As the holiday season approaches with its promise of joy and family gatherings, organizational expert Jane Stoller offers crucial advice for Canadians feeling overwhelmed by the impending chaos. The author of Decluttering for Dummies and Organize Your Business Like a Boss emphasizes that proactive decluttering can transform your holiday experience from stressful to serene.
The Hidden Dangers of Household Clutter
Jane Stoller has spent years researching how clutter impacts mental wellbeing and relationships, pointing to compelling evidence that disorganized spaces create tangible stress. She references a significant UCLA study that found mothers' stress hormones spiked noticeably when dealing with their household belongings.
"Clutter can harm relationships, and studies have shown that where the word 'clutter' is used to describe their current household, a higher percentage of divorces ensued," Stoller reveals. This research underscores the importance of addressing clutter before holiday guests arrive and seasonal activities snowball into overwhelming chaos.
Start Decluttering Before Guests Arrive
Stoller's primary recommendation involves beginning the decluttering process early and making it a collaborative effort. Communication with household members proves essential to successful organization.
"Make sure you share your decluttering habits with your partner. Your reasons for wanting to declutter and your strategies," she advises. "Sometimes the people you live with get worried when they hear the word decluttering, thinking you're planning on getting rid of everything, including their sentimental things, which isn't the case."
She suggests showing partners your organized system, including clearly labeled boxes for donations, recycling, trash, and sentimental items. This transparency helps alleviate concerns while emphasizing how clutter personally affects you.
Transform Household Management into Team Effort
Stoller identifies another common holiday stressor: unequal distribution of household labor. Hosting family gatherings often reveals that one person carries most responsibilities, leading to resentment when invisible work goes unnoticed.
"I always tell families to think of the household as a team effort. Resentment comes when one person feels like they're doing more than their share or when the 'invisible work' goes unnoticed," Stoller explains.
Her solution begins with making invisible tasks visible. "Write down all the tasks, even the ones that aren't obvious, like booking appointments, planning meals, removing clutter from the entryway or taking out the recycling." This comprehensive task list creates awareness and facilitates fair distribution of holiday preparations.
By implementing Stoller's strategies early, Canadians can approach the holiday season with greater calm and organization, transforming potential stress into enjoyable family moments.
