15 Things to Purge From Your House Before the New Year

The end of December is an excellent time to do some decluttering and purging. Work is generally less frantic, and many folks take time off between Christmas and New Year’s. Some workplaces just close during that week and give everyone paid time off (lucky you)! Kids are home from school and can be recruited (read: bribed) to help out. Presents have been opened, possibly creating a need for something to be stored (e.g., a new kitchen gadget), as well as rendering duplicate, older, or not-working versions useless. Set up three bins or boxes, and label them DONATE, RECYCLE, and TOSS. You could spend 2-3 hours and do it all in one day. Or break it up into smaller, daily time increments spread out over the week. Once you’ve filled your bins and placed them in your car, your house will definitely feel less cluttered and you can begin 2023 with a lighter load!

decluttering

Best Products for Storing Holiday Decor

Soon you will be putting away all that lovely holiday decor. Do you store these items in banker’s boxes, moving boxes, or whatever random boxes you’ve got? We’ve got some great suggestions for improving your holiday decor storage. Stored properly, your beloved decorations will last longer and not be prone to dust, moisture, and damage.

Artificial Christmas Tree

With proper care and storage, a good-quality artificial tree can last for many years. Whether or not you decide to follow Epbot’s shrink-wrap method to keep the lights on the tree, you’ll want to store it somewhere dry and undisturbed. The Tree Keeper Bag lets you store your tree upright, and then roll it to your garage, storage room, or closet until next year. If you’d prefer to take it apart and store in a bag, Amazon has a huge selection—some with wheels, some that are duffle-style. Be sure to get one to fit the height of your tree.

Holidays, storage

Gift Guide for Adults and Kids With ADHD

More than 6 million children in the U.S. have been diagnosed with ADHD, while the prevalence of ADHD in adults is estimated at 4.4-8.1%. Chances are, someone in your circle of friends and family has ADHD. If you are giving them a present this holiday season, you may be brainstorming for practical, useful, or fun gifts. We’ve got a list of some fantastic ideas to get you started!

ADHD, gifts, Holidays

The case for buying less — and how to actually do it

November 22, 2022
by Alexandra Frost
on Vox.com

Buying fewer unnecessary items is good for the planet, your wallet, and your brain.

This holiday season could be a scary time for some: Between inflation (prices have risen 8.2 percent in a year) and economic uncertainty pointing to a potential recession, in addition to ongoing pandemic recovery, it might not be the ideal moment to think about buying a bunch of crap.

A 2019 survey by Ladder and OnePoll revealed that Americans spend an average of $18,000 per year on nonessential items, including streaming services and lattes, impulse Amazon finds, and unnecessary clothes. Not only is this enough to buy a semester of in-state tuition for your soon-to-be-college kid, but it translates to lots of clutter you have to deal with as items become unnecessary with time. Household goods and services are responsible for 60 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions, one study shows. It seems we are as aware as ever of this fact — since the pandemic, consumers want to reduce their unnecessary shopping behaviors.

shopping

Common Thanksgiving Challenges for Kids With ADHD

by Lexi Walters Wright
from Understood.org

As enjoyable as Thanksgiving is for some families, it can often be a difficult time for kids with ADHD to manage. That’s especially true if the holiday involves gatherings and long sit-down meals. Here are some typical trouble spots and what you can do to help.

Interrupted routines

The problem: If you’re traveling for Thanksgiving, your child may be sleeping in a strange place and following an unfamiliar schedule. Even if you’re hosting, your family’s routines may be disrupted. That’s rough for kids with ADHD.

ADHD, Thanksgiving

15 To-Do’s to Prep Your Kitchen for the Holidays

You’ve survived Halloween, and now you’ve got Thanksgiving and the December holidays coming: Yayyy…and yikes, right?! It’s definitely our favorite time of year, but also the most daunting. There will be a lot of decorating, cooking and eating, guests, music, setting up and cleaning up, leftovers, wrapping and unwrapping, garbage and recycling, washing, drying, and folding. Oh my! But all so, so worth it because it’s also the time of year to see and enjoy all the special folks in our lives as we partake in festivities and traditions! Your kitchen will be the most used room in the house for the next two months. To help you out, we’ve got some great to-do’s to prep your kitchen for the holiday season.

holiday prep, kitchen organizing

Cool, Fun Father’s Day Gifts for Every Type of Dad

There are so many awesome types of dads out there, and getting him a Father’s Day gift he’ll love can be a challenge. Whether that special dad in your life is into gadgets, golf, travel, fashion, geekdom, camping, or wine, there is something out there that will light up his face and get him to tell a classic dad joke. We’ve got a list of things we think are pretty cool—you might get him one of these, or just be inspired to shop around some more.

Father's Day

Mother’s Day Gift Ideas for (Almost) Every Mom

Not gonna lie…I love putting together our gift guides for special occasions and holidays. It gives me great ideas for gift-giving while hoping to inspire our readers with theirs! Here is this year’s list of gift ideas for almost every mom out there. I hope you find something for that special mom in your life.

mother's day

Holiday Tipping Guide: Who to Tip and How Much

It’s the season for sharing and giving, as well as receiving. So it’s definitely time to think about what to tip to all the folks in your life who provide you their services. It is a considerate gesture to show your appreciation for all they did for you this past year. Many people are often unsure how much to give, so we’ve put together this guide to help you out. And considering how tough the past couple of years have been—especially for those in the service and health industries we all relied on so, so much—”it is really worth thinking about how much you can give,” says Lizzie Post, co-president of the Emily Post Institute, great-great-granddaughter of the firm’s founder, and co-author of Higher Etiquette.

Factors to Consider:

Your budget—if this year was tough for you financially, don’t feel obligated to go beyond your limitations.
If you are short on cash, consider a homemade gift (everyone loves cookies and fudge!), or a heartfelt note of thanks and appreciation. Post says it’s okay to acknowledge in your note that your finances this year made it impossible to give a tip, and that it is not a reflection on their service.
The length of time you’ve received service from this person, and the quality and frequency of the service. You wouldn’t need to give an extra holiday tip to the new hairdresser you’ve only seen a couple of times this year; but if it’s someone you’ve been going to for years, you definitely should.
Whatever you tip, whether it’s money or a homemade gift, be sure to add a short note. Kind words will always make an impact.

gifts

Gifting Experiences Instead of Stuff

One thing most of us have realized during the pandemic: we could all do with (and did with) less STUFF. What is “stuff,” exactly? Stuff is, “matter, material, articles, or activities of a specified or indeterminate kind that are being referred to, indicated, or implied.” For the purposes of this article we are referring to all the stuff that fills your home and your life that you don’t really use, need, want, or even remember—but you have, simply because you do. Gifts you feel bad getting rid of, items of some sentimental value, things you used to use, items you’ve put away and forgotten. Which is why we’ve got a list of gift ideas which are experiences, instead of more stuff. Gifts that won’t take up room on a shelf, on a counter, in a desk, or in the garage. Happy shopping!

Escape Rooms — Conundrum in Redmond has real life and virtual reality escape rooms, as well as axe-throwing and an outdoor adventure game. Bellevue’s Reality Break Escapes has escape rooms, parties, and portable escapes. Puzzle Break offers a big selection of virtual escape rooms available online for up to 6 players; 7+ players can do their virtual team-building experience with no limit to the number of players.

gifts, Holidays