5 Things Minimalists Declutter Before Christmas

One question I get asked often this time of year is: “What do minimalists declutter before Christmas?”

It’s a great question—many minimalists I know embrace the pre-holiday purge.

While pre-Christmas decluttering efforts typically focus on physical possessions, they also pertain to inner clutter.

Holiday stress and anxiety can be caused by external stuff (think an influx of unwanted gifts, especially when you’re working to minimize your possessions). But it goes beyond that.

The internal stuff like: wanting the holidays to be perfect, managing family expectations, trying to do it all, or worrying about not having enough energy or money are real sources of holiday angst.

It wasn’t until embracing minimalism—when I began jettisoning external possessions—that I could see the inner clutter that surfaced around the holidays. 

Becoming aware of what needs to be decluttered before Christmas—inner or outer—is the first step to making the holidays more peaceful and meaningful.

The next step is taking action to uproot what is no longer serving you during this season.

Here are 5 things that minimalists declutter before Christmas: 

1. Kids’ toys

For minimalists with young kids, toys top the to-be-decluttered-before-Christmas list. The tradition of gift-giving means more toys will likely be entering your home this year. (Even if your family focuses on experience gifts, extended family may offer tangible gifts as an expression of love.)

Every year before Christmas, I ask each of our four kids to find several toys they no longer use and love. I explain that some kids don’t have toys at Christmas, and that those kids would love to have the toys our kids no longer play with. I reassure our kids they don’t have to let go of anything they love.

Then, I pull our toy tote out of storage, put a reusable grocery bag next to it, and walk away. Giving our kids ownership in the decluttering process is effective. In my experience, kids are naturally generous and, when given the opportunity, they will find things to let go of.

Minimalists understand that if new things are coming into the home, to maintain an uncluttered feel, the old and unloved can’t stay.

2. Visible, unused clutter

Minimalists are constantly questioning the possessions in their home. Their goal? Identify what is essential and then systematically eliminate the rest. Before the holidays—traditionally seen as a season of excess—minimalists are on the lookout for visible clutter to eliminate from their homes.

You can do this today by grabbing a laundry basket, walking through your home, and placing in it anything visible that is unused and unloved. Then, either immediately or later that evening, sort the items into trash or donate piles. 

Visual clutter is not neutral. A recent study out of Yale found that our brains process so much energy trying to ignore the visual chaos in a cluttered environment. 

Clutter can make you feel exhausted or scattered at home simply by being within eyesight. And that’s likely not the way you want to feel at Christmas.

Minimalists remove visual clutter from the home to simplify the holidays and feel better in their home.

3. Expectations

Minimalists let go of unrealistic expectations—their own and those of others—before and during the holidays.

Instead of fixating on how an event must happen, become curious about how it is actually unfolding. 

Decluttering expectations doesn’t bolster indolence—you still invest in your activities, you simply have little invested in the outcome. When you become the observer, not waiting for experiences to conform to your expectations, you’re free to experience what writer Robert Grudin calls “the sudden beauty of seeing.” 

Also, let go of any expectations others may have of you that increase your stress, trigger feelings of exhaustion, or don’t align with your values. Give people the freedom to think and act the way they choose. If they want to have expectations of you, let them. In the end, you can’t control how someone else will act, but you can control how much of your energy you give them.

Minimalists declutter expectations knowing that when you’re stuck processing how things “should” have happened (or ruminating on how others wish you would have acted) you are living life distracted, unable to see the beauty in moments you missed.

4. Your schedule

Minimalists declutter their schedule before Christmas. 

When our schedule is packed—when we’re constantly in “doing” mode—we miss the beauty of the moment, barreling through life with a “what’s next?” mindset. We need rest and downtime to reflect, recharge, and fully experience life. And the holidays are no exception. 

Declutter your schedule by re-evaluating your appointments and commitments. See what you can say no to. Is there anything that you’re doing out of obligation or that drains your energy? This is the time of year to let someone else step up and say yes to that commitment. If you’re feeling short on time before Christmas, that may be a red flag that you’re trying to do too much.

Minimalists know that busyness and hurry can anesthetize you to life’s good and meaningful moments. And that decluttering your schedule is an effective way to regain peace and presence. 

5. Not taking good care of yourself 

Minimalists declutter “not taking good care of themselves” during the holidays. Better said, they prioritize their own needs so as to show up more present and grounded to those around them. 

This involves frequent check-ins to ask yourself what you need, and then, meeting that need the best you can. If you need more rest, then make a nap your daily holiday staple. Or, if you need more silence, spend your mornings unplugged, contemplating the meaning of the Christmas season. If you need more support, brainstorm how you can make that happen—identify who you can ask for help and then do it.

Consider making a list of simple things that make you feel grounded and like yourself. Then place these things at the top of your holiday to-do list. Maybe this is exercising, mindfully enjoying your favorite tea daily, or reading to your kids by the light of the Christmas tree. 

Minimalists know that it’s hard to serve others when you are running on empty yourself. Investing in yourself has a positive ripple effect on those around you, especially around the holidays.

In conclusion

A recent study showed 89% of Americans feel stressed around the holidays. Letting go of outer and inner clutter before the Christmas is one way to minimize that stress.

Take some time today to reflect on this question:

What do I need to let go of today to have a more meaningful and enjoyable Christmas season?

Now, choose one or two of the ideas listed above and begin decluttering. 

When we remove the trivial and the excess from our lives we lower our stress levels and make more space for what matters. 

Here’s to decluttering like minimalists before the holidays and making your Christmas a more meaningful and memorable one.

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Julia Ubbenga is a freelance journalist. Her teachings on minimalism, simplicity, and intentional living have reached over 1M people worldwide through her blog. Julia also practices what she preaches in her Kansas City home. She resides with her husband and their four extremely lively young children. You can also find her on Facebook.

P.S. You can now find my new book, Declutter Your Heart and Your Home: How a Minimalist Life Yields Maximum Joy on Amazon!

If you’re looking for a guide to declutter your stuff—not just your outer stuff, but also your inner stuff—that leads to a lighter, more joy-filled life, then this book is it!