Welcome back to the Organizing for the Holiday Series! So, in part one of the series we talked about reigning in and simplifying that gift list. I shared a tracker to make it easy to jot dot who is getting what and how much it costs (even while you are on the go!). BUT there is still the matter of taming the holiday hustle.

“If 2020 has taught me anything, its that busyness is NOT a badge of honor. And while we all have many super powers, creating more TIME is not one of them.”

— Ashlyn Carter

Every year we say we are going to buy less, spend more time at home, blah, blah, blah. “If 2020 has taught me anything, its that busyness is NOT a badge of honor. And while we all have many super powers, creating more TIME is not one of them.” And that’s why I’m pretty excited about today’s post.

The holidays are fun when you don't have to
a) work together your calendar like a giant Tetris board
b) stress yourself out trying to be Donna Reed or
c) be moving at the pace of the Indy 500

Can I get an AMEN?

I put together this simple decluttering guide to help you create breathing room in your home before the holidays. Don't be fooled, this is NOT an organize your entire house guide. These are simple + easy ways to reduce overwhelm this holiday season:

Write out your ideal holiday vision (5 minutes)

Maybe you envision NOT traveling to every single relative near and far on the holiday (this IS the year to stay home, thanks COVID!). Maybe you see a slower time before the holidays where you aren’t a running everywhere to do all the things. Maybe you want to spend less so your new year starts off on the right foot. Maybe you don’t want to host the holiday party this year, maybe you do. Maybe you want to actually have time to mess up the kitchen baking cookies with your kids, rather than rushing through like years past. Whatever your vision is, write it out. And when it comes time to decide what stays and what goes, use this as your guide.

Choose to do less (20 minutes)

Take stock of your calendar through the end of the year. Fill in any and all potential obligations, events, and deadlines. Circle the NON-NEGOTIABLES, cross out anything that can ease your schedule, and if possible, jot down a weekend day or two that leave you with a little breathing room. Yep, schedule down time just like you would a haircut.

Peruse your Pantry (15 minutes)

Set your clock for 15 minutes and look through all of your pantry goods. Toss anything that is expired or stale. This will make room for all the holiday goodies you are excited to fill your home with and show you exactly what you need.

The Gift Wrap Trim Down (5 minutes)

Before you buy more wrapping paper and bags for this year, gather ALL of your gifting supplies in ONE LOCATION. Toss ripped, worn and old bags and paper. Assess what you have and what you need. Consider setting up a gift wrap station to make wrapping easy this season.

Grab a Box and Go: Whole House Declutter (15 minutes)

This is EXACTLY how it sounds. Grab an empty box or laundry basket and set your timer for 15 minutes. Go from room to room and gather anything that you don’t use, need or love. Schedule a pick up or take good condition items to your local donation center. BREATHE!

Minimize your Medicine Cabinet (10 minutes)

Cold + flu season just so happen to coincide with the holidays. AND after the year of hand washing and mask wearing, I’m guessing you have stocked up on a few cold remedies. Take stock of your medicines by gathering them all in one spot. Check expirations and dispose appropriately.

Seasonal Decor Slash (10 minutes)

As you start to put away Thanksgiving + Halloween decor and pull out Christmas, take stock of the things you didn’t use this year or the year before. If they are still in good condition, consider donating. As you are putting away one holiday to move to the next, take the time to gather all items in one location and label boxes appropriately. See how I did this for Halloween decor and costumes here. This will go a long way when it comes to decorating for next year.

Linking some of my favorite ways to organize medicine, gift wrap, and seasonal décor below. CLICK on any of the images above to view the products used to get organized. Looking forward to next week when we get serious about gifting.

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