Okay, fair. Maybe that statement seems counterproductive. We would almost agree with you. Usually – and especially if you get a serious case of the holiday decorating bug, once you start decorating for this merry season, it's hard to stop. Honestly, when was the last time you checked your basement or attic to count the number of boxes labeled “Christmas Decorations”? Even without the help of the holidays, it's easy to accumulate a whole bunch of junk that does nothing more than sit there in your house collecting dust.

However, as most of you have taken the time to drag all those decorations out, you might as well, once it's time to put them back into storage, take the time to do a general decluttering of your home. Studies even show that the less clutter you have in your home, the more capable you are for being productive. If you have a renovation on the horizon, then there's all the more reason to make a clean sweep of things. After all, the less stuff you have to move out for your renovation, the less work you'll have putting it all back together again. Here are our tips for decluttering your space.

I Forgot That Was There!

We're just going to cut right to the chase. If you find yourself uttering that phrase when you come across something buried deep in the closet, then chances are you don't need to hang onto it. The only exception would be sentimental value. However, that can backfire on you, too. Unless it was a gift hand-made for you by your babushka, or someone else of equal importance, it's purely material and doesn't need to keep taking up space in your home.

Smaller Than A Cantaloupe

This is a rule masterfully used to help smaller spaces feel less cramped, but it applies to any room's decor. If you find yourself collecting small things and setting them on bookcase shelves, kitchen or bathroom counters, or desk space, chances are your room is quite cluttered. The cantaloupe rule, however, dictates that nothing smaller than a cantaloupe should be used in decorating. It's one thing to collect miniature and showcase them in a nice glass case. But littering your flat surfaces with stuff just because it's cute and you got it on sale is not a good use of space or money for that matter. If you have a renovation coming up soon, the kitschy items you bought a season ago in the bargain bin at Target can make its farewell address. You've got a new room coming, and it may not fit.

But Do You Use It?

The kitchen is the biggest haven for clutter that falls into the “But I might need it one day” category. Kitchen gadgets, especially, that are meant to make meal prep easier end up stuffing our drawers and cabinets to the gills. In fact, before you get settled in your new kitchen design ideas, getting rid of the tools you don't ever use is a great way to cut down on costs. Your kitchen reno plans probably involve creating more space for storage; getting rid of stuff you don't use – and therefore don't need – might just create the very space you crave.

Holiday decorating is tons of fun, no doubt. Lights on a tree lift spirits like nothing else. But the act of pulling out and unpacking all your decorations itself really gets you thinking about all the stuff you keep around and don't use very often, or at all. If you have plans to renovate your home in the coming year, get a jump start on making the most out of your reno and declutter your house. Live with the freed up space while you contemplate what types of improvements you want and why. You just might surprise yourself with how a lot less clutter changes your plans and makes for an even better renovation.