Minimalist Planning During the Holidays

Although the holidays are supposed to be filled with love, family time and giving, sometimes they can also be filled with stress. When you want to capture more peace this holiday season, sometimes slowing down is the best remedy. Here are some tips on how to create a minimalist holiday plan.

What is Essential?

By taking a moment to stop and intentionally think about what is most important to you this holiday season, you allow yourself the freedom and permission to put you or your family first.

Outward expectations from extended family or friends or even self-imposed ideas of what the “perfect holiday” looks like can sometimes drown out what truly matters to you. Maybe it’s looking outward and serving others. Maybe it’s focusing on your faith or creating memories with your children. Or maybe it really is fitting in as much extended family time as possible. If that’s the case, then go for it! 

In other words, Marie Kondo-your holiday. Try making a list of traditions you normally observe, then with the lens of what is most important, consider each tradition and only keep what sparks joy.

Prioritize a To-Do List

Once you have your focus (or focuses), then you can set out to make a to-do list to plan for those essential things. Creating a to-do list helps break down each priority into smaller, more manageable tasks so they don’t get overwhelming. 

Practice Gratitude

It can be easy to get caught up in shopping, parties, decorations, etc., but stopping for a moment every day to be grateful and to recognize simple joys in your day-to-day life can ground you and remind you of what truly matters. Golden Coil’s Layout pages have blank areas to jot down what you’re grateful for. The Reflections page is also great to ponder on moments of gratitude throughout your days and week. 

Simplify Gifts

Gift giving can be one of the most stressful parts of the holidays. Take inventory of your gifting list and ask whether you really need to buy that monster truck for your boss’s secretary’s nephew. Being selective is not the same thing as being stingy. Try to focus on quality not quantity.

Also, reducing clutter eases stress, so consider going through old toys or clothes before the holidays and donating them to local boys or girls homes, shelters, or other charities. You can also reduce clutter by suggesting experiences rather than things for gift ideas to family or loved ones. 

We hope that these tips can infuse more meaning into your holiday and help you truly enjoy this special time of year.