As children, we all loved the holidays. All the presents and decorations and wonderful tasty treats—the stuff of everyone’s childhood memories! Conveniently for us, we didn’t realize what a tremendous amount of effort went into the beautiful memories our families created. Now we want to make the season magical for our own families and friends, but we often pay for the sense of wonder with a to‑do list that squashes our peace of mind and compounds our stress levels.

What if you spent the holidays in a spirit of family and celebration, instead of overwhelmed by stuff that doesn’t matter?

A big part of holiday labor is decorating. Given our predisposition to buy, buy, BUY, many of us have huge collections of holiday decorations already, and we add more every year. When it comes time to decorate, it can be like we’re opening a retail Christmas store in our homes. Tons of work, and then we’re drowning in decorations! Is it really necessary to go so overboard?

Maybe we overdo for the kids, or to conform to family tradition. Sometimes we do it because Christmas shopping is a great excuse to throw caution to the wind and give our inner compulsive shopper permission to come out and play. But “everything in moderation” can serve as a guide for holiday traditions. A few changes might make your holiday more enjoyable and less stressful, with more time for getting together instead of getting things ready.

I have a friend whose husband died in October after three years of battling cancer. She’s 76 and the matriarch of her family. She’s always hosted the big family gathering for Christmas, but this year she’s not up for it. She’s not feeling jolly, and it’s too much effort at her age to plan and prepare to host a party for 40 people. She sent an e‑mail to the family to say that it was time to pass the torch to the next generation—it was someone else’s turn to handle the huge affair.

Her announcement created an uproar! The whole family is freaking out. I believe that their panic arises from refusing to let their family tradition adapt to changing times. And they’ve never thought about the burden they were placing on my friend. They assumed that she would be in charge until she died. They’d be better off now if they’d shared the burden, reduced the effort required of any one person, and let their celebratory tradition evolve into something cooperative and flexible.

Are your family holiday traditions a source of joy or an annual burden? Do they still fit your available time, your budget, and your space? Now is a good time to ask these questions and make some choices—and maybe some changes.

What could you do differently? Every aspect of the season can be trimmed to lighten your load. Look at all the things that you normally do by default, and consider whether they still resonate with everyone. Your traditions may include some old habits that no one would miss! Could you enhance the magic of the season by reducing your workload and your seasonal clutter? What if you spent the holidays in a spirit of family and celebration, instead of overwhelmed by the stuff that doesn’t matter?

In the spirit of a clutter-free season, here are a few ideas for simplifying and streamlining the holidays for you and your loved ones:

For decorating:

• Thin down your collection of decorations to include only your favorites.
• Make a plan for the smallest acceptable amount of decorating.
• Don’t add anything new to the holiday decorating collection this year.
• Take time to experience other people’s holiday spreads in lieu of doing so much work yourself.

For gift-giving:

• Give experiences instead of objects.
• Give consumables, such as food and drinks.
• Focus on a few special and carefully chosen items instead of going for volume.
• Choose gifts that are portable and easily wrapped or bagged.

For activities:

• Choose activities that include as many people as possible.
• Everyone experiences the holidays in their own way, so be okay with those who opt out of an activity.
• Don’t overbook! Even though it’s the holidays, there are still only 24 hours in a day.
• Make an effort to try one thing that’s new and different. Maybe you’ll start a new tradition!

From The Clutter Fairy family to yours, have a peaceful and joyous holiday season and a happy—and less cluttered—new year! 

The article was also featured in our December 2011 e-mail newsletter. To subscribe to our newsletter, please use the “Subscribe” form, above right.

Unchecked, the style compulsion inevitably leads to cluttered closets and overflowing drawers.

Houston Clutter Coaching January 2012 Meetup

Wednesday, January 25, 2012
7:00–8:30 p.m.
FREE

Gayle Goddard facilitates the monthly meeting of the Houston Clutter Coaching Meetup Group.

Henshaw House (Nature Discovery Center)
Russ Pitman Park
7112 Newcastle St.
Bellaire, TX 77401
713-667-6550

If you’re a fashionista, your closets are probably bursting at the seams. The ever-changing definition of style constantly compels its devotees to buy the latest and greatest, and yesterday’s fashions get pushed aside. Unchecked, the compulsion inevitably leads to cluttered closets and overflowing drawers.

At the January meetup, we’ll talk about how to take control without giving up your personal style. We’ll introduce strategies to find the right fashion fit for your space, budget, and lifestyle.

Please note that due to scheduling conflicts at the Nature Discovery Center, we’re meeting on Wednesday this month instead of our usual Thursday.

We’ll have refreshments, and don’t forget the drawing for a door prize or two! (You must be present to win.)

FREE and open to the public.

RSVP by visiting the Meetup page or by sending us e‑mail.

The Houston Clutter Coaching Meetup Group is a community of people who want to conquer their clutter and make more room in their lives for the things they love. Come learn tools and tips from an expert, and share your success stories and “ah‑hah!” moments…[READ MORE]

Don’t let holiday clutter steal the magic of the season.

Houston Clutter Coaching Holiday 2011 Meetup

Thursday, December 8, 2011
7:00–8:30 p.m.
FREE

Gayle Goddard facilitates the monthly meeting of the Houston Clutter Coaching Meetup Group.

Henshaw House (Nature Discovery Center)
Russ Pitman Park
7112 Newcastle St.
Bellaire, TX 77401
713-667-6550

Sometimes we go a little nuts for the holidays. We want to make the season magical—for the children, out of family tradition, or because the holidays give us our inner compulsive shopper permission to come out and play. We try to recapture the sense of wonder we had as kids, but the cost is a to-do list that drains the peace and joy out of the season.

One big source of holiday stress is the impulse to decorate—and the tendency to accumulate decorations. In this meetup, we’ll talk about how to enhance the magic of the season by reducing your workload and your seasonal clutter. Spend the holidays in a spirit of family and celebration, not overwhelmed by the stuff that doesn’t matter.

This meetup will be the Houston Clutter Coaching holiday celebration! We’ll have refreshments, and we encourage you to bring a holiday treat to share if you wish. (But keep it simple—you have plenty of other things to do!)

[See the Program Notes for this meetup.]

And don’t forget the drawing for a door prize or two! (You must be present to win.)

FREE and open to the public.

RSVP by visiting the Meetup page or by sending us e‑mail.

The Houston Clutter Coaching Meetup Group is a community of people who want to conquer their clutter and make more room in their lives for the things they love. Come learn tools and tips from an expert, and share your success stories and “ah‑hah!” moments…[READ MORE]

The Clutter Fairy will be selling organizing products for beaders and other crafters. The show opens at noon on Friday, November 11, and runs through Sunday at the HESS Club (Galleria area). Visit the Houston Bead Society web site for more information and a coupon for $1 off admission to the show. Come visit my table in the Beads2You booth and say hi!

Beadwork by Gayle Goddard, The Clutter Fairy

Left: Miniature beaded doll (approximately 3" tall) named Blue Luna by its new owner Right: Broach designed around a Jonathan Winter lampwork bead

PowerPoint Presentation on SlideShare

Download the presentation as a PDF (8 MB).

Bead Circle Webinar Handout

Program notes: Organize Your Art Space for a Creative Explosion!

Passionate pursuit of the “complete” collection can become a monster.

Houston Clutter Coaching July 2011 Meetup

Thursday, July 28, 2011
7:00–8:30 p.m.
FREE

Gayle Goddard facilitates the monthly meeting of the Houston Clutter Coaching Meetup Group.

Henshaw House (Nature Discovery Center)
Russ Pitman Park
7112 Newcastle St.
Bellaire, TX 77401
713-667-6550

For many people, collecting is a fun and satisfying hobby. But the passionate pursuit of the “complete” collection can become a monster, gobbling up more time, money, and space than we can afford. And collecting behavior extends beyond so-called “collectibles” into accumulations of other kinds—office supplies, hair-care products, tools, etc.

We’ll talk about where the impulse to collect comes from and how to get that beast under control.

As usual, we’ll also open the floor to your questions, success stories, and tales of trouble spots.

We’ll provide refreshments, and don’t forget the drawing for a door prize or two! (You must be present to win.)

FREE and open to the public.

RSVP by visiting the Meetup page or by sending us e‑mail.

The Houston Clutter Coaching Meetup Group is a community of people who want to conquer their clutter and make more room in their lives for the things they love. Come learn tools and tips from an expert, and share your success stories and “ah‑hah!” moments…[READ MORE]

Get help out of the cycle of depression and clutter

Houston Clutter Coaching June 2011 Meetup

Thursday, June 23, 2011
7:00–8:30 p.m.
FREE

Gayle Goddard facilitates the monthly meeting of the Houston Clutter Coaching Meetup Group.

Henshaw House (Nature Discovery Center)
Russ Pitman Park
7112 Newcastle St.
Bellaire, TX 77401
713-667-6550

Many people who report being overwhelmed by clutter also say they feel depressed about the state of their space. Which comes first, though—the depression or the clutter? We’ll talk about depression and its impact on cluttering…and vice versa. We’ll discuss ways to break the cycle and where to turn for help.

As usual, we’ll also open the floor to your questions, success stories, and tales of trouble spots.

We’ll provide refreshments, and don’t forget the drawing for a door prize or two! (You must be present to win.)

FREE and open to the public.

RSVP by visiting the Meetup page or by sending us e‑mail.

The Houston Clutter Coaching Meetup Group is a community of people who want to conquer their clutter and make more room in their lives for the things they love. Come learn tools and tips from an expert, and share your success stories and “ah‑hah!” moments…[READ MORE]

Gayle’s interview begins around the 33:30 mark of the recording, but we encourage you listen to the whole episode. (Tony’s first guest on this show was children’s book author Jenny Blakey.)

Listen:

1. To listen to the episode online now, use our audio player:
2. To listen at your leisure, right-click (Windows) or control-click (Macintosh) on this link:

   Download Tough Talk as an MP3.

How do you get started organizing when you feel completely overwhelmed? One step at a time sounds logical, but it doesn’t answer the question, “Which step do I take first—and why?” Truly, when the task is big, any step is the right one. A start is what’s needed. So let’s talk about some quick and dirty ways to get unstuck and to begin the task of digging your way out of your project. Pretty soon, you’ll be sweeping up after the project is done.

1. Pick a five-minute task first—organize your sock drawer, or one kitchen cabinet, maybe the spice shelves, or the pots and pans.
2. Organize your purse—it’s a microcosm of your house! Empty it completely, throw out the trash, reduce the number of items you carry. Use zipper bags to collect similar items such as makeup or coupons.
3. Use a ticking timer as a way to keep you focused. Set it for short amounts of time (15 or 30 minutes), work until the timer goes off, then do the happy dance. Repeat as often as you’re willing, even if it’s only once a day.
4. Start by moving things back to the right rooms. Call it the first pass. Things are already messy, so moving things from room to room won’t hurt anything. Just pick up anything that’s not in the room where it belongs, and move it to the right one. Don’t worry if you have to make a space! There are sure to be things in that room that need to come out anyway, and that next move will free up space.
5. Pick a room, any room. Now pick a drawer, or shelf, or table top. Focus on clearing that one space. Don’t forget your timer! Throw out trash, relocate things to their appropriate places, straighten up and contain what needs to stay.
6. Here’s an easy one! Clean out the medicine cabinet. Get rid of all the expired drugs. Mix them into coffee grounds or cat litter and bag them tightly for the trash. (Don’t flush them down the toilet!) You can also drop them off at some pharmacies that will dispose of them properly.
7. Pick the worst closet—the one you can’t walk into. Set your timer, and just clear the floor. Throw out trash, make decisions about what to keep and what can be donated. Make your goal to clear the floor completely. If it means you have to pull something off the shelves to make room for something on the floor, then go ahead and make room. Either way, you’ll be pulling out donations and making it easier to walk into the closet next time without tripping.
8. Try the 27-pieces game! Take two bags and walk around the house. Pick up pieces of trash for one bag, pick up things to donate for the other bag. Keep going until you add 27 things to each bag. You don’t have to clean anything this way, you’re just hunting. Eventually you’ll get to 27, and you’re done. It’s a great way to start when you can’t decide on a place to sort yet.
9. Linen closets are easy! There are many big items and lots to donate. Sort the sheets and towels and take the leftovers to a veterinarian—they can use them, and you need the space. 

Thursday, May 26, 2011
7:00–8:30 p.m.
FREE

Gayle Goddard facilitates the monthly meeting of the Houston Clutter Coaching Meetup Group.

Henshaw House (Nature Discovery Center)
Russ Pitman Park
7112 Newcastle St.
Bellaire, TX 77401
713-667-6550

How clear is the boundary between you and your stuff?

The Clutter Fairy team had a great discussion recently about how stuff becomes an extension of our self-image. Our things become a part of us, just like our experiences and actions. When things are part of our self-image, it’s hard to let go of them.

At the May meetup, we’ll talk about how the lines between you and your stuff get blurred in the first place, and how to start seeing the boundaries clearly again.

As usual, we’ll also open the floor to your questions, success stories, and tales of trouble spots.

We’ll provide refreshments, and don’t forget the drawing for a door prize or two! (You must be present to win.)

FREE and open to the public.

RSVP by visiting the Meetup page or by sending us e‑mail.

The Houston Clutter Coaching Meetup Group is a community of people who want to conquer their clutter and make more room in their lives for the things they love. Come learn tools and tips from an expert, and share your success stories and “ah‑hah!” moments…[READ MORE]

FREE to members and first-time visitors

Gayle Goddard, professional organizer, will be the guest speaker at the May monthly meeting of the MOMS Club of Friendswood/Alvin, Texas. The topic of the presentation will be “Creatively Coping with Kid‑clutter Chaos.” Gayle will offer ideas for stemming the rising tide of children’s stuff and organizing your home with kid-friendly solutions. There will also be a Q&A session.

Living Stones Church Preschool Building
1407 Victory Lane
Alvin TX 77511

The MOMS Club of Friendswood/Alvin, Texas, is a chapter of the International MOMS Club® (MOMS Offering Moms Support®). They believe that being a stay-at-home mother is the most important job in the world, and members provide support for each other when they need it most. The club also provides a forum for topics of interest to mothers, helps children in the community, and performs service projects helping those in need.

Membership is open to residents of Friendswood and Alvin, Texas. Annual dues are $25. Participation in monthly meetings is free to members and first-time visitors.

Thursday, March 24, 2011
7:00–8:30 p.m.

Gayle Goddard facilitates the monthly meeting of the Houston Clutter Coaching Meetup Group.

Henshaw House (Nature Discovery Center)
Russ Pitman Park
7112 Newcastle St.
Bellaire, TX 77401
713-667-6550

How do you stay motivated to keep moving?

You’ve pushed yourself to get started and spent a whole afternoon digging out a space that was in terrible shape. Then you look up, and it seems nothing is different. What a discouraging feeling!

How do you stay motivated to keep going when you can’t see tons of progress right away? At the March Meetup we’ll talk about tricks to help you keep plugging away until you finish the project.

As usual, we’ll also open the floor to your questions, success stories, and tales of trouble spots.

We’ll provide refreshments, and don’t forget the drawing for a door prize or two! (You must be present to win.)

FREE and open to the public.

RSVP by visiting the Meetup page or by sending us e‑mail.

The Houston Clutter Coaching Meetup Group is a community of people who want to conquer their clutter and make more room in their lives for the things they love. Come learn tools and tips from an expert, and share your success stories and “ah‑hah!” moments…[READ MORE]

Many thanks to Jerry Ochoa at City’s Best™ for the very favorable mention of The Clutter Fairy and NAPO Houston in his January 13, 2011, article, All In Its Right Place: National Get Organized Month.

Deborah Duncan, host of Great Day Houston, talks with Gayle Goddard about organizing holiday decorations. This segment offers products and pointers about how to keep your seasonal decorations contained, accessible, and easy to use.

If you’d like to watch the entire “Organize Your Life” broadcast, which features members of the Houston chapter of the National Association of Professional Organizers (NAPO Houston), view the first segment, then click on the “Next article” link below the video segment to continue watching.

Thursday, February 24, 2011
7:00–8:30 p.m.

Gayle Goddard facilitates the February monthly meeting of the Houston Clutter Coaching Meetup Group.

Henshaw House (Nature Discovery Center)
Russ Pitman Park
7112 Newcastle St.
Bellaire, TX 77401
713-667-6550

Five simple techniques can help you get unstuck.

Our January meetup discussed the psychological roots of clutter. Armed with new insights about why we clutter, the logical next step is to get moving! But if you’re completely stuck and overwhelmed, getting started can seem impossible. For February, we’ll introduce five simple techniques to help you get unstuck and start reclaiming your space.

[See the Program Notes for this meetup.]

As usual, we’ll also open the floor to your questions, success stories, and tales of trouble spots.

We’ll provide refreshments, and don’t forget the drawing for a door prize or two! (You must be present to win.)

FREE and open to the public.

RSVP by visiting the Meetup page or by sending us e‑mail.

The Houston Clutter Coaching Meetup Group is a community of people who want to conquer their clutter and make more room in their lives for the things they love. Come learn tools and tips from an expert, and share your success stories and “ah‑hah!” moments…[READ MORE]