Want less?

Don’t make room for more if you want to have less. It’s tempting to buy more bins, baskets, and organizing gadgets, but more containers often lead to more clutter. If your goal is to simplify, start by reducing what you own rather than creating new places to store stuff.

The best organizing tool is less stuff.

Stop excess

Excess is defined as more than is necessary, normal, or desirable. Stop the cycle of excess. More is not better when it causes stress and frustration. Use what you have and reduce to a manageable amount.

Read more to help get rid of excess:

Simplify the holidays

Simplify whenever possible.

5 Ways to simplify: 

  1. Reduce the number of people to whom you give gifts and the number of presents you give to an individual.
  2. Buy gifts that don’t require wrapping (especially for adults) for example: gifts of experience, donations to non-profits in the receiver’s name, gift cards, cash. 
  3. Send an E-card instead of paper greeting cards. 
  4. Support local bakeries instead of doing the baking yourself. 
  5. Use recyclable paper products for guests to reduce time spent on clean up.

Use Holiday lists

Utilize lists and timelines to make responsibilities easier to remember.

5 Helpful lists to use:

  1. Shopping list for food, table settings, gifts, and decorations 
  2. Gift list for current year and past years
  3. Travel packing list & check list for leaving home
  4. Delegation list for dinner prep, clean up, and other tasks
  5. Timeline for meal prep

Limiting choices helps prevent clutter

Limit the number of decisions you make each day and the options within each decision. For example, instead of choosing from five different cereals at breakfast, narrow it down to just two. Simplifying your choices saves time, reduces stress, and prevents clutter. Options are good, but too many is overwhelming.