‘Tis the Season…..to be jolly’

Or is it?  Sometimes the holidays can bring a lot of stress and conflict within your home and personal spaces.  There is always so much going on, so many things to do, so little time to get everything done and your house may not be living up to your expectations.   Maybe you had plans to get your house downsized and organized this past year but time got away from you and now here it is, the holiday season, and you want to make things festive.

Sometimes our “stuff” can weigh heavy on our hearts, affect our peace of mind and can keep us from enjoying time with friends and family. Extra stuff also keeps us from seeing and enjoying the things we treasure the most, our holiday keepsakes.  For me, it is my Nisse, my little red men. It is not the holidays without them.  But, in order for them to go up there are a few things I have to do first to clear the way. For decorations to go up, other things must be put away.

Here are a few quick tips to help you quickly gain some control over your space and the holiday season.  It may also give you a head start to becoming more organized this coming year.

1.  Top Layer Surface Declutter

Before you pull out all the decorations, go through the rooms in your home that are going to be the most used during the holidays. This is generally the kitchen, living room, family room and guest bedrooms. Do a top layer surface declutter and get rid of the obvious items that are not being used, are in the wrong location, are no longer necessary and can be donated or disposed of.  If you need some help with this one, it would be that layer of magazines, books, mail, manicure supplies, excess kitchen utensils, Amazon boxes and anything else that you have filling up the surfaces of your home.  We call this going after the low hanging fruit for instant gratification.

Clearing the surfaces and putting things back where they belong, not where they drop, will give you  immediate satisfaction and you don’t have to take on the whole house. An added bonus: your Christmas decorations will look beautiful when the clutter is gone.

2. Make a List 

And no, this is not the list of all things you want for Christmas.  This list is for all the things you want to DO before Christmas and all the events you plan to attend.  When you’ve made your list, pull out your calendar and schedule time to get all the things on your list done. This would include; getting your house in order, putting up decorations, going shopping, wrapping, cooking and just plain taking a break to rest.  Get those events and all your to do’s on the schedule. 

Making a list and making a plan go hand in hand and will help to keep things on track. Putting it on the calendar keeps you from overextending yourself and procrastinating. Take out a piece of paper now and start to write it down, don’t think about it. 

3. Scale Back – No One Will Notice But You!

I tend to have difficulty in this category as I fall into the camp that believes if 1 is good, then 3 is better, at least when it comes to little red men at Christmas.  It is interesting that I have this judgement flaw considering I am a professional down-sizer, declutterer and Move Manager! But I digress, it is something I’m working on. I blame my Mom. The rest of you (you know who you are!) instead of making 3 side dishes, you make 5 – because you can.  If 4 kinds of cookies are great then 6 kinds are phenomenal. If that one decoration looks fantastic then 8 would be even better. It’s a trap that many people fall into.  Why buy one when buying a dozen is cheaper and better?  It is the Costco phenomenon, only this is the holidays on steroids.

The reality is that no one keeps track or keeps score, only you do.  So make things simple. Let yourself enjoy the holidays and not become so entrenched in it that you no longer see the Christmas tree because the forest of holiday excess has swallowed you.

4. Review Your Decorations

When you pull out and go through all those bins and boxes of decorations, do so with a critical eye. Pull everything out, sort it into categories and ask yourself some hard questions. What sparks joy? What things are you no longer using?  Do these lights even work anymore? Do I need a 6’ blow up Rudolph for the front yard?  If the answer is no, then get rid of them. Donate them in time for someone else to find some joy in them.  This also frees up space in your home and gives you a jump start on your downsizing resolutions for next year. The point is, get rid of what no longer serves you.  Don’t tuck it back away – get rid of it and only keep that which is truly meaningful. 

Another tip – if your children are all grown and you still have their ornaments – wrap them up and give them to them as a Christmas gift.  This puts the ornaments back where they belong to be enjoyed by the next generation.

5. Be Thankful

Yep, very simple approach.  Just be thankful for what you have: your family, your dog, your cat, your home.  Don’t get so caught up in the buying, decorating and cooking that you forget the important stuff. Relax and enjoy what is supposed to be a wonderful time of year.

Christy Urdal is owner of NextStep Transitions, LLC and a relocation and home transition specialist in the greater Seattle area.  She helps people with downsizing, move management, getting their homes ready for the market, and many other home related services.