Your holiday declutter guide to clearing out what’s unnecessary and navigating the season with less stress and more room to enjoy what truly matters.
Your Holiday Declutter Guide: Less stress, more Joy.
The holidays are a time of giving, celebrating, and connecting with family and friends, but it often comes with a side of stress and overwhelm. There’s more of everything – more planning, more shopping, more cooking, more cleaning, more socialising and just generally more to do.
The holiday season often leaves many of us feeling stretched too thin and worn out. But what if this year could be different? By being intentional and mindful, you can create a season that’s rich with joy and connection, rather than stress and exhaustion.
The key is to focus on more of the good stuff: more love, more joy, more peace, more comfort and more connection. To make room for these, we need to let go of what no longer serves us – both physically and mentally.
I’ve put together this holiday declutter guide to help you declutter your space and your schedule now, so you can set the stage for a calmer, more meaningful holiday season.
Let’s make room this holiday season to be more present with the people and moments that truly matter.
Declutter your home and let it shine.
Before the holiday decorations go up and the gift-wrapping frenzy begins is the perfect time to use this holiday declutter guide to get your home in order.
A pre-holiday declutter will make room for festive decor and seasonal items and also ensure your home feels welcoming to family and guests. Let go of what you no longer need and create a clean canvas to let the holiday magic shine.
Household Clutter.
Start with areas that tend to get crowded or accumulate more things during the season. Think of closets, guest rooms, kitchen areas, toy baskets and living rooms. Clear out any items that are taking up space unnecessarily. This includes old broken toys, unworn clothes, out-of-date food and unused items that are gathering dust. This makes room for the inevitable flow of gifts that will enter the home. It also helps you feel less overwhelmed by clutter when hosting loved ones during the holidays.
Holiday Decor.
Don’t forget to declutter your holiday decorations too. If you’ve been holding onto ornaments, lights or other decorations for years but no longer use or love them, it’s time to let them go. I was guilty of doing this and recently let go of many Christmas decorations I hadn’t displayed in years. It’s now much quicker and easier to sort through what I have when it’s time to decorate my home.
Sentimental items are wonderful, but holding onto every single decoration can make the process of setting up for the holidays more stressful than joyful. Keep only the pieces that truly make you smile or carry meaningful memories, and donate or recycle the rest.
Create calm and clarity.
By decluttering your home now, you will be ready to embrace the holidays with a sense of calm and clarity. When your home is free of unnecessary clutter, it’s so much easier to focus on what matters most. Spending time with family and friends and creating cherished memories.
Declutter your schedule for a more meaningful holiday season.
Who would have thought a holiday declutter guide would extend to decluttering your schedule and not just physical household items? Just as a cluttered home can dampen the holiday spirit, an overstuffed schedule can leave you feeling frazzled and disconnected.
Clear your calendar.
By decluttering your calendar, you can make room for the moments and experiences that matter most to you. Start by being socially selective. It’s ok to say no, especially if saying yes means sacrificing your peace and energy. Reflect on what you want your holidays to feel like this year and choose gatherings and events that align with your vision. Don’t feel obligated to attend everything you’re invited to.
While it’s tempting to pack your calendar with festive activities, remember that scheduling downtime is just as important. Avoid over-scheduling yourself. Allow space to recharge, however, that looks to you. Maybe it is enjoying a quiet drink with your partner, reading a book in a cosy corner, watching a movie with family or taking a nighttime walk to appreciate the holiday lights.
Allow room to be spontaneous.
Some of the best holiday memories come from unplanned moments, a spontaneous family game night, an impromptu baking session or surprise visitors. Decluttering your calendar leaves room for these little joys. Aim for a balanced approach that includes planned traditions and open space for surprises.
Above all, take time to be calm amidst the hustle and bustle. Schedule moments of stillness and reflection. That may be enjoying a cup of tea, meditating or simply pausing to take a deep breath.
Declutter your holiday traditions.
A holiday declutter guide wouldn’t be complete without addressing the need to reassess and declutter holiday traditions that are no longer serving you or your family. Letting go of outdated or stressful customs creates room for new traditions that resonate with your current lifestyle and values.
Holiday traditions are meant to bring joy, connection and meaning to the season. When they no longer align with your heart they feel more like a burden. Just because a tradition has been a part of your family for many years doesn’t mean you have to continue it. If it feels more like an obligation than a celebration, it’s okay to let it go.
Create new traditions.
Consider creating new traditions that suit your family’s lifestyle and energy levels. Maybe it means skipping elaborate festive dinners in favour of a simpler, cosier dinner or replacing gift exchanges with shared experiences. Whatever you choose, make sure it feels authentic and adds meaning rather than stress to your holiday season.
Finally, remember that the holidays are yours to shape. You don’t need to please everyone or conform to the expectations of others. Prioritizing what feels right for your family will help you embrace the magic of the holiday season without the weight of stressful expectations. Spend the season in a way that brings you happiness.
Declutter your mind and practice mindfulness.
The holiday season with all its demands and distractions can sometimes feel like too much. As part of this holiday declutter guide, I recommend decluttering your mind and practising mindfulness.
The aim is to create mental space to focus on what truly matters and regain a sense of control and balance during moments of stress. One of the simplest ways to declutter your mind is by making lists. When everything you need to do is swirling around in your head, it can feel overwhelming and chaotic. Writing it all down gives you clarity and allows you to prioritise.
Make a list.
Start by doing a brain dump and writing everything down. Then use the Eisenhower matrix to divide up all your tasks.
DO IT: Tasks that are important and must get done. Limit this to no more than 3 per day.
SCHEDULE IT: Tasks that are important but you don’t need to do today. Set aside specific times for larger tasks, so they don’t weigh on your mind.
DELEGATE IT: Tasks that need to be done but you either don’t want to do them, or your time is better spent on something else. Assign these tasks to others where possible, you don’t need to do everything yourself.
DELETE IT: Tasks that don’t need to be done. We may be emotionally attached to them, or they might be something we thought we needed to do but don’t. Let go of unnecessary or low-priority tasks that add no real value.
Planning and writing checklists keep us moving forward each day. When things pop up, as they often do, complete them on the spot if they take less than 2 minutes to complete. Otherwise, write them down as they appear and action them at a designated time at the end of the day. This will stop unplanned tasks from derailing your day, but they still get done.
Be mindful.
Mindfulness means focusing on the present moment instead of worrying about the past or future. Whether you are wrapping gifts, baking cookies or chatting with loved ones, try to immerse yourself in the experience. When your mind starts to wander, gently guide it back to the here and now. By practising mindfulness and staying grounded, you can navigate even the busiest times with calm and joy, making this holiday season one of connection and peace.
Reclaim the season as a time of joy and connection, rather than stress and overwhelm.
Disconnect from social media.
When writing this holiday declutter guide, I wanted to reference the influence that social media can have on our well-being during the holidays. Social feeds are often filled with highlight reels that can lead to unhelpful comparisons.
Comparing ourselves to others – whether it’s their decorations, their parties, or their picture-perfect family photos, only adds undue stress. Your holiday season doesn’t need to look like anyone else’s.
Stepping away from social media allows us to be fully present with our family and friends and enjoy the holidays as they unfold, rather than measuring it against the curated images of others.
Let go of the need for perfection, and simply embrace your traditions and enjoy them for what they are.
Holiday declutter guide: Now is the perfect time to start.
I hope this holiday declutter guide has given you insight into different aspects of our lives that could do with a little decluttering this holiday season.
The holidays don’t need to be a time of stress and overwhelm. When approached with intention it can be a time filled with joy and connection with others.
Decluttering our homes creates space to add festive decorations, accept special gifts and welcome guests that bring the holiday season to life.
Decluttering our schedules as well as our minds helps us prioritise meaningful moments while avoiding overcommitment and burnout.
Through practicing mindfulness and stepping away from social media we are able to stay grounded and present in the moment.
Letting go of outdated traditions and embracing ones that align with our hearts ensures our holidays are filled with authentic joy. By simplifying and focusing on what truly matters, we create room for the peace, love, comfort and magic that makes the holiday season so special.
Wishing you a peaceful and joyful holiday season.
