De-clutter for Christmas; cut stress

Your bedroom closet is already full. Your fridge and cabinets don’t have a lot of room to spare, and neither do your storage closets. And it isn’t even Christmas yet — once the gifts, decorations, extra food, new holiday outfits, and all the other assorted stuff comes inside, you’ll be overwhelmed, just like you are every year.

If this sounds like you, consider giving yourself an early gift: A pre-Christmas de-clutter, to help you prioritize the items you value, make space for new things, and cut back on stress so you can enjoy the things that really matter.

* Check your stash of Christmas decorations. Separate the things you haven’t used in a few years and donate them to a thrift shop for other families to enjoy.

* Walk through the public areas of your house — living room, dining room, foyer, hallways — and pick out any decor items or small furniture that you don’t love anymore. If you’d rather see an empty space, chuck it.

* Declutter your furniture. Do you really need those worn-out throw pillows with all the coffee stains?

* Work with your kids to sort through old toys and get rid of the ones they don’t play with anymore. If they need a little motivation, explain that it’s so they have plenty of room for this year’s gifts.

* Hit the kitchen and be absolutely ruthless. Toss expired foods, old water bottles or cheap plastic cups, cookware that you never use, or that box of old dishes that you don’t have room for.

* Set priorities carefully for the rooms you’ll spend the most time in and accommodate the activities you’ve planned. The most important thing about the holidays is sharing them with the people we care about, so if you don’t have the time or energy to hit every room, don’t kick yourself. Do what you can, congratulate yourself for a job well done, and enjoy the things that truly matter.