Fall is the perfect time to do some seasonal cleaning. This can both look like physically cleaning out our homes as well as virtually cleaning up our finances before the busy holiday season hits us. Cleaning and preparing for the rest of the year is an early holiday gift we can give ourselves. If we put in the time and effort now, we will be in a good position to be able to enjoy the upcoming holiday season instead of spending the whole time feeling overwhelmed, stressed, and pulled in a million directions at the same time.
What Items Are Meaningful to Us?
This is a great time of year to look over all the items we have in our home and determine which ones are still useful, which ones bring us joy, and which ones we should let go of. This might also look like considering creative uses for the stuff we already have on hand. Can we turn that pile of craft materials into holiday gifts? Can we make a bunch of soups and stews out of the items in our pantry, so we have yummy food to reach for when we are stressed or busy? Are there items we can give away or sell so that we both have more room and a little extra money for the holiday season? When cleaning, we can both focus on what we have that is still serving us and declutter by getting rid of those items that don’t.
Cleaning, Dusting, Clearing Out
Once we have sorted out items that are simply getting in our way, we can tackle the next step, which is deep cleaning our home. While few of us get excited about cleaning, there are ways to make the experience better, such as using our senses while we clean, which can help us feel more satisfied once we are done cleaning. We will also find this step is easier once we have already gotten rid of the stuff we no longer need. Getting rid of dust means we will be happier and healthier all winter long. If we do a good job of cleaning, dusting, and clearing out, we will be grateful for planning ahead, later in the season.
Budgeting for the Holidays
When we have a clean house, we are more likely to want to clean out other areas of our lives, such as our finances. This can include knowing how big our budget can be for the upcoming holidays. Therefore, it is important to do some household cleaning first, because if we know we have enough spices for all our traditional holiday dishes, we don’t have to buy more this year. Or, if while cleaning we find that we have a pile of items that we do not need anymore, we can re-gift, repurpose, or turn them into extra money. Unless we take the time to budget, it is too easy to find in January that we spent more than we hoped to.
Paying for Bigger Projects
Sometimes, once we have cleaned and prepared a budget for the holidays, we find that we will still struggle to pay for all our celebrations. It is a great idea to consider a Western Shamrock loan to finance bigger ticket items such as a new TV, a new computer, or other electronics we want to have for the holidays. If we are going to be zooming with family members, a new computer might make all the difference, whereas if our stove is not up to scratch, getting a new one can make all our holiday cooking go much smoother.
Autumn is an excellent time to clean up our houses and prepare for the holiday season. We can get rid of goods that no longer serve us, clean our homes, budget for the holidays, and evaluate whether we will require loans this holiday season. Cleaning our physical and financial environments ensures that we do not suffer the consequences of unexpectant holiday overspending. As we get closer to the end of the year, we’ll realize that we have less time to clean or think about budgeting. Take some time this autumn to prepare for the upcoming Christmas season.