Episode 65: How to Simplify the Holidays, Marie Kondo Style

Holy crap-ola you guys, it’s December 1st. Like what in the actual heck. I was writing out my calendar yesterday and had to write New Years and I about choked thinking of ringing in a new year in just a few short weeks. But before we get there, we have the the holiday season. And as of today, there’s no more denying it…the holidays are officially here. (Although some of you have been in full Christmas mode since 12:00 AM on Halloween night……you know who you are.)

So it’s December and this month brings so. much. stuff (and I’m not just talking about what we wake up to on December 25th) Our homes get taken over by decor, our calendars fill up, our budgets increase, gift lists become a constant thought in our mind…..there’s physical clutter, mental clutter, calendar clutter…..just so much more clutter in all areas of our lives more than any other time of year.

The thing with clutter is that a lot of times the things themselves aren’t bad. Think of things you would normally declutter: clothes, books, household items….etc…. none of these things are bad on their own…..BUT too much of a good thing can actually turn into a bad thing. Too much can be a breeding ground overwhelm, frustration, or even resentment…..not exactly the feelings we want to be cultivating during this time of year (or any time really….but lets stick to the point.)

So if the thought of December is giving you any feelings of resistance, stress, overwhelm, worry, frustration etc…. let’s maybe consider if you need to do some decluttering or if it might be time to Marie Kondo your Christmas.

Okay so for those of you who might have been living under a rock in 20__ Marie Kondo wrote the New York Times bestselling book, The Life Changing Magic of Tidying up and it freaking swept the nation. The big takeaway from the book all about decluttering was the idea of keeping only the things the speak to the heart, and to discard items that no longer spark joy.

I loved how she said instead of looking for reasons to discard an item, we should look for reasons to keep them. I love this approach because of the simple mindset shift it creates. Focusing on the good and the joy you want in your life, instead of focusing on the negative things you want to get rid of.

It’s the idea of filling you life with so much of what you LOVE that you don’t have room for anything other than that. And doesn’t that sound like such a great way to approach the holiday season?!

When looking at how your upcoming holiday season looks, ask yourself this:

Does it “spark joy”?

If yes, congratulations! It gets to stay because it’s a happiness point in your season. The trick is to only say yes to and keep things that ‘spark joy’, that align with your family values and that are going to enhance your season.

As Marie says: “Keep only those things that speak to the heart, and discard items that no longer spark joy.” Items in this case being anything involved in your holiday season. This could be traditions, events, people, gifts, Christmas cards, etc….

By focusing on keeping the things that spark joy and not just on eliminating, saying no to, or discontinuing a tradition, keeps the focus on the positive. You’ll fill your season with the things that spark joy and discard the things that spark stress.

And that will lead to a happier holiday season. So what do ya say, you ready to Marie Kondo your holidays with me?!