The holiday season can be a time of joy, but it’s easy to feel overwhelmed if we don’t prepare. This November, I’m focusing on simple strategies to ensure your holiday is stress-free, meaningful, and tailored to what your family truly values. By setting realistic expectations, creating a budget, and taking some time to de-clutter and organize, you can relax and enjoy Christmas without the usual holiday chaos.
1. Focus on What Matters: Simplify Holiday Traditions
Start by asking your family what they really want out of Christmas. Often, we carry out traditions simply because they’ve always been there. Take a moment to reflect and discuss which traditions matter most to you. For instance, I used to bake six different treats for the holidays, assuming my family loved them all. Turns out, they could live without most of the baking except for butter tarts! Now, I limit myself to two or three special items. Not only does this save time and money, but it also ensures that we’re focusing on what truly makes Christmas feel like Christmas for us.
2. De-clutter and Decorate with Intention
As you bring out holiday decorations, consider what truly brings joy to your space. If you find leftover items in the bin year after year, ask yourself why you’re holding onto them. Will you ever actually put them up?
If not, it may be time to let them go. For sentimental items, like ornaments my kids have received over the years, we have a Christmas memory bin for each of them. They select a few ornaments to put on the tree, and the rest stay safely stored until they’re ready to take their bins with them someday. This keeps our tree festive without feeling overcrowded.
Decluttering before decorating also extends to the kitchen, where we spend so much time during the holidays. Over the next month, I’ll be sharing videos of my own kitchen decluttering journey. By tackling just one cabinet or drawer each day while cooking, your kitchen can be clutter-free by Christmas. A tidy, functional kitchen will make all that holiday cooking and baking much more enjoyable.
3. Budget-Friendly Gift Shopping
Gifts are a central part of the season, but they can easily become a source of stress and overspending. Before you shop, set a budget and make a list of what you plan to buy for each person. Keeping this list on paper can be handy, as phones tend to die at the worst times! When you head to the store, aim to get everything in one trip. If I step into Homesense four times instead of once, I’ll almost certainly go over budget, tempted by all that fresh holiday stock. A single shopping trip not only saves money but also keeps you from feeling overwhelmed by crowds and choices.
4. Keep It Clean and Manageable
The holiday season can bring extra mess, so staying on top of cleaning can help keep things under control. A little cleaning each day, especially in high-traffic areas like the kitchen, goes a long way. Try to leave your kitchen clean each night; you’ll be grateful to wake up to a fresh start each morning. With this habit in place, you’ll feel more relaxed and prepared to enjoy the holidays without stressing over clutter or mess.
By focusing on what truly matters, planning ahead, and tackling small tasks now, you’ll have more time to enjoy what makes the holidays special. This month, embrace the joy of de-cluttering, shopping, decorating, and organizing so you can savor a peaceful, meaningful Christmas.
Happy de-cluttering, decorating, and preparing for the holidays!
Simplify Life YOUR WAY!