from an Old Norse word meaning “protected from the outside world.”
While the outside world is less of a concern this year now that the spread of COVID is mostly controlled, hygge reflects values of equality, positivity and well-being. But it is an introverted practice that encourages “practitioners to shelter, cluster and enclose,” says Denmark.dk.
Being a hygge acolyte is easy: You just need to embrace things that signify warmth and comfort. A cup of tea, coffee or hot chocolate; a roaring fire or some candles; and cozy slippers, blankets or sweaters are a few essentials.
What you won’t need is a lot of #clutter, because hygge is a practice that embraces simplicity. You’ll want to strip your space down to its simplest furnishings and neutral colors, and avoid the mental clutter brought on by too many screens and a cacophony of loud noises.
Hygge is more than hibernating — it’s making peace with the weather (something you can’t control) and embracing the simple joys of home, family and surroundings. And if you find that your surroundings are too chaotic to support such well-being, now’s the time to make a change.
Make a single hygge space — a nook, seating area or room where clutter and chaos won’t intrude. Strip it down to the bare essentials, getting rid of anything that doesn’t contribute directly to your feelings of warmth and well-being.
You can donate any lightly used items that don’t fit the new style to ClothingDonations.org by arranging a #donation #pickup. You can also find nice blankets, sweaters and other cozy hygge goods at the thrift stores supplied by your donations and help veterans in the process
Embrace the newfound calm and enjoy the winter from your cozy confines!
Look for Last-Minute Gifts at the Thrift
With only two days to go until #Christmas, you might want to check the options at a #thrift store supplied by generous #donations to ClothingDonations.org if you’re short on #gifts. Not only do they offer plenty of lightly used goods at nice prices, you can often find unique #gifts that might be just right for a particular person on your list if you browse for a few minutes, no shipping required. And if you’re feeding a crowd over the weekend, you can get necessities such as linens, baking pans, serverware and other essentials for the holiday table — and maybe even the perfect ugly #holiday sweater or white elephant #gift. #HolidayTips
Three Shopping Days Until Christmas
With just three shopping days before #Christmas, it’s go time on the gifts you forgot to get or procrastinated on. Gift cards and cash are fine for a lot of people, but if you want to make it look like you gave a lot of thought to your giftee’s needs, your choices have now winnowed to Amazon, something digital or something sourced locally. Good Housekeeping suggests 55 good last-minute gifts — some of which deliver electronically and won’t create #clutter, and some of which will keep help everything clean, like an in-car vacuum. And subscription boxes for cheese, self-care, flowers or craft beet will keep giving throughout the year. #HolidayTips
Last-Minute Shopping After Dark
You may have to shop in the dark on the shortest day of the year in order to check everyone off your #list, but depending on what you want to buy, you won’t necessarily have to do it in person. Major retailers such as Amazon, Target and Macy’s can still deliver within three days, CBS News says, but today is the deadline for many shipments. You can always visit a physical store location for #last-minute convenience, or pick up a fistful of gift cards. Many mainstream #Christmas and #holiday traditions actually started as pagan winter solstice rituals, so you can also consider decorating an outdoor tree, lighting some luminaria or hanging some mistletoe, Mother suggests.