
Here is another old favorite from our Blog Archives. It was originally posted in 2015 when REI first started their #optoutside tradition. Even in 2020 during the toughest sales environment due to Covid-19, REI continued this amazing tradition.
REI announcing that they are closing on Black Friday and encouraging everyone to go outside and take a hike on that day instead of hitting the stores got me to thinking. So I decided to come up with a few alternatives of how to spend Black Friday that can assist in your ongoing organizing endeavors, give us a jump on the holidays, add an opportunity to declutter, offer a chance to spend time with friends and maybe even save us a few dollars in the process.
Set up a Gift Wrapping Station
Go through the house and gather from every nook and cranny in your home all of your wrapping paper, gift bags, bows, and tags. More than likely you shopped the clearance sales from last holiday season and you’ve forgotten how much you have on hand. Discover that you have an overabundance of gift wrap? No problem! Host a gift wrapping party. Have your guests bring their unwrapped gifts, something to eat and provide all the wrapping supplies. Have a lot of guests? Have them bring their extra wrapping supplies as well. It is a win-win situation. You get to visit with friends, cross something off your long to-do list, and use up your gift wrapping stash. Tasks like these are always more fun when done with friends!
Downsize your Belongings
You can do this in two ways. One way is to go through your home throwing items in a bag that you no longer need or want. Immediately put the bag in the car and drive it to a donation drop-off site. Or if you considering some serious downsizing, go through the house with the kids or close friends to see what they might want. Arrange a time for pick-up of large items like furniture. Why wait till you pass away before passing on that dining hutch that you never use?
Organize your Winter Gear
Make sure everyone in the family has working coats, matching gloves, a few hats, and boots that fit. Purge anything that doesn’t fit or you haven’t worn in a few years. Donate anything new or gently worn because there is a high demand for these types of items during this time of the year. If you feel ambitious, go through your winter sports equipment as well. Now is a great time to trade-in your used equipment for the kids who have outgrown their stuff or drop off your own equipment to get an annual ski tune-up before the season starts.
Downsize your Decorations
If you spend the day decorating your home, it would be a great time to see what decorations always get left in the boxat the end of the day. Plan to donate the ones you pass over year after year.
Take Inventory of your Re-Gifting Box
Do you keep a re-gifting box? See if you can match up gifts to anyone on your gift list. You’ll save yourself time and money, as well as gain some space back in your closet.
Brainstorm Gifts you can give that are not “things”
You don’t want to clutter up someone else’s space right?
So there you have it, several great alternatives for spending your Black Friday that will leave you feeling accomplished and breathing easier as we move into the holiday season.
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