As you prepare for the holiday season, one thing you might want to consider is another Purge Party. This time, focus on getting rid of at least one bin of items you don't want, need, or use by un-cluttering your space.

For our family, it's a tradition around the first day of Christmas Break to get a giant Rubbermaid Tote and go through the house collecting toys that we no longer use or want. We have to fill one bin and take it to Goodwill before presents start to appear under the tree. We like to have the kids realize that it's always good to share things we don't need, and it's great to keep their bedrooms from getting cluttered. We try and have a place for everything, and if there is no space for new toys, then none will come...

This year, we just moved in September across the country, so I wasn't going to ask the kids to do our tradition since we purged our house of anything not special or essential. My 12 year old, however, asked me if we were going to do the Christmas Clean Out. He said we had to because it's a tradition.

So in the morning, the Tote will come out, then we'll find some things to pass on to other families, and make room for the coming gifts, hopefully minus the clutter. No matter how old you are, you can start this tradition in your home too. Helping those in need, and keeping your life a little more sane, there's no better deal than that!