Talk Amongst Yourselves

This is a placeholder for the post I hope to write tonight after I get back from my business trip, but which might not happen for technical reasons.

If you are reading this, you should put the suggestion you can't believe I haven't already said into the comments. "I mean, well, duh, Sanders, as a Discardian of course you should..."

Comments

[vex]

... remind us of upcoming Discardia holidays. :)
... write about useful techniques for letting go of stuff you're still attached to, but obviously doesn't have a place in your life anymore (I plan to tackle this problem during my next Discardia holiday!)

[Heather]

Plan ahead to deal with the influx of gifts in the next month. Food gifts... you don't have to eat them: freeze them or give them away at work. Material gifts you don't need/want/use: regift in white elephant exchanges, return for something you do need, or donate to a charity. Don't let these items add to your waistline or clutter.

[tk]

how long to keep cards? (holiday, birthday, etc.) i usually toss the previous year's christmas cards at the next christmas season but that seems a bit long to keep them around. cards from deceased relative(s) i always keep. others, there's this kind of angst as to when or whether to get rid of them at all.

[DMR]

Go beyond getting rid of items you don't like anymore, to looking at ones you do like but don't use and asking "can I free myself of this?"

[Katie]

tk, I have the same problem.

My mom turns holiday cards into gift tags. She cuts off the cover of the card, lays it on top of the envelope, and then cuts around some design element on the top layer (snowman, reindeer, whatever). Then she punches a hole through the cardstock and paper envelope backing, ties a ribbon through it. Instant gift tags for next year! I remember doing this with her when I was a little girl.

I believe there are also charities who will take your old holiday cards and do something similar as well. They sell the recycled cards to benefit a worthy cause.

You can also make recycled paper out of cards and envelopes. Added bonus: glittery cards makes sparkly paper.

If you're having a hard time letting go of all your cards, you can always scan them at a high resolution so that you still have a digital after donating or recycling them.

[martina]

Buy storage boxes now to use when the decorations are taken down. That way the stuff you keep gets stored in order and you can get rid of the ornaments that just aren't your favorites and the light strings with busted bulbs.
Also have a box at the ready for those gifts you got but don't care for. If you donate items to charities before New Years get a receipt so the donation is tax deductible.

[mary hawkins]

Rather than planning for the influx of gifts, why don't you head off those gifts before they come into your lives... Can you agree with some friends that going out to dinner in January or doing a Secret Santa is a better way to do gifts? Do you have a polite way to lay out ground rules for gifts with your relatives? Putting the shoe on the other foot, have you asked the hard-to-shop-for people on your list what they actually want? Include gift receipts with the things you buy so that it's easy to return.

It's a little late for some of these, so you may want to just remember them for next year...

[Dinah]

Thanks everyone! Keep it up!

(Yes, my flight did turn out to be delayed and yes, I was completely knackered when I got home, but I had a great business trip otherwise and feel much better after a night's sleep.)