Get Your Home Holiday-Ready: Declutter for a Stress-Free Season

As the holiday season approaches, the chaos of festivities can quickly become overwhelming. To alleviate stress, organizational expert Jane Stoller emphasizes the importance of decluttering before the busy days ahead. This proactive approach can help create a more harmonious atmosphere for families during a time typically filled with joy and activity.

Stoller, the author of Decluttering for Dummies and Organize Your Business Like a Boss, warns that clutter can significantly elevate stress levels. A study conducted by UCLA found that stress hormones in mothers increased when managing household clutter. Stoller notes, “Clutter can harm relationships, and studies have shown that where the word ‘clutter’ is used to describe their current household, a higher percentage of divorces ensued.”

Her advice for managing clutter centers on communication with family members. She suggests sharing decluttering habits and strategies with partners and housemates to prevent misunderstandings. “Sometimes the people you live with get worried when they hear the word decluttering, thinking you’re planning on getting rid of everything, including their sentimental things,” she explains. Stoller recommends clearly labeling boxes for donating, recycling, discarding, or keeping sentimental items.

When hosting family gatherings, the division of household tasks often becomes a point of contention. Stoller encourages families to view their responsibilities as a team effort to avoid resentment. “I always tell families to think of the household as a team effort,” she states. “Resentment comes when one person feels like they’re doing more than their share or when the ‘invisible work’ goes unnoticed.”

To address this, Stoller suggests listing all tasks, including those that may not be immediately obvious, such as planning meals or taking out the recycling. By making these responsibilities visible, families can fairly distribute the workload. She adds that tools like a family calendar or a shared app can enhance transparency and help everyone stay informed.

For those feeling overwhelmed by the prospect of deep-cleaning before guests arrive, Stoller offers a practical solution: outsourcing. “Outsourcing at home is really about two things: protecting your time and protecting your energy,” she states. Hiring help for cleaning tasks, especially if they consume significant time and lead to frustration, can be a worthwhile investment for many families. Stoller advises weighing the benefits of outsourcing against the time saved for family or personal pursuits.

Consistency plays a crucial role in managing holiday chaos. Stoller highlights the effectiveness of small daily rituals. “Making the bed, clearing the kitchen counters before bed, and putting things back where they belong are simple yet powerful routines,” she notes. These habits can lead to smoother mornings and less frantic clean-ups when hosting.

For those facing an abundance of gifts and toys during the holidays, establishing clear systems can help maintain order. Stoller points out that children often become overwhelmed with too many toys, so guiding relatives to consider gifts that are experiences or books can reduce clutter. “When toys have a clear home and routines are established, children feel more secure,” she explains, adding that parents also experience less stress.

To address digital clutter, which tends to increase during the holiday season, Stoller advises cleaning up electronic devices. “If your phone is constantly buzzing and your inbox is overflowing, it doesn’t stay ‘in the cloud’ — it seeps into your mood,” she cautions. She even suggests a bold approach: “Simply delete your entire email inbox. If someone really needs to reach you, they will email you again in your fresh, clean inbox.”

Stoller will be signing her new book, Organize Your Business Like a Boss, at Indigo Robson in Vancouver on December 7. Her insights offer valuable strategies for maintaining a stress-free environment during the holiday season, ensuring that joy prevails over chaos.