As we march through December, it is natural for our thoughts to be consumed with the holidays, and however you celebrate, it may be time to examine the notion of decluttering your holiday lists. I say lists, because there are naturally more than one list that we tend to make this time of year, so let’s tackle one at a time.
Gift Buying Lists
Yes, I said it and yes, it may be a tough one for you to declutter, but it is important to review and streamline that list of people you will be buying for this year. Perhaps a better way to put this (as we all start to think we have to lose some friends and family which is not what I am proposing) is to be more mindful and intentional in how these lists look. If you have a past list, bring it out and examine it, and even if you don’t have this prior list, go through those loved ones that you are planning to purchase for. The first thing to do is make sure that the list is accurate and makes sense, removing and perhaps even adding names as needed, for whatever reason. Now that you are left with those people that you in fact want to buy for, perhaps ask yourself the best way to do this buying. Acknowledging someone this time of year does not always have to be with a physical gift; for the person who literally has a home bursting with “stuff” you may not want to buy them more “stuff.’“ Would they prefer a gift card to a cafe or restaurant, or maybe a donation to their favourite charity? TEvenry to think outside of the box; you may be doing that person a favour by not adding clutter to their lives!
Your Own holiday To-Do list
Believe it or not, you can change and alter how you prepare for the holidays from year to year, and it may be a good idea to do so. You may have ideas or even written physical lists on what you do in preparation for the holiday time, and these need to be reviewed and decluttered. Holiday preparation can be so much fun, but also, perhaps leaning in to the things that truly give you and your family the most joy are the things to bring into focus, rather than the “more more more approach.” If we overdo anything, everything seems to suffer with less appreciation for the important things, and this goes for everything from decor to food – how much do we really need….d? It may be a good time to get rid of some things that may be excess and keep the things that you truly love. Bonus from this? There is much less to put away in January once the holiday dust has settled.
Now let’s get working on those lists, and remember, decluttering them does not reduce our joy during the holiday season it actually enhances it!
Aside from helping with all of our decluttering needs, Avery hosts the Journey Into Yoga Podcast where she guides you through a different yoga pose each week explaining all that it has to offer the body and mind. Episodes and more can be found at averyrich.com. Check out this week’s show where Avery begins a journey through the postures found in a sun salute, beginning with prayer pose!
Avery Rich
Avery hails from Winnipeg, Manitoba, with a background in both law and yoga! As a long time Yoga Instructor, she hosts the Journey Into Yoga podcast, a show which explores and demystifies a different yoga posture each week. A true believer in creating space in our bodies through yoga, her Declutter U newsletter is designed to provide tips and tools on how to create more space in our lives by decluttering.
