Hi there! I hope wherever you’re watching this, you’re nice, warm, and cozy. It’s been really cold here in New York, and I’ve learned how to layer my clothes — but it’s still not very comfortable getting out of the house, especially when I have to walk the dog.
Anyway, the reason I wanted to make this video is because I’ve been thinking about all the families still in the process of decluttering their homes. If you’re also hosting family, relatives, or friends for the holidays, it can feel stressful knowing there’s still clutter to tackle or surfaces to clear off so you can set up displays for presents, food, and decorations.
If you’re still in the middle of decluttering, you might even feel embarrassed if someone comes over and opens a messy closet. So I just wanted to offer a few thoughts on that. It’s okay, especially when hosting, to temporarily gather the things you haven’t gone through yet into boxes or bags for different categories. Maybe one for clothing and accessories, another for electronics, cords, and plugs — so you can presort the things you’ll get to in the new year.
In the meantime, to help reduce some visual clutter, just create these “to-do” bags and make sure to label them so you know what’s inside. Remind yourself to be grateful for the things that are waiting patiently for you to deal with them when you’re ready.
Look at your January 2026 calendar and see if you can schedule a weekly appointment with yourself to go through each bag. This takes some of the pressure off worrying that someone might open a closet and things will fall out. You could even make a cute little sign that says “Do not enter — Santa’s workshop” or something fun like that.
Hopefully, that brings you some relief, because sometimes we just need someone to say it’s okay to do that. I know it can feel like tossing everything into bags means you’re not decluttering “properly,” but the difference here is in the presorting. Putting things into categories now makes it so much easier when you’re ready to go through them later.
I hope that helps. If you have any urgent organizing issues or need extra tips, let me know. I’m always here for the families I work with and everyone who subscribes — you don’t need to feel stuck or alone trying to deal with your clutter.
Happy holidays, and stay warm!
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