I Unexpectedly Had Surgery - Here's What I Learned About Myself + My Home

My health took an unexpected turn for the worse this summer and it completely caught me off guard. Here’s how it went down and what I learned about myself and home in the chaos.

The summer started off just as expected, with all the normal summer vibes in full force. I cruised into it with a pause on my business, to focus more intentionally on time with my kids, without the pressure of achievement/deadlines looming (incredibly grateful to adjust my work schedule around their yearly rhythms).

Morning walks, bike rides, park visits, VBS week to spiritually reset, beading fun + classes to learn new skills at my friend Abi’s store - Bead Made Beads, kicking the soccer ball around, meeting up with friends in the early mornings before the heat ramped up, eating our weight in ice pops, watching the cucumbers / tomatoes / herbs / flowers take off in the garden, making pickles, a few soccer camps, swimming / all the water things, loads of trips to the library…you name it, the summer was indeed so GOOD.

Colorful summer beading vibes.

Learning how to make Morse Code bracelets.

I’m purposely leaving out some details here, but come late June, I had some pain in my upper abdomen that I thought was related to a stomach muscle strain. Back in May, I was convinced I had strained something lifting weights. I’m an avid kettle bell person and at the time, I worked them into my early morning work outs 4-5 times a week. So a muscle strain, while coaching two youth soccer teams, was definitely not out of the question. Over the next few months I would have these “muscle flare ups” as a I called them, that felt like an intense stomach cramp. I just had to ride them out until it “released”. I would recline in a chair, sip water, take deep breaths and put a heating pad on it. It would last anywhere from 45 minutes to 6-8hrs +. I only had this experience a few times and assumed this strained muscle had gotten aggravated by something I was doing, so I down shifted all my weights and changed my workout patterns.

Weeks would go by at a time without a hint of any issues. Life felt completely normal. My sleep would improve and things seemed to be healing. Then come July, things started to ramp up again. These “episodes” were becoming more frequent. At one point, I started to rethink what might be going on. I did some research and starting considering the idea that I might have a peptic ulcer that was infected. I started paying attention to the foods I was eating to see if there was any correlation or particular triggers. I stopped eating most dairy, did not take any medications for pain (NSAIDS), avoided spicy or greasy foods and had very little caffeine. We already cook a lot at home so it was easy to navigate avoiding certain foods because I knew what was going into everything I was eating. Surely I could get to the bottom of this with these adjustments.

Our family escaped for a week to the hill country area of Kyle, south of Austin, for several days in the middle of July. When I say escaped, I mean that literally. My husband was also having some health issues as well at the time (I’ll spare you those details) and I was in complete confusion as to what was going on with me. But this week, we all got a break. We took a deep breath. We picked up my parents early on Monday and headed out for the week to rest and relax. It was a wonderful week of being in country isolation, an infinite amount of birds singing, continuous breezes, sunshine, swimming and inspiring architecture. We needed this time so much. We had no clue what was coming next.

Drank my matcha here for the week + listened to the birds all week. Heaven.

The coolest covered salt water pool I ever did see at the Plant at Kyle.

Nature showing off in the Texas hill country.

When we got back, by the end of the weekend, my episodes continued to get worse, regardless of what I was eating. My concern started to grow exponentially. One morning I called my general practitioner just to be evaluated, even though I didn’t have a ton of concrete information to share. This was in the middle /later in July, and even after telling them I was having bad reactions to a suspected stomach ulcer, I still couldn’t get into to see anyone until August 7th, which was almost 3 weeks after my call into the them. It felt like an impossible stretch of time. There was zero sense of urgency.

On July 20th, I had one of the worst “episodes” to date. I had extreme stomach pain that made me throw up on and off for hours on end. It started in the morning when I got up, things leveled out for a few hours, then went right back into it. It was completely debilitating. I couldn’t move, I couldn’t get comfortable. I couldn’t do anything. I couldn’t care for my family. I knew this in no way was sustainable, yet I still had to wait several weeks to get into the doctor. I was extremely worried, concerned, and also trying to get my kids ready to go back to school…can’t stop the mom duties.

After I got through that last round, things leveled out a bit and I had some hope. I had maybe 1-2 minor “episodes” but I was able to work through them and keep going. I wanted my kids to have a great end to summer. I didn’t want whatever was going on with me to get in the way.

Now let’s fast forward a bit to Friday August 1st. I had just spent the previous day in the hospital with my husband while he waited for an MRI and for a procedure to be scheduled (again, going to spare you the details). When I woke up that Friday morning, the pain I experienced was the worst to date (some of the worst in my entire life) and it was all over my abdomen, not just isolated to one spot. I had barely eaten the night before because it was a late night picking up kids staying with family while I was at the hospital, etc. I was suppose to go up to the hospital for my husband to have 2 procedures that day and I couldn’t move…I couldn’t stop throwing up (among other symptoms) and I felt like someone had poured acid inside my body coupled with stabbing pain. Nothing about this was normal. I talked with my father in law (while in the fetal position on the floor of my bathroom) and asked him to take over with Luke at the hospital. I debated calling 911 but I was worried about my kids and where they would go and who would take care of them. I got through an intense wave, texted my mom that I needed her to make the 3 hour drive up to help me, and she did, no questions asked. Thank you God for a mom that cares deeply and will drop anything to help her kids. I am so grateful.

My oldest daughter played “mom” that day and took care of herself and her little sister. She also frequently checked in on me. She made meals for them. She entertained them. She played with her. She read with her. Gosh my kids are amazing. I sat in the recliner in my bedroom all day, trying to sip on water but couldn’t keep anything down. To say I was scared was such an understatement. I felt a huge sigh of relief when my mom arrived that afternoon and I knew my kids would be taken care of for the evening.

The next morning, August 2nd (also my 17th wedding anniversary, HA!), I got up early, scheduled an appointment at a local urgent care for 8am, and dragged myself there. I had no energy, no stamina and very little hope that I was going to get much help. But I had to try. Luke was still in the hospital recovering for his two procedures from the day before. With my mom around to help with my girls, I was free to try to run around and attempt to get myself some help. Once I got to urgent care, we did blood labs and those were sent off. The doctor also gave me a referral for a full abdominal ultrasound for the stomach pain I was experiencing. Between the labs and ultrasound being scheduled, the ball was rolling. I felt like maybe we were getting somewhere. By Monday morning, I was able to get in for the abdominal imaging. I pushed for a rush on the results and thankfully after many conversations with people in person, phone calls and SO much waiting/dropped phone calls (and don’t get me started on that obnoxious hip hop style elevator music I listened to on hold during 90% of my medical phone calls), I started to get some answers.

Somewhere in this mess, my husband came home from the hospital. I assumed some care duties to help him with post surgery healing. It was not glamorous but I did what needed to be done. We kept the ship afloat.

On Tuesday morning, I went back to urgent care for them to give me the imaging and blood panel results because nothing would load virtually in my account like they told me it would (I just love when technology works completely against you in a desperate time).

The guy at the front desk handed me some papers. ‘Extreme cholelithiasis’ is what I read halfway down the top paper in the stack he handed me. I pointed to this term and asked the person at the front desk “what does this mean?” One of the medical techs came over and confirmed the definition on the results and she said to me the words “SEVERE GALLSTONES”.

I cussed out loud (something like HOLY SH**). This is 100% out of character for me by the way. Not an avid cusser by nature. I could NOT believe what I was hearing. I could not have been more caught off guard. I left with my paperwork completely stunned, feeling like I was in an alternate universe.

The next 48 hours were a blur, as I waited for my August 7th appointment (that I had ironically made several weeks ago thinking I had an ulcer). Thursday eventually came, I fasted for my next round of labs, and got a full assessment with all the new information I had brought to my nurse practitioner (the only person I could get in to see) and got an immediate referral for a surgeon. I called them in the car after the appointment.

The first surgeon they referred me to couldn’t see me for a full month. I ask for any other surgeon available, who was also well known in the surgery community, and I was able to get in the next day for a pre-surgery appointment. Done. At the appointment, the surgeon told me I had 2 options - that I could “deal with it” (that I ONLY had 5 gallstones in my gallbladder, HA!) OR have my gallbladder removed (which was recommended based on intensity of my symptoms). Well folks, those “only 5 gallstones” nearly killed me. So the decision was simple. My gallbladder removal surgery was scheduled for the next available slot with my new surgeon on August 19, 2025.

Feeling glamorous getting ready for surgery after an extra 1.5 hour delay.

Week+ post surgery check in. I found new gray hairs. Yay for me! I earned those!

I went on a low/no fat eating regiment to prep my body for surgery and to deter it from any more gallbladder attacks. (I’m still eating in this camp now to let my body adjust to my new normal, a few weeks post surgery).

Fast forward to my surgery day and everything went as planned. Thank you God for this boring, uneventful surgery day! As I type this, I am one day away from my post op appointment and I’m on the mend. I’m easing back into things and my incisions are healing as well expected. These battle scars will leaving a lasting impression on me, that’s for sure. We’re getting on the other side of this mess.

But it’s been SCARY as hell. I will not sugar coat it.

WHAT I LEARNED ABOUT MYSELF

• Asking for help can feel deflating and debilitating, yet I had no choice. I let my mother fully step in when I needed her, I allowed my father in law to care for my husband in the hospital when I couldn’t be there, I let me kids do more than their fair share around the house when I couldn’t do much of anything, I let friends take things off my plate daily, I said no to a lot.

• I am only 1 person and I have limits. Again, this is not enjoyable to admit. I’ve slowly been swirling around with this idea over the past few years, but it has come to a head the last month. We cannot be “on” all the time, deep rest feels hard, and our health is essential.

• I care very deeply for others and try to show up for them loyally as much as I can, so others were willing to do the same for me. I’m so grateful for the friendships and relationships in my life - particularly the people who step up for you apologetically during hard moments, when they aren’t sure how to help, but they still show up. That’s the type of person I want to be.

• You’re going to be disappointed by people. Some people know you’re going through a hard time and don’t want to “bother you”, yet their silence of not reaching out is far worse. Also, some people aren’t privy to the knowledge of knowing you’re having a hard time and that makes it clear who you can lean on and who you can’t. Not everyone can be in your inner circle and that’s OK.

Self-serve pantry, all day everyday. Always trying to make it easy for anyone to see everything + grab what’s needed.

Our mantle is visible through most of the home. It’s a place where I’ve tried to create visual cues of calm + cozy.

WHAT I LEARNED ABOUT MY HOME

• My home is decluttered and organized enough for other people to take over, keep the ship afloat, find things, make food and also take care of themselves in the home. How do we do this? I’ll circle back to this and break it down in a future blog post.

• Minimal cleaning was done (and no one cared about it for good reason) for almost 3 weeks and the house was still easy to maintain and not a total hot mess / laundry, dishes, wiping down the counters sometimes and the occasional sweeping of the floor kept things functional.

• My home is set up for other people to easily take over and help. As my kids have gotten older, I’ve constantly redesigned systems and locations of things to allow more independence from them with food, clean up, projects, creating, laundry, etc. They could chip in easily and take on a lot of tasks because the home sets them up for success.

• My mother, our extended stay house guest for several weeks before and after my surgery, could settled into our home rhythms and be taken care of and comfortable without much effort from me. Her basics were taken care of - a clean bed, bathroom space, a spot for her clothing, access to laundry if needed, she knew where the french press was to make her morning coffee, food was available and easy to find in the fridge and pantry, etc. The home was not a chaotic obstacle for a house guest. She could assist during a stressful time but still be comfortable.

TAKE AWAYS FOR YOUR OWN LIFE + HOME

• Listen to your body, early and often. Don’t spend too much time gathering lots of information so you’re “ready” for a doctors visit. If something feels off, go see someone, even if you have to see several doctors. Just do it.

• Fight for yourself always and be your own advocate. The number of times I had to ask more questions and not accept what I was being told was astonishing. Listen. Ask questions. Make the phone calls. Show up in person to keep things moving. It’s worth it.

• Ask for help and know you’re worth receiving the help.

• Create systems in your home that allow for the ebbs and flows of life’s chaos to keep you and your family grounded and taken care of when inside your home.

• Have extremely simple, nourishing foods on hand at all times that take little to no effort to prepare. Oatmeal, potatoes, sweet potatoes, cereal, raw veggies, fruit, eggs, toast, etc. Create a list that works for you and your home so you can stay fed even when you’re not well or just completely exhausted.

• Remove physical obstacles in your home that make daily tasks hard to do. Get rid of extra “stuff” that doesn’t help you live well or do your daily home routines easily. These things drain your time and your energy.

• Edit ruthlessly. Your thoughts. Your belongings. Your time. Yours spaces.

Sending you lots of love and hugs. Thanks again to everyone who checked in on me. You are wonderful.

See you in the next post.

*big hugs* // Kristin

The Life of Our Dog, Chai - A Love Story.

In August 2008, I married the love of my life, Luke. We often talked about getting a dog, as I did not have one growing up and always yearned for one (just ask my parents). By the end of 2008, we started looking for dogs to adopt more seriously. We frequented a few local adoption days around Dallas early in 2009 without a match.

To give further context about this season of life, the recession of 2008 was in full force. I was employed full time at an educational architecture/interior design firm that wasn’t feeling the brunt of it as quickly as other sectors were. Luke, who was employed at a small, boutique hospitality architecture firm at the time, lost his job in early 2009, when the firm essentially dissolved. At this time, my company had its first round of many layoffs. I somehow kept making in through each layoff, watching so many incredibly talented humans (that I still keep in touch with) walk away from the company, simply because of a ‘dollar amount’ they needed to hit with financial cuts on a spreadsheet.

So here we were, newlyweds, one income, my student loans to pay off, car payments, rent, etc. Sounds so dreamy, doesn’t it? Everyone everywhere was fearful of losing their job. Life was incredibly stressful at this time. And to be clear, there were NO jobs to find if you lost yours. As we looked to cut expenses, we started looking at other rental options in the Dallas area where we lived. We were in a condo that had the WORST natural light, and frankly, it was depressing to be in. While Luke looked for any nibble of a job, he also looked for new rental options for us. Side note: there were no jobs, but by the grace of God, Luke landed architecture contract work with an architect he met through his old boss, after several months of nothing.

Luke continued to scour the area for properties we could rent and reduce our monthly payments to keep the ship afloat. Soon enough, he managed to track down a house we could rent, just a few blocks down from where we were. We weren’t ready to leave Dallas, so we kept our search quite narrow. A 1940s cottage, with a yard no less, and several hundred dollars less a month for rent! Jackpot! It was also a great option if we did find a pup, so we continued to lay the ground work for what might happen in the future. And worth noting, Margo and Norm were the kindest and most wonderful landlords we’ve ever had. To no surprise, they also loved Chai dearly. They’d bring her treats/refill her water and give her lots of ear scrubs anytime they had to stop by to check on the property if we were at work.

Above: Jenner, California. Newlyweds. August 2008. 

Fast forward a bit, it was about a month-ish before we were about to have to renew our lease or move out in the spring of 2009, and things started to get interesting. We secured the lease for the house rental and told our condo landlord we were ending our lease. Check and check.

We also went to another pet adoption day at a local Petsmart to check out the pups, where we met a dog named Nora. We loved her temperament, that she was a mix breed and her beautiful, rusty colored fur. We spent some time with her but were still on the fence about it, so we decided to visit her another day at the shelter she was at. We were told she would be back at Dallas Animal Services if she didn’t get adopted that day. We trusted the process and went to look for her the next day to spend more time with her. We never found Nora again. Thankfully she had been adopted, which was no surprise to us. I will always credit Nora as being Chai’s guardian angel, because she’s what ultimately led us to finding her.

Above: Newly adopted Chai in our condo, spring 2009.

FINDING + ADOPTING CHAI:

Over the next few visits to DAS, we met a German Sheppard mix and a German Shorthaired Pointer that caught our eye. They were wonderful dogs but the chemistry just wasn’t there. It just wasn’t the right fit. On one of the visits to see one of them, it just so happened to be one of their deep cleaning days. Dogs were moved all over the place while the cleaning took place, and it was on this day that we met Chai for the first time. They told us we could walk around but they couldn’t pull any dogs at this time. We walked around towards the back hall of the pup rooms (as I call them) and Luke all the sudden stops and says “that one”. I didn’t know what he was saying honestly. He spotted Chai instantly and just knew. Close by, there was a woman volunteering that walked by us, who I still refer to as the “animal whisperer”. She had dedicated her life to animals, knew so much about them and had many of her own. She was incredible to talk to. Luke asked her if we could see her just for moment (the dog he had spotted) and she got her out for just a quick minute to meet her right outside her room. The love connection between Luke and Chai was instant. It was undeniable. I was more cautious, as I had never had a dog and I didn’t want to get too attached too quickly. She was instantly in Luke’s arms, and little did I know, it was done.

We came back the next day to spend more time with her (praying she would be there when we got back). SHE WAS!! When we took her outside to one of the private play yards, she went right out, sniffed around, did her business (!!!), then immediately came running to us. Cue the confetti throwing and my heart bursting in a million happy pieces. We had just learned that her name was Chai (and for more context here, I deeply loved and still do love chai tea, so it was fitting). We learned that she came to the shelter at about 4 months old, with no name, so they name her there. We were told she had been surrendered by someone who had too many animals to care for. She was underweight and had patchy fur, likely from neglect. We saw through all of that. She was stunning to us.

Chai knew her name already and came when she was called. She had no ability to stop and would run back and forth to Luke and I, plowing into our legs to stop and get a snuggle and an ear scrub. We made our decision right there that Chai was going to come home with us. It was a very simple decision. Like marrying Luke, it was simple. A lot of life is complex and complicated, but not with those two.

Above: Chai at 5 months, the day we adopted her.

On the day the adoption was official, Luke went to pick her up while I was at work. Our friends, Anne and Russ, quickly came to the rescue and let us borrow their kennel to help with our transition with a new puppy. Thank you, Anne + Russ! I couldn’t focus at work and I remember talking to one of my dearest friends, Jessica, about what was happening. She knew what a big moment this was, as one of the deepest dog lovers/advocates I’ll likely ever meet. For the first time in my life, I was getting to drive home to MY OWN DOG. I was a 25 year old bursting with so much joy! This was a dream come true for me!

We spent about a month longer in our condo with Chai before we moved, including a quick stay from our dear friend, Kelly. Kelly is a longtime, dear friend of mine, and is one of the few people who knew Chai in her earliest days with us. We loved having her with us. Chai would have peed many more times on the carpet if it wasn’t for her! Thank you, Kelly!

Above: Just starting to snow, 1940s rental house. Dallas, 2009.

MOVING INTO THE DALLAS HOUSE WITH CHAI:

Alas, we packed up and moved into our 1940s house rental, equipped with the perfect yard for Chai to run and play in, right next to a hyperactive, squirrel hunting Westie. We loved the time in this older home with all the beautiful craftsmanship that came with it. I loved the sound of Chai’s paws click clacking on the hardwood floors. We learned a lot about being a family in this home and what we wanted in a home in the future for all of us to thrive. Notable moments in this home were lots of visits from our friends for dinners and slumber party’s with our dear friend, Sara, when we had to leave town without Chai. She’d swoop in and pup sit for the weekend. Chai loved her Sara time. Thank you, Sara!

BEACH TRIP WITH CHAI:

For Luke and I’s one year wedding anniversary, we drove down to Galveston in the intense August heat to get some beach time with our pup. We were thankful to find a house rental that welcomed dogs, yet didn’t smell like it! We spent good chunks of the days there walking along the beach with Chai, popping in and out of the water, and looking for treasures along the shore. Chai quickly observed that I kept stopping in the sand to dig up shells and stones, so she joined in. This made me smile so much, doing one of my favorite things with MY dog. I’d stop to look at what she’d found, then pick up the best stuff, being sure to give her lots of pets to tell her what great finds she’d found! The most notable memory we have of this trip is hearing her first deep barks when we’d go into the water. She would not follow us in but just ran up and down the shore barking, waiting intently for us to come back. She would not join us in the water, but stayed right along the shoreline. Ironically, Chai loved the water. If you looked close at her paws, they were webbed. She was a calm, efficient swimmer. We dubbed this role of hers as 'lifeguard Chai’, of which we’d see many more times around pools, as she watched out for her people to keep them safe. But mostly, this just made us laugh, because if you were someone who knew Chai well, you knew that she RARELY ever barked. She waited for moments where it was really worth it. This went on her whole life, only barking when it counted or she felt like her people needed to be alerted or protected.

Above: Chai at the beach, Galveston. August 2009.

We’d end up spending less than a year in the Dallas house before relocating north to a 7 acre ranch house rental in Frisco, closer to where we both now worked up in Plano at the time. Our new neighbors were 3 miniature donkeys named Rollo, Rosie and Sweet Pea. Rollo had audible toots when he’d run, Rosie was the mama bear of group, and Sweet Pea was just an absolute sweetie! We loved all of them instantly, including Chai. They all enjoy ear scrubs (just like a dog) and they were fun to drive alongside the dirt road with at the end of the day.

LIVING IN FRISCO WITH CHAI:

During the first 2 weeks on property, while getting use to all the crazy coyote calls around dusk and into the night, we had a snow storm come through, turning everything into a wintery wonderland. This was the first time we got to see how much Chai loved snow. It was undeniable. Over the years we’d get to see her perk up in snow many more times, despite living in Texas. Her nose would plow through the white fluff until she found a special treasure, like a buried tennis ball or the perfect stick to run around with.

Below: Chai and the mini donkeys, Frisco. January 2010.

Above: Chai and I exploring in the snow, Frisco. January, 2010.

We had many visitors out to the 7 acre Frisco property over the next 1.5 years. We had many friend gatherings, family visits and we loved romping around the property after work /weekends exploring with Chai. There was an infinite amount of things to power sniff out there, and Luke loved chipping golf balls in the pasture (also attempting to teach me some golf basics of which I’d quickly forget). Chai helped us gather up the golf balls in the field in a big metal bucket after each round. Life was good.

Before we new it, it was springtime in 2013, and we found ourselves in a more intense search for a home in the mid cities area. We’d been cutting our living expenses and saving money for years and were finally ready to take the home ownership plunge. While the Frisco property was a blast to live on, we did not love the area we were in. Fixer uppers in the area were hard to come by and we didn’t necessarily jive well enough with the area to want to put down permanent roots. We were more than ready to have a home of our own, that we could get our hands on, and put our architecture / design knowledge to good use (outside of our careers).

BUYING A HOUSE WITH CHAI:

After several back and forth negotiations, we signed our life over to a 1960s home in Hurst, Texas. My best friend from college, Anne, lived just a few streets over to sweeten the deal. She helped us feel more comfortable getting settled into the area. Thank you, Anne! At the time, the housing prices in mid-cities area were some of the best in the DFW area. Knowing that we hoped to have kids someday, we looked for quality schools and a big backyard for endless playing in for future children and Chai. We use to joke (and still joke) that all we really wanted was an older home with a window over the kitchen sink, a big backyard, and streets we feel safe walking on. This is still our primary checklist! We can figure out the rest after this!

Above: 1960s home purchase, in all her pink glory. She is no longer pink. Spring, 2013.

Now I’m not going to sugarcoat it…this faded, coral pink house sat on the market for months for a reason. Let me paint a quick picture for you…dark wood paneling everywhere, lots of old carpet everywhere, wallpaper on more walls than I want to mentally revisit, and just SO dark…BUT it had a HUGE backyard for the area! We could work with this! Here’s what you need to understand…when it comes to older homes, there’s very little that scares Luke and I off. Very little.

Fast forward a bit, we had the keys at the end of April/early May, and spent weekends and many nights after a full workday driving into Hurst to work on the house. We’d come home from work, grab food to eat in the car and start driving over to Hurst from Frisco (after traffic had died down) to squeeze in about 2 hours of housework before coming home. Chai loved exploring her new backyard and keeping us company while doing essential, yet mundane tasks, like tearing down faux wood beams in an already low living room ceiling, removing stubborn wallpaper, taking down sets of ridiculous saloon looking shutters, and scraping several layers of linoleum flooring to prep for new floors. Our flooring installers said we could save $500 if we’d do most of the removal of the existing flooring. We needed to save every penny would could, so we did it, and hated every minute of it. And when I say we, Luke did the scraping, while I was working through (I mean battling) every wall surface throughout the home with wallpaper removal.

Before: Looking into kitchen.

After: The power of paint.

Before: Living room + hearth.

Before: Laundry niche in all it's glory. Not an orange gal.

After: Painted hearth + doggy.

After: Laundry niche, paint, removed cabinet doors, added hooks for days, etc.

One evening we drove to work on the house with Chai, and as we were getting out of the truck in the driveway, our new neighbors, Brandi, Brian and Bailey greeted us with a big wave. We spent the better part of our 2 hours talking with them and learning more about them and the area. They were so welcoming (and still are!) and made us feel so good about our new landing spot. They loved on Chai and were happy we were all there. Thank you Brian, Brandi + Bailey!!

CHAI’S BEST FRIEND:

In future months, our new neighbors would adopt at reddish-furred Golden Retriever named Rosebud. Rosebud was so easy to love and instantly adored by our family. She came from a service dog in training program for dogs that had ‘changed careers'. Instead of going into a service position, she moved into an adoption group and thankfully our neighbors found her! It was no surprise that she had originally embarked on a service path; her sweetness, temperament and intelligence were immediately evident. Her claim to fame was that loved to have her paws rubbed. She’d sit on her hind end and sit back, with both her paws held up to you, until you gave them the pets that she felt they deserved. She would ultimately become Chai’s best friend and we loved her dearly.

In the spring of 2015, when I was extremely pregnant with my oldest daughter, just weeks before she was born, we had a very late snow in north Texas. It was SO strange. Luke was constantly worried about me slipping and falling in the ice and snow, as was I! The pictures below were from that snow. I would give birth to Josie about a week and a half after these photos…and as I write this, it is her 10th birthday today! What a full circle moment!

Chai's bestie, Rosebud. March 2015.

Rosebud + Chai. March 2015.

Years down the road, Rosebud became ill suddenly and passed away. I remember hearing this news and crying so hard in our kitchen. I just couldn’t fathom at that time a loss like that, yet alone my own dog. I often wondered if Chai new she was gone…can they find out information like this with their routine walks and sniffs? What do dogs feel after a loss? Do they feel depression and go into mourning? I’ve always been curious…

CHAI WITH BABIES AROUND:

Well, no surprise here, Chai was amazing around young babies and kids. You have your concerns while you’re pregnant because it’s a new experience for all, but she was the absolute best. With my first born, she would get up with me during all the middle of the night feedings and lay by my feet until I got Josie back into her crib. With my youngest, who was more distracted when nursing, Chai would get up with me and lay in her bed outside the door, then walk me back to bed when I got Heidi back into her crib. My middle of the night guide dog helped me make it through these long nights…

Chai helped me survive in so many ways during my early years with babies. The lack of sleep. The complete confusion around my identity as a new mother, who had put her career on pause to focus on family (while still running a small business). I feel confident that there was undiagnosed postpartum depression in the mix with my youngest; fortunately for me, I would force myself to go outside and take Chai for a walk because I knew she needed it. I’m the one who needed the walk for my mental health. The baby needed fresh air. But my concern for Chai is truly what got me moving and got me outside. Her gentle nudge to keep going and keep doing normal-ish things is what kept me from going down a really dark, rough road that would have been so easy to go down.

In the fall of 2016 (the year Luke and I refer to as the year from hell), we had a miscarriage in between both of our girls. That season was one of the darkest I’ve ever experienced. I never want to go back. This might be why I don’t have more than 2 children. I was so relieved when the second one came that I said “I’m good, we did it. What a gift. Let’s savor this, what we have.” With Chai’s 6th sense, she didn’t leave my side during all the medical experiences I would be forced to deal with over the next 8 weeks, while I had constant reminders of loss that I couldn’t escape from, day or night. When I would sit down in our big brown chair in the living room, she would sit right next to me, with either her head or paw (or both) on my lap. Chai only did this when she knew I needed it. If she sensed a lot of stress, anxiety or concern from me, this is what she did (see below). Her head and often her paw was on my leg. How did I get so lucky with her, honestly? The calm she shared in my lowest moments I’ll never forget. How can I? What a gift she was.

Above: Chai resting her head on my leg, a message from her to me to take a breath, reset and not worry so much.

Chai was the perfect friend on the ground with the girls during tummy time, and would frequently check in with them by way of a quick lick in the face to remind everyone these were HER babies. Chai loved the girls so much. She was so patient while we learned to be gentle petting her and learning how to take care of her…and ideally not play in her water / food or eat it…yuck!

NORMAL DAYS WITH CHAI: Walking in our neighborhood was her favorite. I will 100% credit Luke for how well she walked on a leash, as he spent the most time with her on this when he was working from home in our earlier days with her (while I was in the office during the week). She was never really big on toys, but she loved to hunt for a great stick or chew on deer sheds, which usually came by way of family in Nebraska. Occasionally she had a stuffed animal she would snuggle with. We still have one of the gray hippos…we washed it and I think it made it’s way into Heidi’s bed the last time I checked.

We have two large oak trees in our back yard, one that has a split trunk that holds a squirrel village. Chai would often lay at the base of this one, just a few feet away to keep the squirrels at bay. She’d only go after the one’s that were getting bossy back there. She picked her moments wisely and it was so fun to watch her from our kitchen bay window.

Above: Every spring since we moved in, there's a patch of primrose that pops up. Primrose was one of my grandmother's favorite flowers. It's always a yearly 'hello' from her.

ADVENTURES WITH CHAI:

Early on we made a few treks up to Nebraska to see family. She always enjoyed time up there and the freedom of wide open spaces. She got along best with Rancher, my BIL’s past dog, who was such a good boy. He was in a dog league all his own.

Above: We had a trip a few years ago, in late October, to Beaver’s Bend with Luke's parents. We enjoyed lots of beautiful hikes in cooler weather with Chai and the girls.

In the last few years, we’ve made a few trips to Colorado to escape the intense July heat of Texas. We’ve explored to different areas around the Spanish Peaks, and also got to visit with some friends last year that had recently moved to Pagosa Springs. Chai seemed to physically feel really good in Colorado, even in her age. Maybe it was cooler mountain air, fresh water, power sniffs for days…she really enjoyed herself and had good, steady energy there. Even last summer (in 2024) she made several hikes with us with ease. Deep in my gut though I knew these might be her last, so I marveled at her agility at age15 and enjoyed every moment with her hiking with us and the kids. I can still see her now, taking what seemed like the longest drink of her life at Treasure Falls, just outside of Pagosa Springs. As I watched her, I referred to that as the “drink of her life”. It felt like a milestone moment.

I’ve always been so impressed with the dogs we’ve encountered on trail hikes anywhere we’ve traveled. Chai often led the way and would stay ahead of the person leading the walk. I loved seeing her guide us through the trail with confidence. And yes, for the warmer hikes, you’d often find me putting a cold, wet bandana on her neck to stay cool. It was all so fun…except for our visit to the San Dunes National Park. Luke had to carry her out of the park over his shoulders because the heat and sun got so intense so quickly that it was burning up her paws and she could barely walk. I will openly admit that I was panicking. It was not good. It was a mess. But anyways, we made it out and I don’t wish to go back!!

Below: Chai enjoying the view of the Spanish Peaks. July, 2023.

Above: Chai living her best wolfy life in Colorado, July 2024.

QUIRKY THINGS ABOUT CHAI:

Chai has always had white fur on her muzzle, so she’s always look a lot older than she is, even as a puppy. She always looked and acted wise beyond her years. She was for sure an old soul.

She rarely barked, but if she did, it was a very low, deep bark that didn’t seem like it matched the dog. I loved this about her. She would ‘play bark’ with Rosebud to get her to chase her around and play.

She would growl at the front door if anyone knocked on the door if I was at home alone with the girls, especially when they were babies. She was a great protector, disguised in the kindest, sweetest dog body!

Chai loved to swim and actually had webbed paws! We credit her older dog cousin Maxine for teaching her how to swim in my in-laws backyard pool many years ago. She would also turn into ‘lifeguard dog’ when anyone went underwater in their pool and bark at them until they safely came up to the surface. Lifeguard Chai had your back.

Chai loved social gatherings. At any birthday gatherings at our home, she loved greeting all the guests and checking in on them. She was an amazing hostess! My favorite story to highlight this was when we went to my friend Jessica’s going away party (who was moving back to Florida from Texas) at our friends Jeff and Laura’s house. Jessica requested that Chai come and our friends were good with that too. There was A LOT of people at this party, and small groups of friends were sprinkled all throughout their house, laughing and enjoying themselves. We didn’t see Chai most of the night because she moved from one group to the next, checking in on them, getting some ear scrubs, then moving on to the next group. For a lot of these gatherings you could find Chai in a fun color/printed bandana for the occasion. Again, the best guest and furry hostess!

Below: The party hostess at Heidi's 6th birthday dinner, November 2023.

Below: Chai enjoying the cool kitchen floor in the summertime. Yes, her dog bowl was vintage Pyrex, because she's awesome. 2020.

Above: Chai, spring 2015.

Above: Belly scrubs, 2016.

What I will miss most about Chai:

Her speckled salt and pepper fur, especially on her front legs.

How she’d patiently wait for bacon in the kitchen while it was cooking, and focus even more intently on it when it was out of the oven, nose in the air.

Her white markings on her head - she always had salt and pepper fur so she looked wise beyond her years, even early on.

The ‘woof woof’ sounds that she would make when she slept, that sometimes sounded like an underwater scuba dog, as we called it.

How she’d lay outside for hours in the best weather, shade jumping from the trees as the sun angle changed.

How she’d power sniff the air outside when a storm was coming in.

Her being my garden bouncer to keep the squirrels out.

How she’s disappear into the tall zinnias in the garden and reemerge on the path, never trampling anything and always being so respectful of what was growing.

Chai had an acute sense for understanding what the people around her needed. I would see her spend extra time checking in with someone in our family, or someone visiting to make them feel loved on extra that was going through a particularly challenging time.

I’ll miss her staring me down (watching my every move) and waiting for me to start getting ready for her morning weekday walks.

I’ll miss her going through all her tricks to get her cookies after a walk. Worth noting, I taught her new tricks when she was 14 years old —- this dog was SMART!

Every Easter Chai would go on her own Easter egg hunt. We did this before the girls were born, and when they could do an egg hunt, we did a separate one also for Chai. I’ll miss everything about this! It was so fun to watch! She had the perfect egg cracking technique to get her treats out!

I’ll miss gardening with my girl. She’d lay next to garden while I was pulling weeds or doing work in there, then she’d occasionally check in with me by walking carefully through the garden. What a joy it was to garden alongside her.

I’ll miss how much peace Chai brought me, just knowing she was around and helping me shift my perspective on life when it was getting too stressful or chaotic.

Below: Garden girl with our garden picks. Summer, 2023.

Above: Chai's Easter egg hunt. March, 2019/2024.

CHAI’S PASSING:

Chai’s age had been showing for some time, but her her legs and hips were struggling even more than usual. Winter was particularly hard on her this year in a way it had never been before. She did however have a great time out playing in the snow in early January of this year (2025). You could still see that it was much harder on her body.

Many don’t know that Chai had lost her hearing for a few years prior, but her eyes were still in great shape. Then one day during the winter (Dec/Jan 2024), I noticed her flinching and squinting a bit in the sun a few times during our walk. I didn’t think much of it because I thought she maybe just walked into something and was trying to blink it out of her eyes. Little did I know, she was developing a sunlight sensitivity that would make walks less enjoyable for her during the end, and make her want to be outside less (2 of her most favorite things, sad). As I noticed this recurring, I did my research to learn what it was, and tried to walk her early in the morning, before the sun was out much and stay in the shade of the trees along the street. We did what we could, even as we slowed down and shortened our distance. Chai taught me how to move slowly. I am constantly going, planning, moving on to the next things. But as I saw her age catching up with her, I decided to let her lead and it was one of the greatest lessons I will take from her. The ability to get slow, for no reason at all, simply to enjoy the moment.

Amazingly she was still up for going on walks 4-5 times a week with me, even at her age of 16. I was so proud of her (and me!) for staying committed to this. Even into her last week of life, she was still wanting to do a few walks each week. This time alone with her, walking in our neighborhood, became some of my favorite times of the week, after the hustle and bustle of the morning getting the girls to school. A lot of times she would lay in the living room, near the fireplace hearth and stare at me until I got changed to go for a walk with her. It was so funny to watch her do this most mornings. I loved her keeping tabs on me. Last fall, I started taking short videos of us walking together, seeing how our shadows were moving along the street together. I loved the shift of the sun angle in the fall during walks, not only because it was cooler, but because of the way her little ears bounced so happily when she walked. I must have known on some intuitive level that it was going to be my last fall with her.

Below: Morning walk with Chai in our neighborhood. Fall, 2024.

Above: Chai exploring in the winter snow. January, 2025.

At the beginning of February, (about a 1 week and a half before she passed) Luke took her to her 6 month wellness check up. In general she looked pretty good to our vet and said she was an old girl and doing great for her age (now over 16). He loved that she was still wanting to go on walks and told us to keep up the good work. She was gradually losing muscle mass in her legs and hips, which was normal for her age, but she was still eating and drinking well. All things looked good! She was being treated after this appointment for a minor gum/mouth infection that cleared up quickly with an antibiotic. We had also decided to start hip injections every few months to help her with her mobility with her hips. We scheduled that appointment for later the following week.

Several days into her antibiotic (almost at the end of the dosages) we noticed that her eating slowed down all of the sudden. We called to vet to inquire and we were told to go ahead and stop the antibiotic, as it might have been bothering her stomach. We followed their directive of stopping the medicine, but continued eating less and less. Of course we were all concerned, but at this point, we just thought maybe her stomach was off and needed some time to regroup. We kept moving forward. We were still doing our slow morning walks, and we thought we’d get through this rough patch soon enough.

Below: Chai getting cookies in the snow. January, 2025.

Above: Chai + I in the snow. January 2025.

Above: Treats in the snow for the best girl. January 2025.

The day that Luke took her back to the vet for her hip injection (I think it was a Wednesday or Thursday afternoon), the visit did not go as planned. They discussed how she was not eating and our vet didn’t think that it was because of the antibiotics, and that her body was shutting down. The vet discussed putting her down right then and Luke said no. It was not the time.

Luke went ahead and had her get the shot, simply to help her be more comfortable moving forward, whatever that was going to look like. When Luke and Chai got back from the vet, he texted me to come out to meet him at the car. I was scared. I had a huge pit in my stomach. Luke does not text me to go sit in a car with him ever. I sat in the car with him and he told me what the doctor had said, that her body was shutting down. We held hands really tight in the car and cried for a few minutes together. We were not ready for this or expecting the day to go like this. At some point I gathered myself and carried Chai out of the back of the car to the backyard and sat in the grass with her out of the sun and just cried with her. I couldn’t believe I was going to have to say goodbye soon to my best friend of 16 years. It didn’t seem real, even though her body was telling us otherwise. We even went for our last walk that morning. How could it be time?

In the midst of a lot of uncertainty, Chai showed us it was time. We prayed that she would communicate clearly to us what we needed to do next. And she did. She stopped eating completely and it was challenging to feed her sips of water, but she did a few times, probably just to do it for us because that’s just the type of dog she was. Friday morning somehow we got her outside to go to the bathroom and then she slowly came inside into the living room and laid between my two girls in a spot that she never lays. I believe this was her way of being close to them for the last time, with her last bits of energy. She would then go get in her bed and only move in the house one more time. One of my girls went off to school for a half day (the other stayed home with a stomach bug on Valentine’s Day), and Luke and I had to make the excruciating decision to schedule someone to come into our home on Saturday, the next day, to put her down. It was a living nightmare that we were forced to live through, as we knew this was what was best for her. Seeing her suffer more was not an option. She had been too good to us to allow that. It was worth every penny to see her pass in peace, rather than pain.

One of the worst parts of all of this was telling the girls what was going to happen, that Chai was going to pass away and not be here anymore. We’d had ongoing discussions about her age and that someday this was what would happen. But how do you share impossible news like that? You just do it and hate every moment of it. And you exist in the painful moment and cry together. That’s what you do. There’s nothing more you can do.

Above: Chai in a deep snooze with my scarf. January, 2025.

On Friday, one of us sat in the chair next to her all day, at all times, to keep her company, even though she wasn’t moving much and just sleeping. I took a nap next to her and she gazed at her, thinking about what an incredible life she lived with us, but it still didn’t seem real what was happening. We did facetime with my parents that last night, so they could see her and say goodbye. I hated every moment of this.

In the blink of an eye, Saturday morning came, a day burned deeply into my memory. Luke and Heidi went early in the morning to get breakfast tacos. I didn’t want to eat, but forced myself to. I didn’t want to leave Chai’s side. The afternoon before, Josie and I went on a special trip to the grocery store to get bacon to cook up for Chai. A bite of bacon was as good as it could get for Chai. This dog could smell this through the house, even being outside, without the windows or doors open! So that morning, Josie and I fed Chai a full piece of bacon. She did not hesitate, even though she had not eaten or drank much in many days. The joy of bacon for her cut through all of this and it was so heartwarming to watch her enjoy for the last time with us (I feel confident there is bacon for her in heaven as well).

I laid with her for about 10 minutes on the floor, just me and her, and I told her everything I needed to say, the things she already knew. The gift she was to me, to us. That she restored my faith in so much. That she’d stretched my capacity for love in ways I didn’t know were possible. That I was always going to miss her and love her. She opened her eyes during this, until I stopped talking, then they closed them again. I know she heard me. The connection I had with her was so deep, so raw. I pray that I have something like this again, someday. And here’s the thing…we already knew what we had with Chai being part of our family for so long…we told her daily how much we loved her and what a good girl she was…and we told each other how lucky we were to have her. This is not a tale of realizing how good something was once it was lost. We always knew how good we had it with Chai.

An hour later, a wonderful doctor (I think her name was Dr. Deana) from Lap of Love came at 9am to help us with Chai. I laid on the floor with her, always keeping a hand on her and staying close. We let the girls come and go as they felt comfortable. It was a quick, yet slow process. How does time do that exactly? We got to tell the doctor about Chai and how wonderful she was, how much she brought to our lives for so many years. And what a gift it was to get to love her for so long and as deeply as we did.

Chai passed away peacefully on February 15, 2025. She was a few months over 16 years old. She had a wonderful, long life. Much longer than so many dogs and pets. But of course, not long enough for us. We hit the jackpot with Chai. We thank God for her every day.

Our family chose to bury her in our backyard, and I won’t go into too many details here, because it was a very personal, raw, intimate time with our family. Our girls were so brave and so involved. They loved Chai so much. They still do. We let them be as involved with every step, as much as they wanted to be. We let them talk, cry and ask any questions they had. We did our best to answer them and help them feel comfortable.

Above: My locket I wear everyday of my girl. February, 2025. I cannot lie, I miss her every hour of every day. It makes a jingle sound when I walk + it sounds like her collar when we'd do our morning walks together. I love the sound. It brings me a lot of comfort.

Above: Cardinal friends visiting at my in-laws house. May, 2025.

The final story I want to leave with you about Chai has to do with cardinals.

A few hours later after Chai’s passing, Luke had left the house for a quick errand and the girls were inside the house. I went outside by myself to sit next to Chai’s new memorial spot and cried so hard I could barely breathe. It was gloomy and misty outside; it was an absolutely depressing day, no doubt. All of the sudden, I looked up and 2 cardinals landed right in front of me, about 5-6 feet away. I got really quiet as to not disturb them. I love watching cardinals. They stayed for a few minutes, eating little bits in the grass. It helped me get calm somehow. I hated my new reality. After they flew away, I decided to head back in to make lunch. When I stood up to walk to the back door, the sun popped out and a beam of light followed me all the way to do the door. I had an odd sensation in my chest and it gave me chills, that’s the only way I can explain it. The second I went to open the back door and go back in the house, the sun disappeared again, the clouds were back.

Later that day, I told Luke about what had happened. He mentioned something about cardinals having meaning when you see them after a pet or loved one has passed. I had never heard of this, so of course I took to researching it. Here’s a great description about cardinals meaning here. My jaw absolutely dropped. I felt so seen and loved in my excruciating grief. I’m still trying to process that moment.

In these months after her passing, I’ve had various encounters with cardinals, particularly during some really tough days where things have felt unbearable. They have shown up just for a moment, a check in if you will, when hope has felt lost. We see them as a quick check in from Chai. I believe this with my whole heart. I know what I’ve see and what I’ve experienced.

Most recently, my in laws lost their German Shepard, Zeke, of 11 years. The last few times since his passing that we’ve been over there in their back yard, we’ve instantly seen cardinals. Always within minutes of being there. I asked if they’ve always had them, and my mother in law said no, not usually. Most recently, on my father in law’s birthday ( May 3rd) we went over for a visit. While we were out the back yard we saw cardinals again, almost immediately. My MIL tells me they just made a nest in a bush very close to the house and she see them all the time now. Zeke, their dog that just passed…I believe this is him, his way of keeping tabs on things.

The cardinals take their time, they move slowly and intentionally. They stay for a while. They’re calm. They’re peaceful. They’re checking in to give us hope in our grief. They’re God sending messages from our lost pets to check in and say “we’re OK and we want you to be OK too. I’m watching over you.”

So what’s next for our family? Will there be another dog soon? Yes, someday. I’m not sure when. The pain of losing her is less sharp these days, but it’s still here. I do know that whatever the future has in store of our family, Chai is going to help guide us, in her own way, to make a decision about a new dog…and that the right dog is going to show up, in this season of life, and be exactly what our family needs — just as Chai was exactly what we needed for 16 wonderful years.

. . .

(If you made it this far and read our story, thank you so much! What a precious gem you are! I am publishing this post on the 3 month anniversary of her passing. Somehow we've made it this far. This was hard to write and I had to start and stop so many times during the last 3 months. There's been tears, anger, joy and a bunch of other feelings all coexisting together daily. But overall, this process has been incredibly helpful to document. It’s wonderful to have this account of her life and how our lives have evolved over the last 16 years. As I remember other stories about her, I’m sure I’ll pop back in and add them. I’m looking forward to revisiting these memories over and over again, and maybe some of you will too.)

---

PS. If you knew Chai and have a memory of her you want to leave below, we’d love it! And if you didn’t know Chai, we’d still love to hear from you, too. I’d love to hear about your pets, current or past. How did your pet change you? How did they make life better for you? I can’t wait to hear from you.

Thank you again for existing with me here in this grief + celebration of our girl.

*big hugs* // Kristin

Decluttering Clothing With Your Kids Successfully: Focus On These 3 Things

If you’ve ever found yourself struggling to declutter clothing with your kids, you’re in the right place. As I write this, I’m thinking about reading several of the Junie B. Jones books in which she comments about getting into a “tussle” with her mom over things they’re not seeing eye to eye on. Based on many conversations I’ve had with our community here, family, friends and clients, this idea of a “tussle” often rings true when we think about corralling our kids to declutter clothing (or really anything) with us, the parents, the mamas, all of us!

If you’re interested in a different path where we mostly avoid these “tussles”…keep reading! We’ll focus on 3 key things to help you and your kids declutter clothing intentionally, without the overwhelm, with specific strategies that work.

1. MAKE THE PROCESS SMALL + SIMPLE.

What exactly do I mean by this? Here’s a few examples on how to do this.

• go through clothing one category at a time - shoes, jackets, underwear, socks, t-shirts, dresses, etc.

• review clothing one drawer at a time (not the entire credenza, unless you all have the steam for it)

• pick a small zone of clothing to declutter, like one small section in the closet.

• set a timer for 10 minutes and focus on one area, category or pile of items only.

• have your kids pick a clothing category or 2 of their choice (like shoes and shorts for example).

• make it into a game your kids can control to review clothing categories - have your kids write down categories of clothing that need to be gone through on a small piece of paper and toss them in a bowl (like jackets, bags, socks, t-shirts, etc.). Have them pick a category one at a time and take turns who gets to pick! Go through as many as you can and come back to the rest when you have time.

Bonus points and improved results when you combine some of these strategies! But keep it small, keep it simple, don’t look at the entire closet all at once and overwhelm your brain with too many decisions. Also, it never hurts to put on good music while you declutter together! Let your kids alternate being the DJ if you have more than one in the mix!

2. FOCUS ON WHAT YOU’RE SEEING THEM NOT WEAR TO DECLUTTER, NOT WHAT THEY ARE.

Too often I see families trying to dive into an entire dresser of clothing or an entire clothing closet to declutter, when in reality, over 50% (or more) is actively being worn, used and enjoyed - these do not need to be assessed. You can ignore all the frequently worn items completely! Check what’s in the dirty clothes basket after a few days…take note of what’s in there! This is what’s being worn in this current season!

Once I discovered this observation, it completely changed the way I declutter clothing (and honestly everything in my home) from that point on.

• DO NOT FOCUS ON DECLUTTERING ITEMS YOUR KIDS ARE USING, WEARING AND ENJOYING (can you tell I’m passionate about this…I promise I’m not yelling)! There’s no point in spending energy on this!

• Focus on the dresses they never wear, the boots sitting and collecting dust in their closet, the jacket they avoided all winter, the hair bows they aren’t into anymore.

And oh by the way, the reason why we must check back in on clothing monthly or seasonally (see more details on this below) is because what’s actively being worn (and what actually fits) changes over time. We must expect these shifts and expect to check back in on what’s being worn to better respond to our kids current needs, just like we do for our own needs.

Bonus points is to declutter using the first tip above, combined with the filter of ignoring anything they’re currently wearing and enjoying. Like this drawer below for example, skip over anything in a drawer you know they’re wearing and just focus on the items you notice them never pulling out to wear. Have them do this assessment with you. Ask things like “is there anything in this drawer you don’t love anymore” OR “is there anything in this drawer that feels uncomfortable so you don’t want to wear it”? These will help start productive conversations that will lead to simple decisions. Do not speak for your kids, be an active listener and ask questions to help them assess what they have without judgement. See my Parents + Kids Guide To Decluttering if you’d like more help and strategies communicating effectively with your kids while decluttering (including age specific strategies).

3. CREATE A LANDING SPOT FOR OUTGROWN CLOTHING.

You’ll want to do this as a family and everyone should know where it’s located in the home. It can be a tote bag in the hallway, a box on the floor in the coat closet, a basket in the garage, etc. Regardless of what you choose, make sure everyone knows where it is and what should go inside of it.

How to use this landing spot for clothing that needs to leave the house:

• Show some examples to your kids of what might go in this landing spot - like shoes they have outgrown/are too tight / a shirt that is now too short on them or too tight on their shoulders, jeans that feel too tight and are no longer comfortable.

• Allow clothing items they’ve fallen out of love to land here as well - just note that sometimes items that they’re simply not wearing anymore because they don’t enjoy it is a good enough reason to have it leave the home (even if it still fits). We want to have things around us that we enjoy and are being actively used (this is the ultimate goal). This can include accessories, bags, shoes, outerwear, anything they wear on their body can be removed as needed.

• Check in on this spot once a month. Aim to donate/remove these items monthly (or more frequently) if possible. Ideally we chat with our kids about what they’ve outgrown or fallen out of love with to see what needs to be replaces (or not replaced - even more important). Reviewing what’s in this donation spot is an opportunity to discuss and connect with your kids on needs, wants and what they enjoy. Clothing items that are beyond donating, giving away or selling should go to textile recycling if possible. Check locally or use a company like Trashie to responsibly recycle textiles/worn out garments.

+ Beyond this, consider a monthly scan/check in on outgrown clothing (especially when your kids are growing at their quickest rate).

+ At a bare minimum, do a quick scan/decluttering burst with kids clothing (and all the things they wear) at seasonal transitions to lighten the load in your home and assess their needs.

+ SEASONAL TRANSITIONS throughout the year to help you anchor decluttering in your rhythms: Winter to Spring, Spring to Summer, Summer to Fall, Fall to Winter - so this results in a check in 4 times a year. This will keep the ship afloat in your home and help you avoid being buried by kids clothing that is no longer being worn/enjoyed!

+ If you’d like to dive deeper into decluttering with your kids, beyond kids clothing, I want to invite you to considering my Parents + Kids Guide to Decluttering. This is for parents and kids that want to learn how to lighten the load in their home, without the overwhelm, and free up time and space to live well together. It’s an absolute game changer for families…you have my sincere word.

WHAT TO DO NEXT:

+ Check out the KIDS STUFF zone for more free resources!

+ A game-changing resource for families: Parents + Kids Guide to Decluttering is a must for any family!!

+ See all KIDS focused resource throughout the website, from blog posts to helpful tools for your home.

+ Click the follow button for @fuzzyhipposhop_kids for more KIDS decluttering tips + basics to get you unstuck in your home on instagram!

+ Download my free declutter guide to get you taking quick + easy decluttering action in your own home (linked in profile).

Improve Your Kitchen in 3 Steps: An Intentional Decluttering Guide

I’ve thought long and hard about what 3 things I can usher you to declutter in your kitchen that will make the MOST immediate impact if you do them. Through rigorous testing lots of methods to streamline kitchen, and through observation of routine patterns/working in many kitchens, I think I’ve nailed it! This 3 part list to declutter in your kitchen below will help you simplify, streamline and improve efficiency quickly throughout your entire space!

Make sure to check out my Ultimate Kitchen + Pantry Guide (inside our All Access Home Bundle) if you want to dig even deeper into this topic of all things kitchen, with strategic steps to follow, without the overwhelm!

KITCHEN DECLUTTER FOCUS #1:

EXPIRED FOOD + FOOD YOU DON’T LIKE HAS TO GO.

You might have expected me to tell you to start by decluttering the ridiculous amount of travel water bottles (and yes, I do want you to do this, but later!!), however I want you to start with one of the easiest things to purge in your kitchen / things that you should have zero emotional investment in - expired goods and foods you’re simply not eating!

DO IT: Set a timer and scan all your food zones for expired items and foods not being eaten.

• check the pantry, the things shoved in the back of the fridge,

• the condiments in the side of the fridge door

• check the freezer for items with freezer burn (or you have no idea how old it is),

• toss plastic bags of things that you know are more than months old, etc.

• toss spices that no longer smell or taste like they normally should.

• while you’re scanning, toss items that are opened that you no longer want to eat or know you won’t eat in the future

• donate unopened, non-expired foods to your local food bank / check locally for needs

• recycle as much packaging as possible (paper based boxes, metal lids, metal cans, glass jars, plastic bottles - check locally)

Bonus Step for Decluttering Rock Stars: Take note of things you might need to restock on or will no longer buy to avoid future waste and save money!

KITCHEN DECLUTTER FOCUS #2:

EDIT YOUR COUNTERTOPS RIGOROUSLY.

Kitchen countertops are notorious for attracting clutter, which makes it even harder to do basic, daily tasks in your kitchen, like prepping food or making a quick breakfast. To stay on top of this, here’s a few tips to help you edit what’s out on your countertops today, and make your kitchen counters more usable with more space moving forward.

DO IT: Take these steps to start your countertops editing process.

• First, put anything away that doesn’t need to be out on the counters - clean dishes, dirty dishes, utensils that can go back in drawers, trash, recycling, toss moldy fruit, etc.

• Second, do an appliance edit. Does that blender really have to be out on your countertop or could it get tucked away close to where you like to use it? How often do you use your toaster? If it’s not daily, I’d consider putting it an cabinet close by where you’ll plug it in and only bring it out when you need it.

• Lastly, challenge yourself to keep out as little as possible. After the first two rounds of edits, take inventory of all the things still out on your countertops. What do you see? Now assess each item and ask if it is absolutely essential to have out - do you actually use it and is it frequently helpful for you in your kitchen? If yes, could it get tucked away and still be helpful?

• Scan for donations as you go. As you’re moving through these steps, you might find items that you simply don’t need anymore, don’t use or don’t like anymore. Have a box or bag handy to put these items in + get them ready to drop off at a donation site locally, or schedule a pick up. Make sure these items are clean, in good working shape and could be immediately helpful in someone else’s home.

Bonus Step for Decluttering Rock Stars: Test having out as little as possible on your kitchen countertops for the next week and see how it goes. If you need to pull something back out because it’s better for your kitchen routines, go for it. But try to see if you can try out something new and see if the extra space benefits you more than things taking up valuable real estate on your countertops.

KITCHEN DECLUTTER FOCUS #3:

DO A KITCHEN ROUTINES EFFICIENCY AUDIT.

The simplest way I can put this is that you’re going to scan your kitchen for inefficiencies that are making you work harder than you need to be. Think about where you use things in your kitchen - do you have things in drawers or cabinets close to where you actually use them?

DO IT: Consider these examples for reference to compare to your own kitchen + let them help you come up with your own inefficiencies to remove! Once you find an efficiency in your kitchen, consider what’s the easiest and simplest way to fix the problem.

• If you always chop / prep veggies in one zone of your kitchen, are you chopping knives close by or are you always walking across the kitchen for them?

• Do you keep your wood stirring spoons for pots near the stove so they’re easy to grab?

• Are your cooking spices within reach of where you cook with them?

• Are the breakfast essentials you always use in the morning easy to grab in your pantry or fridge?

• Are most of the dishes you unload from the dishwasher put away right right next to or above the dishwasher to minimize time spent on unloading?

• Go through and hunt for inefficiencies and see what things you can move around to make routines in your kitchen easier.

Bonus Step for Decluttering Rock Stars: While you hunt for inefficiencies, also consider items being placed in a hierarchy of importance. ‘Always used’ items should be easy to see, easy to grab, eye level and easy to put away. ‘Lesser or sometimes used’ items can be off to the side, up high, down low or towards the back of the drawer, shelf or cabinet. Aim to have as few of these “sometimes” use items. We want our kitchen to mostly hold things we are actively using, all the time, and that make life easier for us in the kitchen!

Now it’s your turn! Try out these 3 steps to help simplify your kitchen and instantly boost how efficiently you can do ALL the food things. Test these out and let me know down in the comments what was most helpful for you!

PS. If you want to dive in even deeper into all things KITCHEN, you’ll want to check out my Ultimate Kitchen + Pantry Guide (inside our All Access Home Bundle) - you’ll find all things decluttering, organizing, space planning, low cost swaps to elevate your kitchen and MORE!

WHAT TO DO NEXT:

+ Check out more KITCHEN TOOLS here!

+ Check out more free resources + all things KITCHEN here on the website for you to benefit from!

+ Dive deeper into all things KITCHEN from decluttering, space planning, organization, design + low cost solutions with refreshes + upgrades inside of our Ultimate Kitchen + Pantry Guide (you can find this inside the All Access Home Bundle).

+ Click the follow button for @fuzzyhipposhop decluttering tips + basics to get you unstuck in your home on instagram!

+ Download my free declutter guide to get you taking quick + easy decluttering action in your own home (linked in profile).

Decluttering With Your Kids: How To Tackle Common Roadblocks

If there was ever a HOT topic to discuss…it would be decluttering ALL the kids stuff - but more importantly, decluttering WITH your kids! I’ve had parents openly tell me it’s just not possible and that everyone ends up fighting and/or crying. So I’m on a mission to show you that there’s another way and that it IS possible to declutter WITH your kids without a tussle!

Before we layout some strategic steps to decluttering with your kids in your home, let’s get out there all the different roadblocks that might prevent you from decluttering in your home with your kids. Do any of these help you feel seen? No judgement, these are challenges popping up in EVERY home!

A few ways you might see roadblocks decluttering w/ kids surface in your home:

✔️you’re feeling like there’s no time to declutter
✔️you don’t think it’s possible because of the age of your kids
✔️you feeling sentimental about your kids growing up so it’s hard to part with things because you don’t want to let go
✔️you’re not sure how much to hold on to for siblings or future children
✔️you’re overwhelmed with where to start ✔️you don’t know how to initiate it with your kids or how to do it
✔️your kids seem to be overly attached to their stuff ✔️your kids would rather be doing something else and don’t want to do it

….and there’s so much more!

Now that we have some clarity about what might be causing physical or mental roadblocks preventing decluttering from happening in your home with your kids, let’s talk about strategies and solutions!

1. MEET YOUR KIDS WHERE THEY’RE AT.

If you want to start decluttering with your kids, you’ll want to think through where to start. For example, a 2 year cannot declutter an entire library of books on their own. Can they go through 5 books at a time with you and select their favorites? Yes, they can! Can your 5 year old declutter their entire wardrobe by themselves in 10 minutes? Likely not. We’ll dive into more specifics about what might be age appropriate for your kids next, but you can also get the full breakdown on how to do this inside my Parents + Kids Guide to Decluttering. Aim for small goals for decluttering that are realistic for your child’s age, focused around things they enjoy.

2. ADJUST YOUR EXPECTATIONS!

And I want you to really lean into this idea…because trust me, everything will go smoother once you do! If this is the first time you have ever decluttered with your kids and you’d peg them as borderline hoarders, don’t expect much. Much like a muscle your training to do something new, progress takes time. If your kid parts with even one item or is considering parting with something, consider it a win!

Some general guides for kids by age group to start decluttering with them:

Ages: 0-2 / Parents will drive the decluttering for their children. By age 2 you can start talking about clothing they have grown out of. Are those shoes too tight? Do you enjoy looking at this book still? Start weaving these simple concepts into conversations to build on for the future.

Ages: 3-5 / Everyone can take a more active roll in decluttering. Work through small groups of books, toys you see them no longer play with or have developmentally outgrown. They can declutter and remove things they don’t want anymore from their small treasures/junk drawer. Clothing they have outgrown is a quick one to identify. Take note of things they love, have grown out of, that needs to be replaced.

Ages: 6-11 / Beyond keeping their favorites or things that still fit, this is a great time to discuss the cycle of things and how to filter/intentionally bring things in the home. If you have less, you have less to manage and less to be responsible for. There’s also less clean up! Categories of items in short bursts are best to hold attention, like pants, chapter books, sports equipment, activity books, etc. Create categories that make sense for kids and your family. Let them help come up with these categories.

Ages: 12+ / As we build on the concepts from prior age groups, this age range starts to grasp the concept of how things shape their environment. How do they want their room to feel? What would make their closet easier to get dressed from? What do they want to showcase? What do they value? By working with them to answer these questions, it becomes easier to declutter when values are clarified and it’s top of mind. We filter and edit out spaces together to create a home we love and that takes care of us.

See more in depth strategies and details by age group in my Parents + Kids Guide to Decluttering.

3. MAKE THINGS FEEL SMALL TO AVOID OVERWHELM.

Think time, energy and focus. When you have time, even a small chunk, put 10 minutes on the timer and do a short decluttering burst in one drawer or one small category like shoes. Only focus on those things and put blinders on to everything else. Make the process as small and simple as possible. Choose small categories and small zones to declutter.

If you’re struggling to find small categories to declutter (because you’re feeling overwhelmed with all the stuff), create a small group to declutter out of a larger group. For example, if you have a huge book library and you want to start decluttering your stash, choose one shelf, one category of books (like nature books or non-fiction), or by color of the spine (today lets go through all the books with a blue spine only). These strategies will help the process feel ‘small’ and less overwhelming.

4. SHOW RESPECT + VALIDATION FOR YOUR KIDS WHILE DECLUTTERING TOGETHER.

When we do this, we teach our kids to trust themselves and their decisions. This skill will get fine-tuned over time and with practice. If you’re questioning a decision they’re making or they’re on the fence about something, offer to place the item in a holding area that you’ll revisit it in a month. Write it down on the calendar as a reminder to circle back. This will keep you both moving and validated. It’s also OK to ask open ended questions like “tell me why you’re ready to part with this” OR “I see you haven’t worn this in a while, is there a reason you’re hanging on to it?” You might find there’s no fight with the items and it’s easy for them to part with. Be open to the process going smoothly, especially with more practice!

Start communication about things that need to be gone through with more open ended questions that help your kids identify when something is a ‘keep’ and when something is a ‘let go of’ item. Here’s some examples of how their responses might sound in your home:

• I don’t want this shirt anymore because the sleeves feel itchy.

• I have other board games that are more fun to play than this one.

• I’ve read these books 5 times already and I’m ready to move on.

• My toes are shoved up to the top of my shoes when I’m walking.

• I really like the color purple right now for clothing and not red.

• I don’t like wearing skirts to school anymore.

Their reasoning for keeping or parting with something will be raw and straight forward. Do not expect them to use adult logic and don’t force it on them either. Keep the dialog on their terms, in their words and be sure to do more listening than talking!

5. INFUSE FUN INTO YOUR DECLUTTERING!

My favorite thing to do with my kids while decluttering is let them be the DJ and pick the music. If both kids are decluttering, they each get to DJ for 5-10 minute blocks. We also bring in baskets, boxes or bags that the kids can use to put their decluttered items into that turns more into a game where they’re shooting things into a basket! Find ways to have fun along the way, and plan a reward in at the end after progress is made - maybe a trip to get an ice cream or a slush, or money in their piggy bank towards their new shoes their saving up for. Decluttering can become part of family chores/responsibilities in a family economy to learn tangible skills about money (one idea).

Don’t underestimate the value of bringing games into the mix when you’re decluttering! One idea I’ve rigorously tested in my own home is a bowl full of declutter topics to pull from for a few quick bursts of decluttering. Make a list of a few categories like: shoes, books, earrings, fiction books, balls, outdoor toys, etc. Anythings goes! Get creative! Ask your kids what topics should go into the bowl to give them more control. Write topics on a small piece of paper, fold them up and drop them in the bowl. Let one of your kids pick one, put 10 minutes on the timer (and turn on some good music) and go! If you have several kids, they can each taking a turn picking a decluttering topic from the bowl. I promise it’s fun! Have a box or bag ready for them to drop donations in. Find a lot more ideas on different ways to declutter in your home in my Parents + Kids Guide To Decluttering.

But whatever you’re doing, keep it light, keep it fun, maybe add some snacks in too for maximum success! You’ve got this! And make sure to check out even more free resources HERE in our Kids/Family Zone!

P.S. If you’d like to learn ALL the ins and outs of how to declutter with your kids (without the overwhelm + fighting), how to do this by age group, what exactly to say to them to get them decluttering, how to know what to keep and what not to, lots of examples on how to facilitate the process and so much more, please check out my Parents + Kids Guide to Decluttering.

Bonus organizing tips inside + money saving tips in this guide too you’re going to LOVE! I created this digital guide specifically for struggling parents/mamas who want to learn these skills and stop struggling with a chaotic home that’s drowning in kids stuff. It is possible + I can’t wait to show you how to do it HERE! It’s time to have your time, energy + sanity back!

WHAT TO DO NEXT:

+ Check out the KIDS STUFF zone for more free resources!

+ A game-changing resource for families: Parents + Kids Guide to Decluttering is a must for any family!!

+ Click the follow button for @fuzzyhipposhop_kids for more KIDS decluttering tips + basics to get you unstuck in your home on instagram!

+ Download my free declutter guide to get you taking quick + easy decluttering action in your own home (linked in profile).

Navigating Sentimental Clutter In Your Home: A Helpful Checklist

Sentimental clutter makes up a HUGE part of all the clutter in most homes, believe it or not. It’s often the hardest to part with because it can be difficult to make decisions around it. The meaning these items hold can come from anywhere. It can also be hard to identify when you have these items. We rarely take the time to slow down and decide if we’re keeping something simply because it’s sentimental or because it adds value to our life. The sentimental nature of items in our home make this part a bit blurry.

To clear up some of the confusion around this topic, here we’re going to offer you a way to understand why it’s challenging to deal with, how to identify sentimental clutter in your home, and a strategic checklist to help you make decisions, so it’s easier to part with.

1. WHY IS SENTIMENTAL CLUTTER SO TRICKY TO DEAL WITH?

It’s tricky because we have feelings and emotions tied to objects, which is far more common than you’d think! It pulls in guilt, expectations of others, and often unrealistic expectations of ourselves. Sometimes we hold onto things because we fear judgement of others or disappointing someone that may not even be around us anymore (a past relationship) or someone who has passed away. Sometimes we think if we let go of something, a part of us will be gone forever or memories of someone won’t live on. The most important part of dealing with sentimental clutter is being transparent with yourself on why you’re holding on to something. Then you can start addressing what needs to help next with it, in a way that is aligned with your values and your goals. Write it down if it helps you to make more sense of the item(s) so you can gain clarity on how to move on to the next step.

2. HOW TO KNOW IF YOU HAVE SENTIMENTAL CLUTTER.

Not all clutter is created equal. Some is everyday clutter (things that are reoccurring like mail, paper bags, school paper, receipts, etc.). Other clutter is occasional, as in things that become clutter when our life shifts, we outgrow things or our basic needs change. Then there’s sentimental clutter. Here’s how to know if you have any lingering around in your home.

✔ It has inherent meaning to you for some reason - memories, an occasion that meant something to you, it might be tied to a person, an experience or maybe it was inherited. You feel something more for this item than just any ordinary object in your home.

✔ If you have a sentimental items that you use, love + enjoy, then it is NOT clutter - just so you know, it’s OK to keep sentimental items around in your home, just as long as they are valuable and useful to you in your daily life. Also make sure that you have space for them and they enhance your life, not take away from it. It needs to check off all these boxes.

✔ You are not using it, you’re not enjoying it or you might be avoiding it - this is the part that makes it ‘clutter’ because you’re holding on to it just because it has some personal tie to it.

✔ You might not like the item, as it’s not your taste or aesthetic or doesn’t fit with your lifestyle - you’re still holding on to it because of memories or experience with it.

✔ You might have a negative association with it, but memories force you to hold on to it - we tend to force ourselves into keeping things, even if the memories are mixed (as in not all good) surrounding the item, simply because it is tied to people or the past.

✔ You feel guilty about parting with the item, which is why you’ve held on to it for so long - guilt is really common with sentimental items, which leaves us feeling stuck about what to do with them.

So now that you’ve identified something that is sentimental clutter in your home, let’s talk about what to do with these items next.

3. HOW TO PREPARE TO PART WITH SENTIMENTAL ITEMS THAT HAVE BECOME CLUTTER.

✔ Connect with family or friends that might want the item - if you have an inherited item or something that you know someone in your close circle might have interest in, start there. Offer up the item and see if there’s any takers. If not, move on to these next options.

✔ Determine if the item can be donated or is still useful to someone else - is the item in good, usable shape? Could a resale shop turn around and sell the item? Could a charity offer it immediate to someone in need and they’re able to immediate use it in their home? If yes, you can donate the item. Make sure it is clean and is good, working condition. Imagine being on the receiving end of it and the quality/care for the item you’d hope for. Aim for that.

✔ Align your donation with your values - one of the best ways to get over the roadblock of donating decluttered items is by donating to a cause or charity that you’re invested in or respect their mission. Here’s some examples to get you started - donate decluttered goods. Always do a local search to see what’s in your area, and do reach out via phone or email to see what their needs are, etc. You can also send an itemized list of things you have and their condition and they’ll let you know what they can take prior to you hauling everything over.

✔ If you’re interested in selling the item, consider these guidelines: let’s say you’ve inherited a baby grand piano from someone and you don’t play piano and never plan to - this piece is now taking up half your living room and you’d rather prioritize more living space in your home than something that will never get used. Solution: consider local music schools, local music instructors, or place a listing out on facebook market place, for example. Do some local research for a gauge on selling prices to get started. Give yourself a timeline on how long you’ll wait for a buyer (I suggest 2-3 months tops for higher value items, one month maximum for lower value items), then have a back up plan for the item if it doesn’t sell. Back Up Plan Example: donate to a local school you know would greatly benefit from for the music your piano will create for many years to come. When you align your donations with doing good in your community, it will be far easier to part with, promise!

✔ If the items cannot be immediately useful to someone else or beyond repair, consider recycling. Our primary goal is to divert items from the landfill if at all possible. Consider a variety of recycling efforts, like appliances or textile recycling. You can offer something up for free on freecycle or a ‘buy nothing’ group in your area on facebook. Someone may have a vision for this item, has a knack for repairing things, could recycle the scraps or has interest in repurposing the item. Here’s some recycling options to consider HERE. Also check locally.

✔ If the item must head to the trash, let’s do it responsibly. Make sure to check out the ‘toss’ list in my link HERE for ways to toss items in an environmentally responsible way, depending on the item. I hope you’ll find this list helpful now and will be a continuous resource for you in the future.

4. FILTER FUTURE SENTIMENTAL CLUTTER WITH THESE TIPS.

✔ If you’re offered something that you simply don’t want, you can say NO. Do not feel pressured to take something or hold on to something if you do not want the item, regardless of who’s giving it to you. This will stop a lot of clutter from coming into your in the first place.

✔ If you end up with sentimental items you don’t need, part with them as soon as possible. Even while holding your personal boundaries if what’s coming into your home, sometimes things find their way in anyway, or you change your mind. Look back at the lists above for more ideas on what to do with the items, but aim to remove them as soon as possible. They items lingering around in your home only drain you and prevent you from creating a home environment full of spaces that take care of you.

✔ Let go of guilt when parting with sentimental items. You NEVER have to keep something if you don’t want to, regardless of the reason. You don’t have to explain yourself to others while making the decision if you don’t want to. Let go of the worry that someone will be disappointed if you don’t keep something (if they do, I would reconsider their role in your life if they truly are that unsupportive of your decisions).

✔ This is a reminder that someone who has passed away is not going to be upset with you for letting something go you don’t need in your home. I can guarantee you that someone who’s passed away that you love (that you’ve inherited something from) wants you to live a joyful, wonderful life where you’re not surrounded by things that you don’t use or love. Period. Let that sink in. Read it over again as many times as you need to.

Now what additional sentimental clutter questions do you have? What items are hanging you up in your home and causing you to feel stuck? I’d love to hear from you in the comments below.

P.S. If you’d like to take a deeper dive into decluttering: here’s a list of resources to help you take action + learn exactly how to declutter in your own home, regardless of the item, without the overwhelm. Small bursts of time + intentional strategy is the key!

+ Download my free declutter guide

+ Decluttering 101 tips + strategies

+ See our clients’ favorite decluttering resources:

All Access Home Bundle (includes 9 of our top declutter/organizing guides!)

Declutter Your Home Masterclass (with a robust section on sentimental clutter + more tools with personal examples to help you navigate them)

Parents + Kids Guide To Decluttering

1 Week Home Reset Kit

Decluttering Your Home While Mourning The Loss Of A Pet

I am currently mourning the loss of our dog, Chai, after 16 wonderful years together with her. The pain is raw and real, but as I’m finding, life keeps moving. As a decluttering expert, dealing with sentimental clutter is a large part of what I’ve talked through with my clients over the years. As of now, I’ve essentially taken myself on as a client and want to share the process with you.

Since I am currently in the thick of the loss of my own dog, I wanted to offer you assistance navigating the items they leave behind, should you find yourself in this situation now or in the future. I’ve got you. We’re going to find our way through this together.

WHY YOU MIGHT WANT TO DECLUTTER WHILE YOU’RE MOURNING THE LOSS OF A PET:

• to help process / confront uncomfortable feelings

• help with acceptance of the permanent life shift you’re going through

• enjoy memories + stories about your animal

• help give words / discussion to the pain you’re feeling

• discover treasures that are a positive, joyful reminder of your pet

• make an impact in your local community by donating pet goods that can be useful now

• create space for new things in your future - be ready for good things coming!

START WHEN YOU CAN + ARE READY TO.

I was shocked that I was OK with removing /decluttering a few things the same day we had to say goodbye to our dog. I just went with it, checking in with my family if they were OK with me removing some of the items out of respect for them as well. For example, within a few hours I was OK with cleaning, drying and putting away her water dish, food dish and tray. The bowl could be reused in the kitchen, as it only held water prior. The food dish is being saved for a future pet and was relocated to a shelf in the garage for now. The tray we kept in the same spot on the floor in our kitchen and a gentle reminder of her and will likely be the spot a future dog will eat/drink at.

There were many other things that took more time address or I am still dealing with. Over the next few days after she passed, I was able to work through a few more items over the weekend, mostly because some items needed to be tossed or recycled, which was going to get picked up that Monday.

A few more items were dealt with the following week, and there’s a handful of things we are still going through or that we haven’t touched yet. I’ll share more about these here next. But all that to say, do what you can, when you can. It’s good enough. Move at whatever pace you feel comfortable.

WHAT TO DO WITH PET ITEMS YOU’RE DECLUTTERING.

RETURN anything unopened if you feel comfortable doing so.

(I did this with a rug I was planning to use for our dog to help her not slip on a section of hard flooring in our home. I had kept the tags still on and I had saved my receipt, since I wasn’t sure if it was the right rug).

DONATE items that are clean and in good, reusable shape to local animal shelters. Contact them directly to verify what they will accept / current needs. Sometimes their websites do not have the most current info on what is needed most in their shelter, as those needs can shift weekly I’d imagine.

(I sent an itemized list of the adult dog food we had, vitamins, supplements and dog treats via email to our local animal shelter. They were happy to accept all donations I offered. I put the dog food in several 2 gallon bags with the type of food labeled on the outside of the bag. The drop off experience was extremely quick and easy, as they already have a donation drop off location right in the front).

ASK your local animal shelter what things they are accepting. Ours mentioned they could also take towels of all sizes and blankets to keep the animals warm. They cannot take sheets or pillow cases. Those would be better used at local women and kids shelter, for example.

(We did not have any additional items to donate at this time, but by asking them about all the items they take - we now have this info filed away for future decluttering efforts).

ASK + OFFER if your vet will accept returns on unopened/unused medications. Ours would not, but my in-laws have a new pup that will need the same medicine in a few months, so they offered to buy it from us when it’s needed.

(PS. To be clear, I’m not suggesting reselling pet medicine, but our vet suggested we do this since he knows my in-laws dog will need it soon, as he is their vet as well. We’ve been trying to recover the cost of over $200 for an unopened box of medicine we purchased just weeks before Chai passed away. We’d love to be able to put that money aside for a future dog and the supplies that will be needed. Fingers crossed!)

SHRED + RECYCLE receipts or bills from the vet or other related paperwork. TIP: You can only recycle paper-based receipts (they don’t make a black mark when you run your nail over it). Get these items out of your home and free up some extra space in your files, at your desk and on your counters. You deserve this.

(All of our vet bills recently, and a few that were filed away, all had a lot of personal information that needed to be scratched out and/or shredded. I’m only holding onto one receipt currently, as I filed for a rebate on a NexGard product - I’ll shred everything once the rebate shows up).

RECYCLE textiles with a company like Trashie (they are my go to) to divert textiles beyond reuse from the landfill. It’s a paid service I believe is worth the cost if you don’t have a local textile recycling service available to you (like myself). These are items that are beyond donating and someone else can’t reuse them in their current state.

(Things I sent to textile recycling after my dog passed away: the outer layer of a dog bed, extra layers of old blankets and an mattress pad we used to build up one of her beds, and old body pillow that was worn down she used along the wall in one of her beds - all of these items were washed and dried before I shipped them).

TOSS anything that cannot be recycled, cannot be donated, is soiled, damaged and cannot be repurposed. Some things are just trash, and no, you are not a bad person.

(Things we had to toss: the inner bedding layer of a dog bed, foam padding used to build up one of the dog beds that couldn’t be reused, packaging we couldn’t recycle while consolidating treats to donate).

GIFT items to friends or family that have an animal like yours. Be mindful that food and treats will be harder to giveaway, as animals have to be eased into new foods when they are introduced because of how delicate their digestive system is.

(We weren’t able to gift anything of Chai’s, but focused on local donations and textile recycling).

KEEP items that you can still use, repurpose or use in the future if you have space for it. This can also include a few keepsake items you want to have around to remember your pet.

(Items we kept from our dog include: her collar - we plan to make this into a keychain for our car keys, her tray / food / water bowl - these will be used for a future dog when we get one, collar tags for our keepsake box, travel bowls / leash for a future dog).

LINKS Here’s My Declutter For Good links list, including a section dedicated entirely to animals. There’s lots of great ideas for donating to animals to get you started. Make sure to do a search to better support your local community.

REMEMBERING YOUR PET WITH A FEW KEEPS.

One thing we did within our family to remember our dog, Chai, was to create a memorial spot in our backyard that we’ll fill with beautiful flowers in the spring. It’s now a peaceful spot that we can go to and sit with her, while calmly listening to birds and whatever else nature presents. This is also the spot where I sat down, just hours after her passing, I saw my first cardinal sightings while I was crying and missing her so deeply. The cardinals calmed my energy and they grace me with their presence every few days so far. I had no clue that cardinals had spiritual meaning and connection with those who have passed, animals in particular. You can read more about this here if you’re interested.

I’ve also make lockets for myself and my girls with some of our favorite pictures of Chai in them. I wear mine everyday. My girls have bigger ones at their bedside and smaller ones that they can wear whenever they want to, especially on those days they’re missing her extra. I see them kiss their bigger locket goodnight and they say goodnight to Chai and I know it helps them feel close to her.

In the living room, we have a small wooden box with a few things that were hers or remind us of her. The doctor from Lap of Love saved some fur from my favorite speckled spots on her leg that’s in a small container, a few photos, folded up poems that were giving to us, and the collar tags with her name on them. There’s also a sea stone in there that reminds me of Chai’s beach trip with us when she was just a puppy.

Lap of Love also made us a clay impression of her paw that has her name on it. It is so precious. I can put my hand in it anytime and it eases my pain of missing her a bit because it’s such a tangible reminder of her. I plan to take a photo of this clay impression and other photos to make a Christmas tree ornament for her this year so we can have her here with us on our tree for years to come.

Something my girls have asked for is a ‘book of Chai’, basically a book of photos of her. Since I’ve been dragging my feet on family photo books for a while, this is the kick in the pants for me to finally try out some different companies to see which one I like the best. Send all our recommendations in the comments below if you’ve had a particularly great experience with a photo book printing company. Currently I am looking at Once Upon and Chatbooks.

Right now, these are the things getting us through these first dark days without her, that will hopefully sustain us into future weeks, months and years as we continue on without her here. However you want to remember your pet, make sure it respects the physical space you have and brings you joy, however you wish to do it.

In the future days, weeks and months, the decluttering effort will continue. The best I can do is stay open to the pace that my heart can handle, while focusing on creating space to be flooded with sweet memories and physical space for what life brings ahead.

Sending you love + big hugs. // Kristin

Decluttering Your Home: The Good, The Bad + The Unexpected Results.

I’m writing this as a PSA for all of us out there on our home decluttering journey…the seasoned declutterer, to the just starting, ‘it is my first rodeo’ crew. I want you to know what you’re up against when you declutter in your home. What benefits can you expect? What roadblocks are lurking around to jump in your way? I want to take away the mystery, once and for all!

Decluttering, like many things, has so many stigmas around it: it leads to a scarcity mindset, it’s a waste of time, it takes too long, you’ll give away things you shouldn’t, you’ll let be left with a stark white, boring home, etc. Once we unpack the truth about decluttering, you’ll be able to see which of these will easily fall off the bandwagon of stigmas.

So we’re going to lay it all out of the table here so you know EXACTLY what to expect the next time you start decluttering in your home, whether it’s your 1000th time or your 1st. Let’s dig into the clutter!

1. YOU MIGHT FEEL FRUSTRATED AT FIRST.

When you start decluttering, there’s a lot of unknowns. What decisions will I make? Will I make the right ones? Can I get through the stuff I want to? And I’ll just shoot you straight - starting decluttering is the worst part. But once you get going, it gets easier and then the actual motivation comes to keep you going!

2. THERE’S NOT GOING TO BE A ‘RIGHT TIME’ TO START.

A lot of people get caught up in waiting for the ‘right time’ to declutter, only to find that everyday life will bulldoze your time. Decluttering must be intentionally planned into your time, but it doesn’t have to take a lot of time.

And guess what, never will there be a ‘right’ day to start. But here’s the good news, ANY day can be the best day to start. Start small. I’m talking 5 minutes and your everyday bag. See where it goes from there. If you’re worried about having enough time in your day? Declutter a high traffic space in your home. Worried about getting your kids out the door to school with less chaos? Declutter your drop/exit zone. Want to get dressed easier each day? Declutter your clothing closet/drawers.

To recap: declutter to save time - and stop worrying about the right to start because it doesn’t exist!

3. THERE WILL BE THINGS YOU ENJOY ABOUT IT.

Yes, let’s imagine us enjoying the decluttering process…it’s possible! You might discover things you’ve been looking for. You might learn about things you no longer need so you don’t waste money down the line. You’ll clarify what is useful, valuable and life-giving to you and, most importantly, what’s draining you. You might find you love the quick dopamine burst you get having a short 10 minute decluttering sesh to clear out a drawer or your everyday bag; this short burst helps you feel a bit more in control of things during your chaotic day. There’s a lot more to this, but this is just the start of reasons why you might end up enjoying decluttering!

4. YOU MIGHT HAVE SOME REGRETS.

Truthfully, I can count on less than one hand that I either forgot I had decluttered something and went looking for it or I wanted it back. And even when this happened, I quickly moved on from it and it was not an actual issue. I was quickly fine with it being gone. If you find yourself in this situation, ask some more questions about why you are looking for it, see if you can use something else, and then if you absolutely must replace it, make sure it is something you’ll use frequently and have adequate space for. If you considered decluttering it at one point, it’s likely not worth bringing it back in your home, even in a newer or different version.

I believe the biggest regrets of decluttering come from realizing that you should have done it sooner. The weight of your stuff becomes apparent when you start removing things from your home that you don’t use or love. When you start feeling that physical shift in your home environment, you’ll wish you would have let yourself part with these things sooner, despite being unsure about how you’d feel after. Now you know.

5. YOU MAY HAVE TO PUSH PAST SOME GUILT.

The guilt that surfaces while decluttering is real. Some of it surfaces as sunk costs. This is money you spent on the item and feel bad or embarrassed about spending what you did, only to be left with something you don’t use. The bigger embarrassment here is not that you spent good, hard-earned money on something, its doing nothing about it. As a result, you end up surrounding yourself with things that weigh you down, cluttering up your daily routines and life, making them harder than they need to be. This is a strong cocktail for preventing you from living well!

Guilt also comes in the form of time. The longer you wait to declutter that spare bedroom, the closet you’ve been avoiding, your crowded kitchen drawers, the harder it is for your brain to take action. But again, remember the secret sauce to success here is merely starting! Start messy. Start unsure. But just start!

Guilt also comes from self-doubt. This guilt comes from believing you’re not good at decluttering, not a good homemaker, or have lost control over your home. Allowed of thoughts can make you quit all together. And I have to tell you, none of this is true. This is your brain sharing tricky, unhelpful thoughts with you that we CAN redirect to get unstuck. You are good enough and you CAN make some small shifts to change everything! You CAN!

6. YOU’LL FEEL LIGHTER IN MANY WAYS.

The lightness in your home after you’ve decluttered is unmatched. Once you’ve removed things from your physical space that you no longer need, the space that is created and reduced visual fatigue, simply because of looking at less, creates a new level of calm in your brain. Creating spaces in your home that help you rest and recharge is essential for your overall well-being.

You’ll be shocked at the peace you create in your mind by decluttering areas that are not readily visible. You know what’s there. Your brain and your body keeps a log of all the zones in your home that need help, that frustrate you, that you spend countless hours digging through to find things. I don’t believe in ‘out of sight, out of mind’ is a real thing. You mind is keeping a log and it’s causing stress that we then carry daily in our body. When you attack these forgotten spaces, you’ll feel unexpected peace.

This new level of peace comes from knowing you can find something, even if it’s hidden. Knowing that you can open your kitchen cabinet and see everything in order at a glance, that your kids can help themselves to toys and be able to put them away, that you can see the food low in stock in your pantry and reduce waste because you know what you have.

This lightness takes the feelings of frustration and the unknown we discussed at the beginning, and turns them into known, predictable ease throughout your home. It allows you to clarify essentials/values, helping you create visible simplicity by taking control over your spaces, simply by removing what you don’t use, value or love from your home. These things leaving your home are what allows you to create space for the life you want.

WHAT TO DO NEXT:

Are you ready to learn strategic steps to help simplify the process of decluttering in your own home? Learn to declutter anything, anywhere in your home in small bursts, without the overwhelm.

Check out my slew of decluttering resources below to help you take action now. ↓↓↓↓↓

+ Download my free declutter guide to get you taking quick + easy decluttering action in your own home (linked in profile).

+ Click the follow button for @fuzzyhipposhop to follow along for more decluttering tips + basics to get you unstuck in your home on instagram!

+ Check out more free decluttering resources HERE!

+ Check out more decluttering tools + guides HERE!

+ See our clients’ favorite decluttering resources:

All Access Home Bundle (includes 9 of our top declutter/organizing guides!)

Declutter Your Home Masterclass

Parents + Kids Guide To Decluttering

1 Week Home Reset Kit

Thanks for following along as we lighten the load of home + simplify our everyday to live better.

Please drop any comments + questions below. I’d love to here from you! // Kristin

Decluttering Toys In Your Home: A Blueprint

If you’re like the average parent, at least once a day (or 10) we think about kids toys, regardless of the age of the kids. Are they still playing with that? Why does that have so many pieces? Why do they like that thing? Why don’t they play with this? Where in the world are we going to store this? Why did someone give this to my kid? Why is this left out again? Does any of that sound familiar?

Instead of worrying so much about what and our kids may or may not like/play with a toy, we’re going to learn concrete skills to declutter any toys, at any time, while bringing them along for the ride to learn together.

If decluttering toys in your home has felt impossible, overwhelming or just plain confusing, the goal is to take all that away in this blog post. We’ll give you the foundation on how to get started below, and if you want to take it a step further, you can checkout my Parents + Kids Guide To Decluttering!

1. AVOID OVERWHELM BY PICKING A STRATEGY TO MAKE TOY DECLUTTERING FEEL ‘SMALL’.

Instead of getting overwhelmed thinking of ALL the toys in your home + how to declutter them all at one time, make the process feel smaller/more manageable with one of these approaches:

+ Consider a single category to focus on. Games. Building. STEM toys. Stuffed animals. Small toys. Large toys (just a few examples). There’s a lot of ways to slice + dice this but the end goal is to make the process feel ‘small’ + focus your energy on a single group of things rather than everything at once.

+ Pick one toy zone to focus on. A toy drawer or collection. One closet. One shelf. One basket. One bin. One wall of the toy room. Keep hyper focused on assessing one zone, then move on to the next when you can. Declutter toys only in this zone.

+ Set a timer for 10-15 minutes. Pick an area, room or zone to focus on + let the timer guide your process while you declutter. Once the time is up, if you’d like to keep going, feel free to! If you aren’t able to continue, do another short burst of time later when you can.

2. TIPS TO HELP YOU DECLUTTER TOYS QUICKLY.

Now that you’ve decided on an approach to make the process more doable, here’s a strategic list of things to consider/look out for to start pairing down the toys in your home as you’re decluttering.

START WITH TOYS THAT ARE EASY TO PART WITH:

+ Discard broken, beyond repair toys. I would also include cheap, plastic toys in the category from parties (you know exactly what I’m talking about) that break easily /aren’t being actively played with (TOSS). Recycle parts/pieces/packaging whenever possible. Check locally.

+ Donate duplicate toys in good shape (unless both are actively being used). Example: We were recently given a dice game we already had. We donated one of the games.

+ Donate toys that your child active avoids or opening says they don’t like anymore. You can open a conversation about it with your kids by saying: ‘I’ve noticed a few things you aren’t playing with anymore, what are your thoughts about it? Can we donate it + free up more space for other things?’ If something is still up for debate, move the toy/game/etc. in an easy to access location for a period of time you both agree on (1 month for example), then donate if it hasn’t been played with after that time.

GENERAL TIPS FOR ASSESSING ANY TOY IN YOUR HOME:

+ Is the toy actively being used/enjoy frequently? (KEEP)

+ Has your child developmentally outgrown the toy / engage with it less + less? (DONATE, OR save for a younger sibling if you have the space to do so.)

+ Is there a similar toy that your child plays with a lot more? Example: You have 2 similar magnetic tile building sets, only 1 is used when both are out. (DONATE the lesser used one OR try a toy rotation, keeping only 1 out at a time. If one is avoided, it’s now time to DONATE it.)

+ Is it a 90/10 or open ended toy? This means the child has to do 90% of the work for it to be played with, 10% is the toy itself. This toy can be reinvented, redesigned + reused in endless ways. In general, toys with screens, lights, sounds + talks to your kid are not 90/10 toys. Examples of a 90/10 toys include: building blocks, beads, pom poms, a ball, cups/bowls, a marble run kit. (DONATE or limit the number of toys in your home doing all the work for your kids - it will reduce boredom + boost their creativity. Focus on keeping mostly open ended toys in your home.)

+ Are you limited on space in your home / there’s larger toys that your kids don’t enjoy much anymore? Remember that open space to move, create + breathe in are the best things we can offer our kids to foster more play. (DONATE the big, bulky toys that are rarely used eating up valuable space in your home).

See even more tips + strategies inside my Parents + Kids Guide To Decluttering.

3. AFTER YOU’VE PAIRED DOWN YOUR TOYS, MAKE SURE THEY ALL HAVE AN INTENTIONAL HOME.

Maximize the space you have + make ‘play’ more accessible, foster more creativity with your kids, reduce overstimulation + encourage longer, independent play with these strategies:

+ Limit what you have out for your kids to play with, especially 7 + under. Sensory overestimation is at a peak during these ages, so having less out at a time will engage them in more creative play + foster more independence. Children with sensory sensitivities will require additional boundaries per that child. But to recap, no matter the age, less out is always best.

+ Rotate toys around every few weeks if you have the space to do so. If you don’t have space for this, simply rearranging toys in the space you have, swapping bins or displaying things differently one morning can create a similar effect of things feeling new + interesting! You can also consider a toy swap with a fellow mama every few months to refresh your toy stash! I love this idea!

+ Make toys easy to get to / easy to put away. Any toys that need guidance or supervision should be up high/not easily accessible. Model to your kids where things are + where you put them when you’re done playing with them. Model for them how to take care of what they have in their home.

+ Let messes happen. Pick your moments to reset your play spaces + encourage your kids to take charge of this effort. Join in for a bit with some good music on + then let them take over. Remember, the less you own, the less there is to manage + put away!

Now it’s your turn to go try these tips out to help you start getting unstuck with toys in your home, so you can start taking decluttering action in small bursts!! You’ve got this!!

Want more insights on how to talk with your children, tailored to their age, to get them involved with decluttering toys (+ all their things) in your home? You’ll learn all of these tools + more inside my Parents + Kids Guide to Decluttering!

WHAT TO DO NEXT:

+ Download my free declutter guide to get you taking quick + easy decluttering action in your own home (linked in profile).

+ Click the follow button for @fuzzyhipposhop to follow along for more decluttering tips + basics to get you unstuck in your home on instagram!

+ Check out the KIDS STUFF zone for more free resources!

+ A game-changing resource for families: Parents + Kids Guide to Decluttering is a must for any family!!

Sending you + your family lots of fun + less chaos in 2025!!

Please drop any comments + questions below. I’d love to here from you! // Kristin

What To Do With Gifts + Unwanted Gifts After The Holidays

Your holiday decor might still be sprinkled around or you’ve happily packed it away…but guess what’s still lingering around in your home? ALL THE GIFTS! While there’s nothing wrong with friends and loved ones showering you with joyful bits and acknowledgement during the holidays, have you ever considered that not all of it has to stay?

Gifts, whether they’re something you asked for, were giving on a whim, you love the gift or it’s not your jam…they ALL have an impact on your home.

Now that it’s deep into January, we’re going to quickly assess all the items that have come in the door in the last few months from the holidays, decide what to keep and what needs to go (resourcefully/responsibly) in a quick effort to reset your home for the new year!

1. ASSESS WHAT’S WALKED INTO YOUR HOME DURING THE HOLIDAYS.

Take a scan of ALL the things new to your home since the holidays. Gifts, decor, treats, etc. This includes things you brought in for yourself + things that others gifted to you.

+ While you’re doing this, take inventory of items you either

1) Do not like 2) Are on the fence about. Pull these items aside to assess further in our next steps. You can do this room by room or simply by doing a quick walking scan throughout your home or wherever these items have landed.

+ Recycle any bulky packaging, boxes, papers that are no longer needed from gifts. Most wrapping papers cannot be recycled unfortunately. Brown kraft paper and 100% paper based gifts wraps can be recycled! Recycle papers, manuals, paper-based receipts you don’t need to instantly lighten your load of ‘stuff’ in your home. These are all the “clutter extras’ that often come along with gifts that can take over your home if you don’t keep tabs on it!

2. ASK MORE QUESTIONS AROUND GIFTS YOU ARE ON THE FENCE ABOUT OR DO NOT LIKE.

Here’s a quick checklist to help you assess gifts you’re unsure about or aren’t sure what to do with them next.

ASK:

+ Do you like the item at all? Would you consider buying this item with your own money (whether it was on sale or not)?

+ Do you already have something similar that you use regularly prefer/love more? If keeping this item, is it a duplicate and will it actually get used regularly?

+ Do you have space for the item? Are you OK with the time it will take to manage/care for the item in your home?

+ Does this item have a negative association with it? Does it trigger a negativity memory, reminders or thought patterns just by looking at it? (DON’T KEEP)

For gifts you do not like, are not your aesthetic, you already have or simply has a negative association with it, these items need to GO.

---

FOR ITEMS YOU’VE DECIDED NOT TO KEEP:

+ You can seek a return/exchange if you can nail down where the item came from + get something else you’ll enjoy more or need more at this time.

+ Donate or giveaway the items (assuming it’s a good shape + can be useful to someone else). Also consider the option to recycle the item when applicable (check locally).

+ Check locally for charities where someone in need could use your household items immediately (women and children’s shelter for example).

+ Do a swap with a friend. They might have a few things they’d love to swap with you for something you happen to have!

+ Consider re-gifting this item for a future gift to someone else. While this might sound tacky initially, I think this idea is resourceful + helps minimize waste, especially if you know someone who would love an item that you don’t love.

+ For items you plan to re-gift, make sure you have space to hold onto it until you can gift it. If you’re worried about giving it back to someone accidentally, add a little note to the item of who is was from, so when you go to create your next gift, you know who NOT to give it to! Easy!

3. FOR ITEMS YOU PLAN TO KEEP, LET’S FIND THEM A PROPER HOME.

Just because you love the item, doesn’t mean it’s going to easily find a landing spot in your home. Here’s how to find your ‘keep’ items a new permanent landing spot.

+ First, confirm if by keeping this item IF something else in your home needs to leave. Ex. You received a new chopping knife you prefer MORE than your old one because you like the size even more than what you currently have. The old chopping knife can go (donate if still in good shape) + keep the new one. No need to keep both!

+ Consider the 1 in 1 out rule, if this is applicable to you + your home right now. Ex.1: You received a new book + you can let go of another book you’re not going to read or enjoy again. Ex. 2: You’re in the process of rebuilding your sweaters collection + you want to keep what you have plus the new sweater you just received (the rule would not apply here because of your current needs to rebuild part of your wardrobe).

+ Figure out what area of your home this item should live. If you were gifted a new blanket, put it near your favorite cozy reading corner or over a piece of furniture/end of the bed to grab easily. Make it easy to enjoy and use this new gift in your home.

+ For items that don’t need to stay out all the time, tuck it away in a place where you will use it the most. Ex.1: You have brand new gloves. During this colder season, put them near all your outdoor gear in a hanging basket that’s easy to grab on your exit route out the door. Ex.2: You just received a new kitchen utensil - place the item in the drawer ideally right below the counter top where you will use it the most, based on its function.

Put things where you’ll use + enjoy them the most. Keep it simple!

4. SET STRONGER GIFTING BOUNDARIES MOVING FORWARD.

For future holidays, birthdays, etc. remember to communicate needs, preferences + requests with those you’re closest to.

+ Real reality, this still might not work…in which case, please revisit steps 1-3!

+ If you receive something that you already have or have something very similar to, it’s OK to let them know + respectfully try to sort out a return/swap. This just happened to me with sunglasses! I was able to work with customer service over email + return the sunglasses for a new pair that I now love + wear daily!

+ Intentionally declutter before these times of the year so you have more clarity on your needs before going into the holiday season so you can give family/friends some specific, clear direction on preferences.

+ Remember: Clear is kind. Unclear is unkind! Communicate clearly for best results!

+ Know that you can be gracious + grateful for a gift + it still not work for you. You can then do something resourceful with this unwanted gift or send it on it’s way WITHOUT GUILT. Deal?!

After a gift has been given to you, it’s now YOURS + YOU get to decide what YOU want to do with it. Don’t let the fear of guilt force you into keeping something that will simply become clutter in your home. Nothing about this is a gift at all!

---

WHAT TO DO NEXT:

+ Download my free declutter guide to get you taking quick + easy decluttering action in your own home (linked in profile).

+ Click the follow button for @fuzzyhipposhop to follow along for more decluttering tips + basics to get you unstuck in your home on instagram!

+ Check out more free decluttering resources HERE!

+ Check out more decluttering tools + guides HERE!

Thanks for following along as we lighten the load of home AFTER the holidays + reset our spaces/routines for the new year!

Sending you lots of love + peace in 2025.

Please drop any comments + questions below. I’d love to here from you! // Kristin

5 Simple Ways To Declutter Before the Holidays

Lightening the physical load in your home, before the holidays, is a MUST! This transition to the holidays can feel heavy for many reasons. The physical load (stuff) surrounding you is only adding to an invisible mental load that’s weighing you down + making life day to day more challenging than it needs to be.

In these 5 Simple Ways to Declutter Before the Holidays, I’ll show you how to scan your home quickly, focus on certain hot spots + help you streamline your home in a way that’s simple, without the typical overwhelm you think of when it comes to decluttering. Nope, not here! Let’s get to it so we can all enjoy our holidays!

DECLUTTER FOCUS #1: Bulky packaging, grocery bags, paper bags, etc.

✔️Why it works:

〰️ All of these items are in the category of “reoccurring clutter”, which means it happens from living daily life + must be checked in on frequently or it will make daily routines/task WAY harder than they need to be in your home.

✔️How to do it:

〰️ Start by scanning your pantry + cabinets for bulky packing making it hard to see what you actually have to consume (examples: boxes of tea, snack boxes, cereal boxes, sparkling water boxes, etc.) / decant anything you’d like to make it easier to see what you have + keep it fresher longer.

〰️ Next scan for grocery bags + paper bags to recycle. Check locally (I take any plastic bags I end up with to our local Target). Keep a few of those large paper bags to cut + turn inside out for gift wrapping!

〰️ Recycle as much as you can + then consider reusable bags in lieu if plastics moving forward to cut out out this clutter culprit in your home! Yes please!

---

DECLUTTER FOCUS #2: Expired goods + foods not being eaten from your kitchen / pantry.

✔️Why it works:

〰️ Seasonally we must check in on our food stock, as we might want to eat differently or bake certain recipes because of the time of year we’re in, or we’ve left behind some foods that we’ve forgotten about. This step will help streamline + simplify your meal prep + navigating what you have in your kitchen with more ease by assessing what you have!

✔️How to do it:

〰️ Scan your fridge + freezer for old, expired food items. Clean out + recycle what you can.

〰️ Scan your pantry for old items or items that no one is eating. PRO-TIP: If you’re unsure if something will be eaten, pull it out from your pantry + put it out on the kitchen counter in a basket + see what disappears in the next few days. If no one touches it, giveaway or toss it.

〰️ Don’t forget about your local food bank during this process. Non-expired goods you aren’t eating / are unopened can be taken there. Check locally for specific needs!

〰️ Have a notepad handy + write down anything you need to restock + most importantly, pay attention to items you DON’T need to buy again + save your money!

---

DECLUTTER FOCUS #3: Scan your horizontal surfaces to declutter.

✔️Why it works:

〰️ Everything that’s out on tables, furniture + counter tops is begging for your attention - simplifying + removing a lot of what’s out will instantly elevate your space + create more visual calm throughout your home, leaving you feeling less drained.

✔️How to do it:

*For each zone you’re going to 1) put away things that belong somewhere else 2) donate items no longer needed or in use 3) tuck things away in a useful/intentional spot that don’t need to be out 4) aim to have out as *little* as possible!

〰️ First do a quick countertop scan through your home, or even in just one spot that’s a common clutter culprit (ahhhemmm I’m looking 👀 at you kitchen counters!!)

〰️ Now let’s do a quick scan on the tops of furniture - think credenzas, tv stands, night stands, etc. / get rid of trash, extra nicknacks you no longer love + simplify the entire surface / wipe off dust if you must 🤪

〰️ Lastly, scan table tops, like the kitchen table or your desk if you missed that spot. Edit like it’s your job. Stay as minimal as possible! Only keep it out if it’s an absolute have to!! Recycle, toss + shred or file papers as needed.

*With less out, you’ll be more encouraged to keep it that way + feel better in your spaces.

*A lot of clutter in these zones can be curbed simply by making small, quick decisions all week to put things away or remove them if they’re no longer needed. You’ve got this!

---

DECLUTTER FOCUS #4: Scan for outgrown + no longer used items.

✔️Why it works:

〰️ This is another category that should be quick decisions. The jacket is outgrown. The book is no longer read. We don’t play with these toys. The game is broken. This throw pillow is no longer my aesthetic taste. The shoes are too small. If you run across something you’re unsure about, move on. Circle back on it in a month. We are focusing on the obviously items that need to go right now to create more space in your home + breathing room.

✔️How to do it:

〰️ You can scan each room one at a time, or pick + choose where you want to put your efforts. For me right now, I’m looking in clothing closets, toy areas + books, as it pertains to my kids. For me, I’m looking at some clothing items, accessories + home decor items to quickly edit.

〰️ As you scan the area you’re focusing on, have a box or bag ready for the obviously “no” items to drop in. If it belongs to someone else, bring them into the conversation on why it’s leaving. “You’ve outgrown these pants. We can replace them. Do you want something similar or different to these as we look around”? Keep the process transparent + nonjudgmental for best results!

〰️ If the controversial “toys” are being looked at, read on for my advice: Talk with your kids about the items you “never see them use or play with” + then ask some questions. Would they rather part with these + bring in something new to play with? Would you rather have more space to do your favorite hobby? If there’s a few items you’re all unsure about if they’re being played with, move them out for 1 month into a more obviously location (or just a more limited toy rotation to see if that helps engagement). If the items are never played with, donate them! Easy!

DECLUTTER FOCUS #5: Text + email unsubscribing.

✔️Why it works:

〰️In a short amount of time, you can greatly reduce the digital clutter on your phone + in your inbox, bogging down your time + causing visual fatigue every day! As marketing messages ramp up, this is the PERFECT time to check in on this category of clutter.

✔️How to do it:

〰️ Put a timer on for 5-10 minutes + focus on your phone for text message decluttering. Unsubscribe for any text message alerts you no longer want to receive. While you’re there, spend a minute to delete unwanted text message threads so it’s down to your most recent conversations that you actually need/care about!

〰️ Put a timer on for 5-10 minutes + focus on your email inbox exclusively. Since marketing emails are in full force right now, instead of just deleting emails from companies you no longer want to hear from, unsubscribe from it first, then delete it. In just a matter of days, you will notice A LOT LESS traveling into your inbox, plus LESS time spent during your days deleting things you don’t even want!

PRO-TIP: In gmail, you can simply put your arrow cursor over the email you want to unsubscribe to (without even opening the email) + an ‘unsubscribe button’ will appear. So quick!

Well friend, you did it! You’re on your way to a much lighter + joyful holiday season! Wishing you all the good things as we wind the year down. And remember, you deserve peace + simplicity all year round.

---

WHAT TO DO NEXT:

〰️ Download my free declutter guide to get you taking quick + easy decluttering action in your own home (linked in profile).

〰️ Click the follow button for @fuzzyhipposhop to follow along for more decluttering tips + basics to get you unstuck in your home on instagram!

〰️ Make sure you go watch all the 5 Simple Ways to Declutter Before the Holidays in my instagram feed below (all reels take only about a minute to watch)!

Thanks for following along as we lighten the load of home before the holidays + get unstuck in our own home! I’ve got you!

Watch all the short videos on Instagram below.

5 Simple Ways to Declutter Before the Holidays:

Part 1: Bulky packaging + grocery bags, paper bags

Part 2: Expired foods + items not being eaten

Part 3: Horizontal surfaces scan.

Part 4: Outgrown + no longer used items scan

Part 5: Text + email unsubscribing

See the full instagram highlight with all mini reels HERE.

7 Decluttering Myths You Need to Know Now

The 7 Decluttering Myths we’re going to address today are keeping you stuck in your home, right this minute! Decluttering has a lot of stigmas around it that tell our brain that we’re not good enough, we’re wasteful + that we’ve messed up. And that nothing can be done about it! Nope!

I want to invite you today to unpack these 7 Decluttering Myths with me so you know how to identify them creeping up + how to blast past them with the right tips + tools. Let’s go get unstuck together!

PART 1: “Decluttering is something you do only once.”
❌

Well I’m sorry friend, this is NOT a one + done thing…it’s an ongoing process, but it doesn’t have to be hard! And this is true for ALL of us!!

And now here’s the good news… it becomes easier + you do less of it over time. 🎉 Once you get the basics down, you’re golden!

PRO-TIP: Start with the low hanging fruit - the stuff you don’t need to overthink - expired good, the shoes your child outgrew, the extra/bulky packing, the mail.

---

PART 2: “ALL clutter is the same.”
❌

There’s actually LOTS of types of clutter, believe it or not! Knowing the difference helps you make quicker, more intentional decisions. Here’s a few to consider:

〰️ sentimental clutter - inherited or items you have an emotional tie to for some reason (can be more challenging to make decisions regarding it)

〰️ reoccurring clutter - expired goods, food, packaging, grocery bags, school papers, mail, etc. (typically easy to part with and remove from your home - on going but can pile up quick!)

〰️ growth clutter - things you’ve physically outgrown, developmentally outgrown or there’s been a shift in taste, aesthetics or home life needs (items that no longer align with you and your family’s lifestyle)

〰️ occasional clutter - unwanted gifts, items you’ve fallen out of love with, items that need to exit because space is more valuable, broken, beyond repair items, etc. (not difficult to part with but are often ignored all over your home + eat up valuable space)

PRO-TIP: It’s important to know that not all clutter is the same because each category requires different amounts of mental energy from us to remove it. This is normal! Knowing this info helps you more intentionally declutter in your home + feel less stifled by items that seem hard to part with.

---

PART 3: “All clutter is from things YOU brought into your home.”
❌

Nope! Let’s unpack this a bit. Here’s a few ideas to about clutter showing up in your home + how it got there:

〰️ unannounced clutter - can walk into your home from gifts you didn’t ask for, generous offerings from friends or family, trinkets from school or a holiday event, work event, etc.

〰️ associative clutter - are things they come along with things coming in your home by default - like extra packing from things your pantry, grocery bags if you’re not using your own reusable ones, etc.

〰️ transformative clutter - something that once was very useful to you is no longer serving you or your family + is now clutter - this is normal + OK - this is why we have to occasionally check in on things we own.

We still have to deal with this clutter. And it’s a reminder when we do have control over what’s coming in your home, slow down + be intentional.

PRO-TIP: Questions to ask when bringing something into your home:
Do we REALLY need this? Do I WANT to manage this? Do I HAVE space for this? Will it truly ADD value to my life or others? Or is this just another THING in my home…

---

PART 4: “You’re either born knowing how to declutter or you’re not.”
❌

Nope! I totally disagree. After working with clients for years, I believe wholeheartedly it’s a skill that has to be learned, just like riding a bike or chopping veggies in your kitchen. Here’s some food for thought around why we’re not naturally wired to know how to declutter:

〰️ we are constantly in “consuming” scenarios that cloud our judgement when we go to part with things

〰️ intentionally bringing things into your home is more about setting boundaries than anything else - another skill we all must learn that effects every part of your life

〰️ decluttering is a lifestyle + mindset that combines self awareness, ability to filter + assess what’s useful, valueable + needed in your life + home

PRO-TIP: Practice makes progress. Progress build confidence. Confidence shows you just how capable you are + how easy it can be to live better with less clutter.

PHOTO NOTE: Most of what you see up above here is mess! It’s actively in use, it has a home + is easily wrangled.

PART 5: “Mess and Clutter are the same thing.”
❌

This is one of most shocking revelations you can make in your home to preserve your time + energy.

Here’s how to know the difference between mess + clutter:

〰️ MESS are things actively in use / think crafts your kids are currently playing with / piles up items in the entryway from weather shifts this week / clothing you wore than needs to be tossed in the to wash basket or hung up to wear again.

〰️ MESS comes + goes.

〰️ MESS can be wrangled + put back in a designated home quickly + easily.

〰️ CLUTTER has no intentional spot in your home.

〰️ CLUTTER is likely not in use + yet is constant - it’s lingering around, it’s making your daily tasks much harder than they need to be.

〰️ CLUTTER needs to leave your home - it’s not helpful day to day, it’s not worth the space it takes up, it does not make daily life better, it does not make daily routines easier. It does not add joy to your home.

Start scanning your home today + see what’s mess + clutter in your home.
What do you notice when you look at your spaces with fresh eyes?

PRO-TIP: Deal with mess when you can. As you identify clutter in your home, create an exit plan for it + have a donation bag/box ready at all times!

---

PART 6: “Decluttering ALWAYS takes a lot of time.”
❌

The truth is that decluttering can take as much or as little time as you want. You can weave it into any schedule, lifestyle or family dynamic.

Here’s some ideas on how to approach decluttering in smaller bursts of time:

〰️ focus on one small zone - your everyday day bag, one drawer, one shelf, one cabinet.

〰️ put a timer on for 10-20 minutes to help you focus in one area OR do a quick sweep through of your home for items to declutter

〰️ focus only in one room for whatever amount of time you want / I suggests breaks every 45 minutes (leave that space, walk around then come back) if you want to declutter longer on that area

〰️ declutter by one specific category - like books, jackets, shoes, games, kitchen utensils, papers, etc.

PRO TIP: Combine these strategies for even more ideas on how to declutter in short bursts in your home to create your own “super strategies!”

Example: Put the timer on for 15 minutes, focus on one category in one room in your home (like the bathroom focusing on decluttering expired + not used toiletries)

Get creative with these strategies to fit the needs of your home. You will soar, promise!

---

PART 7: “Decluttering is NOT FUN.”
❌

Decluttering has a stigma around it - it’s miserable, it takes a lot of time, it gets messy + it makes you feel bad about yourself.

I want to invite you to consider some alternative perspectives around decluttering:

〰️give away without guilt - you will not get your money back you’ve already spent - responsibly put items to good use in the community + move forward

〰️use impulse buys or even well thought out buys that flopped as helpful information - ask questions around the purchases to help you make better decisions moving forward - why were they a flop?

〰️we are all human + learning! Be kind to yourself as you continue to refine your daily essentials + be resourceful with your time, energy + money

〰️know what you have + where everything is in your home - don’t ever underestimate the power of knowing that you have enough to take care of your daily needs + where to find everything - this brings on safety + peace

〰️rediscover + find things you maybe haven’t seen in a while - once you know you want to keep it, give it an intentional home, take care of it + move forward!

---

WHAT TO DO NEXT:

〰️ Download my free declutter guide to get you taking quick + easy decluttering action in your own home (linked in profile).

〰️ Click the follow button for @fuzzyhipposhop to follow along for more decluttering tips + basics to get you unstuck in your home!

〰️ Make sure you go watch all the 7 Decluttering Myths in my instagram feed below (all reels take less than a minute to watch)!

Thanks for following along as we de-myth decluttering for our homes + get unstuck!

Watch all the short videos on Instagram below. Check out the HIGHTLIGHT for even more insider tips I shared in my stories you won’t want to skip!

7 Decluttering Myths You Need To Know Now:

Part 1: Decluttering is something you only once.

Part 2: All clutter is the same.

Part 3: All clutter is from things YOU brought into your home.

Part 4: You’re either born knowing how to declutter or you’re not.

Part 5: Mess and clutter are the same thing.

Part 6: Decluttering always takes a lot of time.

Part 7: Declutter is NOT fun.

See the full instagram highlight with insider tips + all mini reels HERE.

Declutter 100 Items in 30 Minutes Challenge - Part I

A few weeks ago, I was feeling overwhelmed in my home and was noticing random things for days on end that needed to be decluttered. I kept pushing them off saying I would come back to it on the weekend. With soccer, family time and gardening needs ramping back up, I kept forgetting to come back to it. So in the middle of the week, while my kids were at school and I was taking a break from my home and work to do list, I set the timer for 30 minutes to declutter. Today I’m sharing the process and the results.

A bit more background on this - I spent my time in only a few zones in my home; this was not a full house effort. Because the timer being on for only 30 minutes, I had to merely scan for items I could easily declutter, without much thought. They had to be quick, easy decisions. The overall goal of this challenge is to get things out of the house I already knew needed to go, and maybe find a few treasures along the way!

Another tip - I did not spend time reorganizing things in the spots I was decluttering during the 30 minutes. I circled back after to tidy things up and reset / reorganize any spots that needed it. Focus on speed decluttering for those 30 minutes only. Reorganize if need later on.

Alright, well do you want to see the results?

TIP: Decluttering your every day bags are a great place to start to make quick, mindless decluttering decisions in a snap!

Reminder: This is not a full house declutter. This is what I call “hit the highlights in a few zones for 30 minutes” decluttering. Or you can focus on just one zone. It’s totally up to you! I had a few spots in mind that I knew needed my attention and that I could make quick decisions in, so those were priority for this quick decluttering session.

My favorite Time Timer to get set up.

Our ThredUp collection box for decluttered items.

A peek in on our declutter box a few minutes in!

A hallway zone before I decluttered some decor.

What items to look for while you’re decluttering:

✔duplicates not in use ✔broken items ✔things no longer in use or outgrown ✔items and extra packaging/paper that can be recycled ✔items that are just trash ✔things in good shape but you’ve fallen out of love with to donate ✔collect items that need to be put away elsewhere in the house or given away/returned to someone ✔remove expired items like toiletries and food items (that’s as mindless of a decision as it gets!) ✔take note of wasted items that you won’t buy again or will buy less of in the future ✔take note of anything you run across that needs to be restocked

Categories to sort your items into as you declutter:

Donate (clean, in good shape, someone else can use the item)

Recycle (can be recycled in your area, check locally)

Textile Recycle (I do this separately with various companies like For Days or Ridwell might be in your area - check locally for other free options close to you)

Sell (for this round, it’s only books we’ll sell to Half Price Books)

Relocate (items removed from one area that you want to keep but need to go in another area of the house or given to someone/returned)

Trash (well, it’s just trash and it is the last resort if it doesn’t fall into any of the above categories)

You can have bags, boxes or baskets dedicated to each category as you go, or just throw everything in one bin (like in your laundry baskets for example) and sort things when you’re done. Use what you have and keep it simple!

Here’s the breakdown below of what I decluttered. After the 30 minutes, I sorted everything into categories then totaled them up.

✔Donate: 25

• 3 oven mitts

• 1 unscented candle

• 2 over the door hooks

• 1 kids tshirt

• 3 vase/vessels

• 1 glass cleaning

• 1 drawstring bag

• 1 bag Velcro pieces

• 1 bag extra headphone ear covers

• 3 key chains

• 1 birthday necklace

• 1 mini sewing case

• 1 mystery cord

• 15 hair new accessories

✔Sell: 8

• 8 books (will take to half price)

✔Recycle: 32

• 4 tea bag boxes

• 1 Empty vitamin bottle

• 12 paper towel/toilet paper rolls

• 1 plastic yogurt container

• 2 magazines

• 1 cardboard box

• 1 paper item

• 1 plastic tray

• 2 spice jars (clean out first)

• 1 empty spray vitamin bottle

• 6 random pieces of paper

✔Textile Recycle: 1

• 1 old kitchen towel

✔Relocate: 12

• 3 kids bracelets

• 2 packs of seeds

• 1 clip

• 6 large shells

✔Trash: 61

• 3 receipts

• 34 tea bags

• 1 bag sugar sprinkles

• 1 empty super glue bottle

• 19 plastic knives

• 3 pieces random trash

✔Decluttering total: 139

_______________________________________

You can see the full break down of this Declutter Challenge, with short videos, more photos and details in my Challenge Highlight on the gram.

Check out our donation resources and more HERE.

See more Sell, Donate, Recycle + Toss Resources HERE

My donations from this round went to Leukemia of Texas Resale Center.

So what’s next?

Now it’s time for YOU to dive into your own (short burst of time) declutter challenge! Use whatever time you have, 10, 15, 20 minutes or 30 if you’d like, and see what you can do! This is how decluttering in real life actually works, when we can sprinkle it into our everyday, when we can, as time permits. But don’t obsess about the number of items leaving your home, just aim to remove things you know you no longer need, in as little time as possible (with as little mental effort as possible)!

I know I’ll be back with another round of this soon because my garage has been calling my name…see you then!

If you’d like MORE HELP decluttering + lightening the physical + mental load in your home, here’s a few great places to start.

Free Declutter Guide

Learn the basics of Decluttering

Parents + Kids Guide To Decluttering

No B.S. Guide To Decluttering

Declutter Your Home Masterclass

Work with Kristin

Why Clutter + Mess Are Different (And Why You Need To Care About It)

After countless conversations with clients, family and friends, it has become abundantly clear that there’s lots of confusion around the difference between clutter and mess in the home. And why should you even care about their differences? Because they effect your home and life in drastically different ways. How many times have you heard from someone (or you’ve said it) “my home is an absolutely mess!!” Probably ALL of us! But is it just mess or is it possibly clutter?

The reason why we need to care about the difference between clutter and mess is that you need to deal with them differently. I have different strategies to help you improve your home environment and live better in your home when you tackle them each intentionally.

So today we’re going to clarify the differences between clutter and mess, so you can get both under control, prevent them from surfacing and simplify managing your home for good.

So what does MESS look like in your home?

---

✔ Most mess is created by things that will likely stay in the home (with few exceptions like leftover paper scraps from a craft that can be recycled).

✔ They’re things actively in use it just might be temporarily out of place.

✔ They’re things involved in your everyday that you want to keep like clothing you’re wearing often (that need to be hung up/put away), toys the kids are playing with (that need to be put back in their baskets), books that are still being read (that need to be placed back on the shelf), kitchenware and tools that help make your meal prep/cooking go smoothly (that need to get tuck back in the cabinet).

✔ They’re items that likely need to be relocated, cleaned or put back in it’s home. But they’re all items that are essentials for your home and are actively being loved and used. They just might need a little reset or tidying!

What does CLUTTER look like in your home?

---

NOTE: There’s reoccurring clutter and occasional clutter. Let’s break it down next so you know how to spot them both and easily deal with them.

✔ Reoccurring clutter comes into your home or surfaces frequently simply because of daily life. It can easily pile up if ignored (like mail, trash in your everyday bag, school papers/art/information, expired foods, expired toiletries, etc.)

✔ Occasional clutter surfaces as a response to changes/shifts in your life. Clothing being outgrown, aesthetic tastes changing, developmental needs changing or by needs that surface because of shifts in daily life (outgrown clothing, toys that are no longer being played with, books that are no longer being read, decor that you’ve fallen out of love with, clothing you are avoiding in your closet, items you no longer need after a move to a new home in a new city).

✔ They’re in the mix with your everyday essentials and are making your daily tasks harder than they need to be.

✔ They’re items that need to leave the home, like a stack of mail that needs to be gone through taking up valuable countertop space in your kitchen.

✔ Clutter wastes your time and causes you to dig through through it to get to the stuff you actually want to use/consume.

✔ Clutter wastes your energy by forcing you to devote effort and bandwidth to manage things that don’t support your everyday, basic needs. Clutter makes life harder than it needs to be.

Now are you ready for solutions on how to deal with CLUTTER + MESS? Oh good!

How to deal with MESS in your home.

---

✔ Opt in for a daily reset, even if it’s just for a few minutes. Mess (items that will stay in your home but need to be tidied) can benefit from a daily check in, whatever time of day works for you.

✔ Utilize a large “relocate basket” throughout the day/week for items that need to be put away. The home can have one of these, one for each person in home, or a few for high traffic areas in the home. Choose what works best for you and your family. Walk your home with a large bag or basket and put everything in it that needs to go back to another room. Next, where you’re able to, put things back, room by room, until the container is empty. Done!

✔ Clean up as you go, when you can. This will save you from a mountain of things to put away at the end of the day. Focus on common use items like dirty dishes, worn clothing, most used table tops, counter tops and toy clean up.

✔ Time block reset times for the home during the week or for certain zones of the house that tend to attract more mess (like the kitchen, living room or play zones). Set a timer for a short time to do a room or general home reset. Reward yourself when you’re done!

✔ Recruit help and encourage everyone in the home to take care of the needs of the home. Show each person what they can to do contribute. Everyone who lives in the home should chip into this effort in an age appropriate way.

How to deal with CLUTTER in your home.

---

✔ Check in weekly on reoccurring clutter creators, like mail, school work/papers, and food. Tailor this to the needs in your home.

✔ Make quick decisions about clutter. Focus on removing items first that don’t require thought, like expired products/food, mail, school papers, invitations, magazines, trash, recyclable goods, clothing that doesn’t fit anyone in the home anymore.

✔ Don’t over-complicate eliminating clutter from your home. Focus on the facts about item and why it needs to leave your home (ex. the food is expired, it must be thrown out because it’s not safe to consume) to help you make quick decisions.

✔ Observe common clutter zones/category in your home. Think kids clothing, toys, mail, consumables (toiletries, food, consumables, etc.). These hot spots in your home should be top of mind for items that need to be removed frequently from your home. Check in on them as often as your able to, minimally once a month.

✔ Create a designated spot for these decluttered items that will move on to donations, like clothing, books, toys and decor. Recycle as much as possible (check locally for what’s excepted). Drop off donation items once a month, or as soon as possible!

✔ When decluttering items that you feel more connected to, make sure they are actively in use, bring joy/value to the home and make life easier. At least 2 of these attributes should be at play, but ideally all 3 are at play. Anything that has a negative association with it, that mentally drains to you or brings up painful memories, should be removed from the home immediately.

✔ Prevent clutter from coming in your home through intentional consumption. Delay purchases and do research first to make more sound buying decisions, avoid duplicates, use what you already own, borrow from family/friends, and utilize free resources in your community (like buy nothing groups, libraries, etc.).

Now let’s recap what we’ve learned about MESS + CLUTTER.

Mess is temporary and easy to reset/clean up.

Clutter should not stay in your home and is not an active part of your daily life and is not bringing value to your everyday.

Resetting the home and frequent check-ins on reoccurring clutter (like mail) and occasional clutter (like outgrown clothing/toys) will keep your home functioning smoothly and efficiently! And oh by the way, you’ll save an incredible amount of time, energy, and money, allowing you to create a more peaceful home. Yes, please!

So next time you see a pile of chaos in your home, make sure you ask yourself “is this mess or is it clutter”? This is simple question will help you can take quick action to deal with it. You’ve got this my friend!

If you’d like MORE HELP decluttering + lightening the physical + mental load in your home, here’s a few great places to start.

Free Declutter Guide

Learn the basics of Decluttering

Parents + Kids Guide To Decluttering

No B.S. Guide To Decluttering

Declutter Your Home Masterclass

Work with Kristin

Benefits of Decluttering (Part III): Results to Expect in the Coming Months + Years in Your Home

So what happens in the coming months and years after you’ve decluttered? And what benefits can you expect? We’ll dive into all of this today!

If you missed the previous blog posts on this topic, you can find them here and then come on back to us! Benefits of Decluttering (Part I - Immediate Results) / Benefits of Decluttering (Part II - Results the Days + Weeks After)

We’re deep into a 3 part blog series where we discuss all the benefits of decluttering at various stages after you declutter. The value in taking the time to break this down is to help you know what’s ahead and encourage you anytime you start decluttering. So let’s begin with Part III, the benefits you can expect in the months and years after you’ve decluttered in your home.

1. You’ll save $ + reduce waste.

Decluttering has so many benefits that are ongoing LONG after you’ve decluttered that you need to be aware of.

✓ You’ll save money by not overbuying + reducing impulse buying.

✓ The decluttering process helps you take inventory of what exactly is in your home, what you need + what you already have enough of.

✓ You’ll notice BIG $ savings in your kitchen (intentionally buying groceries), bathrooms (toiletries you actually use + can store), closets (only clothing, shoes, accessories you need/love), + with your kids (clothing, toys, books that are age appropriate/fit).

✓ Awareness of what you already own helps you reduce waste by not bringing things into your home that you don’t need/less to manage.

✓ You’ll gain more clarity on what should be allowed into your home + what will just end up being another thing to manage/take away your time.

2. You’ll reduce stress + have more peace in your home.

This is one of the hardest things to help someone (or a client) understand until they’re living it. You often hear “don’t sweat the small stuff (the details)”…and an unpopular opinion here, you need to. Your entire day is made up of the small stuff/details, and if those details are draining, taking too many steps and miserable, well…that sounds down right awful! The small stuff matters. The details of our life matter.

✓ Stress in the home is a byproduct of managing too much and inefficiencies in daily routines sprinkled all over the home.

✓ Reducing clutter in your home brings a lightness into your home by way of less objects to look at and maintain.

✓ Physical and mental energy is freed up, bringing more peace into your home. This lightness and peaces allows daily routines and habits to be less stressful. Couple this with greater organization throughout your home and WOW, life gets really good!

3. You’ll be able to rest better + recharge in your home.

Decluttering your home completely changes your home environment. It creates spaces that support the individuals in the home, not spaces that fight against you and drain you. Long after you declutter, you’ll see the benefits in how you can more deeply and effectively recharge in your home.

✓ Decluttering the home is a key stepping stone to creating spaces that become your refuge from the chaos of the outside world.

✓ The result of more peace in your home (as we just discussed) allows you to rest more in your home + feel recharged by simply being in your home environment.

✓ As months and years go by, we either create spaces that drain us or allow us to thrive (we must choose wisely).

Real talk: We cannot get away from the daily responsibilities of life and unpredictable stressors that pop up, but we can make them easier to deal with by way of less clutter, less in your home to manage and by surrounding yourself only with items you use, love and bring value to your life/home.

4. You won’t have to declutter as much.

Now I have your attention I’m sure!!

There’s ebbs and flows with decluttering. At the beginning, when you first start the process, there’s likely going to be a lot more time, effort and energy exerted to hit the ground running. Many want to quit here before it gets good…please don’t! Later on, as you hone your decluttering skills and build confidence in your decision making, it becomes a way of life and much less time is spent on it.

✓ Decluttering is a way of life.

It’s not about spending countless hours removing things from your home. It’s about donating the shoes your child has grown out of. It’s about doing a seasonal pass through of your outerwear and donating it to a local church or shelter. It’s about removing expired items and taking note of the ones you will no longer buy.

✓ Decluttering is about focusing on the essentials (the things you need to thrive in your home everyday) and making every item in your home earn its place in your home.

✓ Decluttering is most effective in short bursts, in the months and years down the road, to check in on/maintain what you’ve already started.

✓ You become a more intentional consumer and therefore less clutter walks in your door to begin with! Woo hoo!!!

Beyond the energy and sanity you’ll save, the money you’ll save over the coming months and years after decluttering will blow your mind. My clients frequently share with me how they easily they recover the costs of decluttering support/guides and even make money after decluttering from selling items/not overbuying things for their home.

These simple acts of decluttering in your home have massive, long term effects you can feel GOOD about! Keep going, you can do it! All your effort is worth it, promise.

If you’d like MORE HELP decluttering + lightening the physical + mental load in your home, here’s a few great places to start.

No B.S. Guide To Decluttering Parents + Kids Guide To Decluttering

Free Declutter Guide Learn the basics of Decluttering Organizing Basics

Declutter Your Home Masterclass Shop all Declutter + Organize Guides/Products

Work with Kristin

Benefits of Decluttering (Part II): Results to Expect in the Coming Days + Weeks in your Home

So what happens in the coming days and weeks after you’ve decluttered? And what benefits can you expect? We’ll dive into all of this today!

If you missed PART I of the benefits of decluttering blog series, you can find it HERE, then come back to us!

We’re deep into a 3 part blog series where we discuss all the benefits of decluttering at various stages after you declutter. The value in taking the time to break this down is to help you know what’s ahead and encourage you anytime you start decluttering. So let’s begin with Part II, the benefits you can expect in the coming days and weeks after you’ve decluttered in your home.

1. You’ll save time + energy.

While you’ll notice this immediately, this becomes more obvious a week or so after you’ve decluttered in a space. Let me give you some examples of how this can play out.

In the Kitchen:

• Your food prep takes a fraction of the time because you’re not fumbling through drawers digging for the right chopping knife or tools to get it done.

In the Bathroom:

• You’ve removed all the products/toiletries you don’t use or have expired + have only kept the ones you use regularly in an easy to find, easy to reach spot so your morning routine goes so much smoother.

In the Closet:

• You’ve paired down your hanging clothes/drawers to clothing you wear regularly, enjoy wearing + fit well. Getting dressed is no longer a chore + you can easily see and access what you’ve decided to keep.

Small bits of time saving equal large amounts of time gained over time, resulting in less energy spent on daily tasks because they’re easier to complete. Yes, please!

2. You’ll crave more efficiency throughout your home + know how to make it happen.

Buckle up because things are about to get REALLY GOOD! Once you declutter in one area of your home and experience how life feels in a newly streamlined spot in your home, it’s contagious!

You’ll begin to notice other “inefficiencies” throughout your home and that’s OK! An overstuffed drawer, a cluttered counter, a bag with a bunch of random in it so you can’t find anything, spots throughout your home that collect clutter piles, spots where kids struggle to put things away…it will feel like there’s spot light over these spots because you now know how to detect them and how to resolve them! Woohoo!

DO NOT BE AFRAID OF FINDING MORE CLUTTER TO DEAL WITH IN YOUR HOME (I’m not yelling, I’m just really passionate)!!

✓Take things one zone (start small) at a time, as you are able to. ✓Declutter that spot to support what you typically do in that spot/things you’d like to do there in the future. ✓Declutter around those goals + then start living with it!

You will have higher standards for the quality of your home environment now + that’s OK!! Welcome to living your best life!

3. You’ll become more intentional about your days + your life.

While we tend to focus on the “physical stuff” creating clutter in your home, when you declutter throughout your home, you realize the impact ‘things’ can have on you time/schedule.

Our days become filled up with inefficient tasks + managing stuff that we don’t even need or want. So many things become so much harder, take too many steps + take up way more time than they need to simply because of having too much stuff/things in the wrong spots in your home.

✓ You’ll start to become more intentional and protective about how you use your time.

✓ You’'ll clarify what’s most important to you + how that translate to how to spend your hours each day.

✓ Dare I say you might even start “decluttering your schedule” + removing things from it that no longer add value to your life.

Just as we do this with physical objects through decluttering, you’ll learn there’s a directly connection to your time as well.

Your time is so precious + invaluable, protect it fiercely my friend!

REMINDER: Sometimes decluttering in a spot might simply mean rearranging or moving items in a way where they’re easier to see + use. It’s not always about getting rid of stuff!

COMING UP NEXT in Part III of the Benefits of Decluttering…

The results you can expect in the coming months + years after decluttering in your home! See you in the next post!

If you’d like MORE HELP decluttering + lightening the physical + mental load in your home, here’s a few great places to start.

No B.S. Guide To Decluttering Parents + Kids Guide To Decluttering

Free Declutter Guide Learn the basics of Decluttering Organizing Basics

Declutter Your Home Masterclass Shop all Declutter + Organize Guides/Products

Work with Kristin

Benefits of Decluttering (Part I): Results to Expect Immediately in Your Home

So what happens in your home immediately after you declutter in it? What results can you expect? We’ll dive into all of this today!

We’re moving into a 3 part blog series where we discuss all the benefits of decluttering at various stages after you declutter. The value in taking the time to break this down is to help you know what’s ahead and encourage you anytime you start decluttering. So let’s begin with Part I, the immediate benefits and results you can expect when you declutter in your home.

1. Your home will look different.

I’m guessing you knew this part. But let’s unpack it a bit further. When you declutter, your home will look different by way of removing items you no longer need or relocating items that would be best suited for other areas of your home. You’ll see spaces differently as you start to peel back the layers of “non-essentials” that have taken over your home and remove them from your space. This will reduce “visual clutter” that can stack up throughout your home.

Focus on removing items collecting on horizontal surfaces (like counter tops and tops of furniture) that can be donate, recycled, toss or simply tucked away (if it needs to be kept but doesn’t have to be out). Focus on removing items that might be tucked away (and out of sight) that make finding your everyday “essentials” more difficult. Essentials in your home make daily life easier. Decluttering aims to create more ease and more peace throughout your home, putting those essentials into focus.

You’ll also start seeing all your favorite items around your home with fresh eyes. Your favorites (most valued and love items) will take center stage because they’re no longer covered up by items that have no meaning or value to you. Your favorite collections, furniture, artwork, books, photos, etc. will take prominence in your home and add to your daily joy and happiness in your home!

2. Your home will feel different.

The reason why your home will feel different as you move through it (after decluttering in any space) is because there’s physically less stuff weighing down your environment. Each and every item in your home grabs for your attention, so you must be incredibly intentional about what you allow into your home, knowing that it will ultimately pull from your energy/daily bandwidth.

In my own home, and often reported from my clients, is a feeling of ease and lightness that happens in their home as they move through their decluttered spaces. There’s two parts to this: 1) The removal of and lessening of physical objects you have to maintain/clean/care for creates physical lightness and 2) reducing the mental load of things in your space creates mental lightness. The mental load is the weigh of objects grabbing for your attention without you even knowing it, creating visual clutter for your brain to continually process and spend energy on. You feel the relief of this “intangible weight” lifted once items you no longer need are removed from a space and your brain no longer has to make decisions about them. It’s a gift. Get ready for greater focus, clarity of thoughts and calm.

3. You’ll gain confidence with your decision making.

This is often one of the most invaluable and overlooked benefits you’ll gain immediately after decluttering - confidence in your decision making.

Decluttering, as I love to describe to my clients, is much like a muscle. The more you practice, the more you strengthen and fine tune this muscle. If you’ve found yourself struggling to make decisions in other parts of your life, you’ll find decluttering a drawer and making quick, simple decisions a boost for your overall decision making skills.

Decluttering helps you value your current seasons of life, trust yourself/your thoughts, clarify your needs and build confidence in your ability to intentionally act on them. One of the greatest noted stressors in life comes from delayed decision making or procrastination , which often comes from overwhelm. To curb this, start small…I mean really small. One corner of a counter, one small drawer, an everyday bag…then go from there!

COMING UP NEXT in Part II of the Benefits of Decluttering…

The results you can expect in the coming days + weeks after decluttering in your home! See you in the next post!

If you’d like MORE HELP decluttering + lightening the physical + mental load in your home, here’s a few great places to start.

No B.S. Guide To Decluttering Parents + Kids Guide To Decluttering

Free Declutter Guide Learn the basics of Decluttering Organizing Basics

Shop all Declutter + Organize Guides/Products

3 Reasons Why You Need To Declutter During the Holidays

Yes, I said the D word (declutter)! It’s probably the last things you want to be doing right now, as you prepare for the holidays coming full speed ahead for you. By the end of this blog post, I want you to feel fully confident that short bursts of decluttering are absolutely critical to helping you navigate this holiday season, free up your time, save you money and allow you to enjoy the season even more than before.

So let’s dive into the 3 Reasons Why You Need To Declutter During the Holidays.

1. Things have changed this year + so has your home.

Let’s be honest, in the last year while some things have stayed the same, but a lot has changed. I want you to lean into this as you pull out your holiday decor. I’ve found over the years that holiday decor tends to overwhelm and overstimulate both myself and my kids, so I’ve become very picky about what comes out for the holidays. As you pull out each item to decorate for the holidays, decide which items deserve to stay and which ones should move on to another home. Broken, beyond repair items need to head to recycling or trash depending on the material.

Also consider if your aesthetic taste has changed. This is normal by the way! Focus on quality, timeless pieces that feel valuable and special to you and your family. Selecting less of a higher quality that will last a long time will save you money long term. If you decide to replace or bring in anything new, make sure something else is headed out to donations. Aim for less. Be honest about how much space you have to store decorations and you’ll reduce what you’ll have to store and manage the rest of the year while it’s are not in use.

2. Decluttering right now will save you money.

Hear me out. If you haven’t heard me shout this from the rooftops enough yet, the purpose of decluttering is to make your life easier, and a large part of this is knowing exactly what you have in your home so you don’t overbuy or impulse buy things that you don’t need. Now I have your attention!

Here’s a few examples of how this can play out for you right now:

• Decluttering with your kids and what all they own right now (and fits) will help everyone clarify what they have and what they need during this season - perfect information to gather right before a gift giving/receiving season!

• Decluttering in your kitchen will help you remove items you don’t need to prepare large family meals and streamline your efforts in your kitchen. Your kitchen will function more easily, leaving you less likely to waste food since you can see and access everything you have, saving you money weekly!

• Decluttering your clothing alerts you to items in your closet you love, want to wear and helps you become more creative/resourceful with what you already have. It’s exciting to rediscover old gems in your closet you have forgotten about and move them into a location that reminds you to wear them and gets you excited to enjoy them during this cooler season. Having clarity on what’s in your wardrobe will help you not impulse buy, even when those enticing good deals strike because you’ll know exactly what to avoid and what to look for (if there’s any wardrobe holes you’re wanting to fill).

3. Save time and energy.

Here’s the basics on this one…the less you have in your home, the less you have to manage. Fact. The holidays tend to feel like everything is ‘extra’ and ‘more’. And with all of this ‘extra’ and ‘more’ comes more things that take over your home and your bulldoze your time and peace. To help you achieve LESS during the holidays, consider these tips to help you declutter in small bursts to regain more time and breathing room.

• Every few days (or once a week), put a timer on for 10-15 minutes + pick one area in your home that feels chaotic/cluttered + do a quick declutter burst.

• Relocate items that need to go back in a different room. Remove items you no longer use or love or items that are in poor shape/beyond repair

• Attack one small zone that is in a high traffic area that you utilize daily. Do a fast 10 minute declutter burst on this area, like a high use kitchen drawer, a kitchen counter, the kitchen table, the drop zone you go in + out of before/after school, a part of the pantry, the fridge, a small hall closet. Editing these spots will transform your everyday immediately by removing physical obstacles (extra stuff) that make your daily tasks harder than they need to be.

Taking short bursts of time to simplify the spaces in your home, however small, especially during the holidays, will reward with more time, less energy spent on “stuff management” and more clarity on what you have in your home (and what you might need moving forward). Everyone in the home will benefit from decluttering during the holidays, long after this holiday season has passed and long into the new year.

Wishing you all the most peaceful + healthiest of Holidays!

Thanks for being here + I’ll see you soon in the next post.

Other holiday + seasonal blog posts you might enjoy: 

No Clutter Holiday Gift Ideas for Kids + Adults

Decluttering While You Prepare for the Holidays

5 Ways To Lighten Your Holiday Load

Giving, Gifting  + Navigating Unwanted Gifts

No Clutter Holiday Gift Ideas for Kids + Adults

You’ve probably seen some of these no clutter gift guides before, but today I want to add a fresh spin on it for you! After working with many of you in your homes, virtually, and with my own family and friends, I know what ends up as burdensome clutter in homes. We have the incredible opportunity to both filter what comes into our own home as well as be more intentional about what we share with others to not add to their home’s clutter!

There’s 3 no (or low) clutter gifting categories we’re going to focus on. Disappearing/consumable gifts, experience based gifts, and gifting essentials to someone. Let’s get into it!

1. Disappearing + consumable gifts.

And what in the world do I mean by this? These are consumable items that can be eaten, drank, or used up and ideally you’re left with a recyclable or reusable container/packaging, or nothing at all. Here’s a few ideas to get you started…

Disappearing + consumable gift ideas for KIDS

• pencils, pens, markers, crayons, paints - things they can use daily and go away

• paper, notebooks, journals - can use them + keep them or recycle them when they’re done (here’s tips on recycling paper goods

• a favorite treat, snack, candy or gum - consume + be done with it!

• books - I’m counting this one here because books have a much longer lifecycle than the average gift + can be recycled, donated, regifted or sold when they’re outgrown without creating trash

• favorite toiletries - think lotions, bath washes, lip care items, etc.

Disappearing + consumable gift ideas for ADULTS

• luxury self-care items - candles, diffuser oils, soaps, lotions, lip care items

• magazine subscription - they can enjoy this + then recycle it when done

• paper goods - think helpful home lists, planners, calendars, check lists, that can be used + then recycled when you’re done with them (here’s a slew of helpful home paper goods you can check out currently in my shop)

• homemade food/baked goods/ingredients - a home cooked meal, like a big pot of soup/sides, homemade baked goods, homemade vanilla extract (I’m trying this soon!) or provide all the ingredients packaged neatly for them to make something in their home, like a bread/hot chocolate/s’mores/soup with a recipe attached

• a food basket the entire home or family can share of some of their snack, drink + treat favorites

• their favorite coffees, teas, ciders, sparkling waters, italian sodas, etc. - if you don’t know their favorites, offer a sampler of a few for them to try out

• a savory custom dry spice rub to flavor meats, fish + other proteins or a collection of salts + peppers for everyday cooking

• low maintenance plants or a gift card to a local nursery to help with outdoor house projects

• holiday scent / holiday potpourri ingredients / mulling spices for the crock pot or stove top (here’s a combo I love)

• kindle gift card - for anyone who doesn’t mind reading books on a screen (this would not be for me but I have plenty of friends who’d love this idea!)

2. Experience based gifts.

For this gift category, think about how someone can have a new or familiar experience inside or out of the home and not have to keep any additional items in their home to do so.

Experience based gift ideas for KIDS

• pass for an indoor activity park - think Urban Air, Ninja Kids, Kid Mania, indoor trampoline parks (you can get a pass for them + for a sibling or friend to join them - check locally)

• trip to the skating rink, ice skating or bowling

• pass for a local museum, discovery science zone, etc.

• gift card to a favorite place to get ice cream or a favorite treat out

• tickets for a soccer game, basketball game, movie or concert

• gift card to buy music

Experience based gift ideas for ADULTS

• gift card for a dinner out (either dine in with someone or get it to go)

• gift card for a few coffees or teas out

• tickets to a game, concert or movies

• tickets to a museum, art show or gallery

• gift card to buy new music to enjoy or stream a new movie

• gift card to a favorite bookstore (local is a bonus) or get them a library card to their local library if they don’t have one

• donate in their honor of one of their favorite charities

• self-care gift card for a massage, pedicure, facial, or nail treatment

• plane tickets to come visit you or someone they love

• gift them a class or training to learn a new craft or skill - think Craftsy / Skillshare / Masterclass for online options, but don’t forget to think about a local pottery, art, piano, martial arts or an outdoor survival class (just to name a few)

• gift a helpful digital guide to learn a new skill in less time - you can check out my shop for so many helpful digital home guides that cover everything from decluttering, organizing, kitchen, kids, moving, digital clutter + more!
  

3. Essentials gift giving.

This will first involve talking with someone and/or their family to find out what basic needs they need help with this holiday season. You might be surprised at the true needs your family, friends and neighbors…and it’s not luxury items, it’s things just to get by.

Essentials gift ideas for KIDS

• replace an everyday garment of clothing - think grown out jackets, pants, shoes

• gift card for clothing

• gift baby essentials like diapers, wipes, blankets, etc.

• books - yes I love books so much + know just how essential reading is to our kids it’s going to make it into several categories here!

• offer to pay for a few weeks or month of school lunches

Essentials gift ideas for ADULTS

• gift card for clothing

• gift card for groceries +/or gas

• help pay a bill - of course you’ll need to know this person well to know you can help in this way, but this may take away a huge financial burden for someone for month

• offer a ‘coupon’ for a free dinner any night - you can cook it or pick up + bring it to them (especially love this for any elderly in your community)

• offer to watch your friend’s kids - for an afternoon or an evening so they can go out to eat alone or get some errands done without the kiddos

• offer your help with a house project

• new linens, towels or kitchen essentials helpful for everyday use

• cold weather essentials - often something we overlook for long lasting seasonal gifts (think warm socks, a good blanket, hand warmers, gloves, ear muffs, a warm hat, etc.)
  
  
  

Now it’s your turn to get creative and run with these ideas. These are a jumping off point and not limited to what we’ve listed above. I can’t wait to hear about all the no clutter gift ideas you come up with this holiday season!

And please don’t forget to drop your favorite no clutter gifts in the comments below!

Wishing you all the happiest + healthiest of Holidays!

Thanks for being here + I’ll see you soon in the next post.

Other holiday + seasonal blog posts you might enjoy: 

Decluttering While You Prepare for the Holidays

5 Ways To Lighten Your Holiday Load

Giving, Gifting  + Navigating Unwanted Gifts

Decluttering While You Prepare For The Holidays

I’m all about helping you (and myself) simplify the holidays. It’s a time that can often make you feel overrun by things to do and overrun by STUFF! It’s a time of giving and often receiving items that you don’t necessarily need or want. You need to have a plan for your home as you move into the holiday season to get control of what’s coming in, as well as what’s staying. Here’s 3 tips to help you declutter while you prepare for the holidays with ease.

1. Declutter as you decorate.

Of course, if decorating for the holidays is not your jam, you can feel free to skip this section. No sweat!

As you start pulling things out to shift your home to feel ready for the holiday season, I want you to take an objective look at each item you pull out.

Here’s some questions to ask yourself about each item:

• Is the item in good shape?

• Do I still like the item, is it still my taste?

• Do I feel excited to pull this item out + see it in my home for potentially months on end?

• Will this add more joy + not stress to my home while it’s out?

• Is it worth the space it takes up to both store before the holidays + the space it takes up in my home while it is out during the holidays?

• Do I still have the space to store this item when it’s not in use?

Now with these in mind, edit as you decorate for the holidays. Donate items locally in good shape that someone could joyfully use in their own home. You can also offer them to friends and family or put a free bin down at your curb (not on a trash day)! Also, aim to not bring in anything new to your holiday decor unless it is a 1 to 1 swap.

2. Declutter your outerwear.

Think jackets, coats, sweaters, gloves, scarves, boots and cold weather accessories. Most of us deal with some sort of seasonal weather change. Even if it’s not a big change (like my sister who lives in Miami), this is still a good time to check in on light jackets, raincoats, rain boots, etc.

What to ask yourself about your outerwear:

• Does it fit properly?

• Am I comfortable in it?

• Do I look forward to wearing it?

• How practical is it to wear + do I actually wear it?

• Does the piece pair well with the season of life I’m in?

• Does it need to be set aside for repair or alterations?

For items that are in good shape that you’d like to part with, consider local groups who have people in need of these essentials/basics for the temperature changes. I drive by a church close to my home that puts out a coat rack during the colder months where you can drop off a coat or pick one up if you’re in need. I LOVE this idea. ‘Coats for Kids’ might be in your area (another great one). You can find more donation resources and ideas here:

Donate Decluttered Goods + Donate / Recycle / Sell / Toss

3. Declutter the extras.

I know this sounds vague but I’m going to get this clarified and dialed in for you quickly. I am talking about all the things making your home and life feel heavy, especially around the holidays. They need to go.

Here’s some examples things you can remove now:

• Outgrown toys, books + clothing.

• Extra decor around your home that you no longer enjoy (look room by room - think art, pillows, blankets, knick knacks, items given to you don’t use or like)

• Items covering your fridge (edit to as minimal items as possible).

• Things that you’re holding onto that have a negative memory or association with them.

• Countertop clutter (items that need to be relocated, tossed, recycled, or simply put away).

• Emails cluttering up your inbox (take a few minutes to unsubscribe from marketing emails from people/places/business you no longer want to hear from).

Aside from these tangible and digital areas to declutter in your home, it’s important to address old ideas, thought patterns or traditions that don’t suit your current season of life (this is a mental decluttering strategy - remove thinking causing stress/overwhelm unnecessarily, create helpful/healthy routines that will bring joy and value to your home, life and the people around you). I really like the approach on this post on decluttering your mind and keeping it that way by Simple Home | Simple Life blog.

Decluttering before and during the holidays will help everyone in the home clarify what’s most important, gain clarity on what all is actually in the home, and have clear direction on any needs/wants to communicate with others around you who want to gift something to you. Be sure to ask and listen to others on their needs as well so you aren’t adding clutter to someone else’s holiday. I hope you’ll find these decluttering tips helpful as you prepare for the holidays and move into this new season.

If you’d like MORE HELP decluttering and resetting your home, here’s a few great places to start.

No B.S. Guide To Decluttering Parents + Kids Guide To Decluttering

Free Declutter Guide Learn the basics of Decluttering Organizing Basics

Shop all Declutter + Organize Guides/Products