November 2026 - Get Ready for the Holidays
Newsletter Topic of the Month
The Holidays Are Coming
It’s the year of less, with less buying and consuming. I’ve been reminding you all the holidays ARE coming, but they are now here. Lots of people and stuff will be invading your home, so let’s make a plan to tame it.
And while you are thinking about that, click here to get my Clutter Free Gift Giving Guide
With Thanksgiving and Christmas so near, our homes will be overflowing with guests, gifts and extra food for celebrations.
The number one thing you can do now is to make room before this all converges! Declutter and clear out cabinets, closets, guest rooms, garage space and the like to be ready and actually have space to store things and accommodate guests. I often set up a folding table in my garage with some clothes bins underneath to store gifts to be wrapped, extra food items for holiday dinners (non-perishable of course) and wrapping supplies.
As you get out holiday decorations look at everything you have, decide what to use and PURGE the rest right then. Sure, you may keep items you won’t use this year, but most of us have a lot of extra and this is the time to thin it down and donate if, before Christmas! I am guilty, I have more holiday bins than any of my clients “so far”. But I plan to really debulk as I have simplified my holiday décor a lot.
Use up what you have been saving and check your cupboards for items you will need. I always buy too much canned pumpkin, and then I have some left from last year that is still good. Do an inventory of what you have before you order and shop for what you need. Speaking of that, online grocery shopping during the holidays helps control impulse purchases, and it is so convenient. Give it a try.
Get out the fancy soap, the good wine, the pretty table ware you have been saving because life is a special occasion.
Black Friday Beware!
I love Black Friday, because I stock up on some expensive items I use all year long while on sale, and I get great pricing. I know how much to order and I stick to that. But it’s tempting to buy too much.
Keep in mind before making a black Friday purchase:
A sale isn’t saving you money if you don’t need it!
Free and thrifted items are still consumption (this is a common thought problem!!)
Black Friday is designed to make us feel an urgency to buy! Resist.
Before you buy, ask yourself, “do I already have something that does this same job?”
Use up those fancy candles and lotions you have been saving, and don’t buy more!
Think “little in, many out” during the holiday times.
It’s also a great time to donate to local thrift stores as so many people are embracing used or secondhand gifts. I don’t care where my gift comes from, I care that you chose it because you thought I would love it. It can be from your mom’s house or a garage sale. And keep in mind, if you are older and working through some of your things, gift the things you know someone would LOVE to have. My mother-in-law had an old blue fuel can with the most gorgeous patina, and one year, she gave it to ME. The best gift she ever gave me.
If you are struggling and not sure where to start, get help, a quick three-hour appointment with me will have you ship shape and pointed in the right direction, but book early, I fill up fast!
Have a topic idea? Area of struggle? A fun tip? Send it in and I may make it the topic of the month. Email me at hello@judygranleegates.com
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As always, a great read ans as typical Judy get right on it!!