With Halloween over I am reminded how time seems to speed up this time of year. With the holidays comes lots of company, special meals with family, and if you have kids… usually more stuff. Keep it simple around the holidays with this minimalist’s pre-holiday to-do list.

Keep it simple and minimal-ish and it’ll make this season much less stressful. Here are three things I do to prepare my house, and in turn myself for the holiday season.

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MY MINIMALIST PRE-HOLIDAY TO-DO LIST

DECLUTTER

Decluttering seems like a never-ending process, and if you have kids, chances are it is! They grow, tastes change, and kids on the bus send them home with random stuff… Then there are birthdays and holidays when people who love your kids shower them with presents.

We have this pretty well under control, with family and friends understanding our minimalist approach to things and offering the kids more experiences than things (and sometimes money, which we deposit in their savings accounts).

By decluttering outgrown clothes and broken or unused toys I can make room for the new. Rotate where toys are stored so they get more use. I also sort out artwork in both kids’ rooms. Some get scanned or photographed, but eventually, most of it goes to the recycle bin. I keep the really special ones.

DEEP CLEAN

I need to get on this. Minimalism isn’t necessarily about cleaning, but it sure makes it easier to clean! There are fewer surfaces to dust and steam mop, but sometimes I forget to do it often enough.

We’re not even hosting this year; I just don’t want to be overwhelmed with the mess that is Christmas morning. Steps one and two will help me be more in the moment with the kids instead of stressing about what needs to be done next. This makes it a must on my minimalist’s pre-holiday to-do list.

TAKE INVENTORY AS PART OF YOUR MINIMALIST’S PRE-HOLIDAY TO-DO LIST

I do this for my own shopping needs, but also for when people ask what they can buy the kids. What do I know they want/need that we haven’t gotten? This makes it really easy in general to know what items are needed for season changes and age-appropriate activities, but it is especially handy around Christmas and birthdays. I don’t have to get back with someone when they ask what the kids need or want if I already have a list made.

This also helps to prevent any duplication of items with everyday shopping. It allows you stay in budget and ensures purchases are necessities and not just things you think you may need.

Related Video: See how I take inventory of our family’s wardrobe to determine clothing needs.

WHAT’S ON YOUR PRE-HOLIDAY TO-DO LIST?

It’s not about the gifts, the lights, or even the food! And I love traditions centered around food! Now that I think of it we should really put lights up this year too. But I digress… We’ve already been given the greatest gift ever, so let’s focus our time on what really matters; the people we’re blessed to have in our lives.

I don’t want to be busy cleaning and prepping and tidying while memories are being made in the next room. Thanksgiving is about focusing on and truly appreciating what you have. I think if we spent more time on that mindset Christmas would look a lot different!

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Doing these three simple things will help create memories of Christmas filled with fun, love, and special moments. Mostly I don’t want to look back and have a list of things I wish I had done differently. You’ve seen my list, now what’s on yours? Continue the conversation in the comments or head on over to my Instagram, where I’ll share your answers in stories today!

Related Post: 25 Thoughtful Ideas for Handmade Christmas Gifts

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