The holiday season can be a wonderful time filled with joy, family gatherings, and meaningful traditions. However, it can also feel overwhelming and leave us stretched thin. If you find yourself dreading the stress of the season instead of savoring its magic, you’re not alone. Today, I’m sharing three straightforward tips to help reduce stress this holiday season. These ideas are easy to implement and can help us reclaim a little more peace and intentionality during the holidays: declutter something now, take something off your plate, and calendar it out. These steps have truly helped me enjoy the holidays with a lighter heart, and I hope they do the same for you!

3 tips to reduce stress this holiday season

1. declutter something now – simplify your space

You know that come Christmas you will be drowning in stuff. Discarded wrapping paper, boxes, new gadgets and clothing… Our family limits our gifts to three items each, but with a household of nine it still become overwhelming fast. One of the best gifts you can give yourself this holiday season is the gift of less stuff. Decluttering now can help create that space physically, and it also helps to create a calmer mental space, so we feel more in control.

start small and tackle what matters

You don’t need to declutter your entire home to feel the benefit. I recommend starting with trash, and have your kids help! Take out that pile of recycling, clean out under the couch, and take the box of donations to Goodwill–finally. You can start with one small area that often stresses you out, like the kitchen counter, entryway, or even the family room, where holiday decorations are likely to go. Or assign every family member a space to clear if your kids are older. Make it a friendly competition! By making space now, you’ll avoid that cramped feeling that seems to arrive along with the holiday décor.

declutter holiday-specific items

A quick win for reducing holiday stress is tackling any storage space where you keep seasonal items. If you’re someone who has accumulated a bit too much over the years (no judgment!), set aside an afternoon to go through it. Donate decorations that no longer fit your style or clear out last year’s wrapping paper scraps. I actually like to go through all my Christmas decor after the holidays. I evaluate what I did and didn’t put out this year, and which decorations brought me holiday joy and which ones just added to the clutter.

Whether you clean out decor pre- or post-holiday, having only what you need—and love—can help keep holiday decorating from feeling like a chore. Plus, it will be easier to store everything neatly once the season ends.

2. take something off your plate – set realistic expectations

It’s easy to feel like we need to do all the things during the holidays–bake homemade cookies, attend every event, and send out holiday cards on time. Social media certainly makes us feel like we have to keep up with the Joneses and buy every viral holiday item and do every fun family activity. But here’s the truth–you don’t have to do it all. It’s okay to let go of some expectations. Instead, prioritize what truly matters to you and your family and make peace with skipping the rest. This year for my own mental health I had to take something off my plate, even though I feared some extended family members might be disappointed. But guess what? When I suggested a much easier alternative, everyone was on board!

| Read: Simplifying the Season–Focus on Tradition |

choose what’s important to you

Think back on the past few holiday seasons. What activities or traditions brought your family the most joy? Was it decorating gingerbread houses, watching holiday movies in pajamas, or just having extra time to relax? Focus on these and drop the ones that don’t add value.

For example, if hosting the big family dinner feels too stressful, see if someone else would like to host, or suggest a potluck where everyone contributes. Or maybe you could skip making multiple holiday desserts and just stick to a family favorite. Remember, it’s the memories you make with your family that matter most, not how perfectly everything turns out.

give yourself permission to say “no”

Repeat after me–“no.” This tip is simple but powerful–when you’re invited to events or asked to help out, don’t be afraid to say “no.” Overcommitting is one of the quickest ways to feel overwhelmed. Politely decline the extra obligations and remember that it’s okay to put your needs first during the holidays. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be willing to help out when needed, but it doesn’t always have to be you.

3. calendar it out – plan ahead for a smoother season

It might seem counterintuitive to schedule out the holiday season to help reduce stress, but hear me out. Having a plan can make a world of difference in how smoothly your holiday season runs. One of my favorite ways to manage holiday tasks is by calendaring them out. If you know you have a plan for all the holiday must-do activities, you’re less likely to feel rushed and stressed.

| Read: Simplifying the Season–Focus on Family |

use a family calendar to coordinate events

We start our holiday season off by sitting down as a family with our electronic calendar and scheduling out some of the bigger holiday activities. When are house lights going up? When will we get our tree? The holiday season often comes with plenty of events, from school programs to family gatherings, and it’s easy to lose track. Using a shared family calendar (whether digital or a large wall calendar) can help keep everyone on the same page. As you start scheduling your season, add everything to the calendar: holiday parties, baking days, or shopping trips. It’s amazing how much peace of mind you’ll get from seeing everything in one place! Plus, it will help you avoid overscheduling. We bought a Skylight Calendar this year and it has been awesome for keeping our family on track [affiliate link].

schedule in rest days

The holidays should feel festive and fun—not like a marathon. Along with your events and traditions, make sure to include some downtime in your calendar. Block off a few “no plans” days each week. On these days you and your family can rest, watch a holiday movie, or do a fun activity without an agenda. Remember when we talked about saying “no”? Ask yourself if that activity or commitment is going to enrich your family’s holiday season, or just add to your stress. Giving yourself permission to relax can help you recharge and truly enjoy the season.

how will you reduce stress this holiday season?

This holiday season, I encourage you to try these three simple but powerful strategies–declutter now to create a peaceful space, let go of obligations that don’t bring you joy, and calendar out the things that do. It’s easy to get caught up in the holiday chaos. However, by taking a more intentional approach, you can create space for what really matters to you and your family.

Follow along with our family over the holidays on Instagram!