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Alternative Christmas Ideas That Bring More Peace and Less Stress

November 8, 2025 by Amy Slenker-Smith 6 Comments

Christmas is different now. Everything shifted when I began my journey to own less. A few years ago, I wrote about how just one decoration sat on display in my home—and how, surprisingly, there was no guilt or panic. Only peace. I had confidence. I knew I could decorate with ease, and even enjoy the process, because I’d pared down what we owned to only what we loved. These simple, alternative Christmas ideas have changed everything—and they might inspire a different kind of holiday for you too. Every December, I take out four boxes of decorations from the closet. I unpack and place them around the house, then return the empty bins—all in one evening. It’s simple. It’s enough. Some years, we visit a tree farm in Pennsylvania to cut down a Fraser Fir. In other years, when we’re traveling, we use a small tabletop tree. Either way, it’s lovely. I also donate some ornaments each year, knowing they’ll bring joy to another family. When the decorating is done, I feel a wave of calm just …

How To Talk To Your Family About Simplifying Gift Giving

October 28, 2025 by Amy Slenker-Smith Leave a Comment

The holidays will be here soon, and many are anxious about gift-giving. Currently, this is the topic people are asking me about. They remember last year that gifts detracted from the joy of the holiday itself. Some were overwhelmed by all the gifts they received. Others were made to feel less than because they misunderstood expectations for buying gifts. And this year, budgets are tight for many families. Here's why people feel this way: 25% of Americans are still paying off debt from last holiday season, according to WalletHub; and 31% of 2024 holiday shoppers who used credit cards still haven’t paid off the balances. The same is true for 31% of 2024 holiday travelers who used a credit card for their travel expenses, according to NerdWallet. 53% of Americans admit to opening up at least one unwanted holiday gift each year, per Finder.com data; In 2024, Americans spent around $10.1 billion on presents no one wants, per Finder.com data; What if you did something …

How I Downsized My Wardrobe into One Average-Sized Closet

October 1, 2025 by Amy Slenker-Smith 4 Comments

This is my closet and my entire wardrobe. Yes, everything is in one normal-sized closet. I'm not hiding more clothing in bins under the bed. And I didn't commandeer the guest bedroom closet either. Just this one single space and it holds everything. Yes, really everything. What if I told you that you could use just one closet and skip the seasonal clothing swap forever? At the same time, your closet would stay neat and organized with less laundry to do. Sound like something you'd like? You can do it. Here's how. Experiment with Less Most organizing problems are volume problems. So I started by experimenting with less. Going through my closet and donating items at the end of each season wasn't working. I had to get extreme. I accepted the challenge to wear just 7 pieces of clothing for an entire week; (inspired by Jen Hatmaker’s book Simple and Free, 7 Experiments Against Excess) And I still left the house for work, church, and social engagements, always in clean clothes. :) …

How to Get More Done with a Clean Kitchen Counter

August 28, 2025 by Amy Slenker-Smith 6 Comments

I love my kitchen counter. Because it is always decluttered and ready to work. At the end of the day, I reward its efforts by putting things away and cleaning it. Empty counters clean up easily without appliances and decorations to move. The benefits of a clean kitchen counter are endless, not to mention that they are a space where your eyes can rest at the end of the day. Imagine coming home after work and feeling relaxed as you prepare dinner. Instead of the stress of a messy kitchen and then ordering takeout. Once upon a time, our cabinets and pantry were filled to the brim. Being an "organized" person, I found myself reorganizing the pantry every weekend. The top shelves housed just as many dishes as their lower companions. Counters were cluttered with appliances, canisters, and decorations. Doing anything in the kitchen required rearranging. I said to myself, "It shouldn't be this hard." Then, I looked inside the cabinets. It was pretty obvious we could …

How to Organize Your Storage Space in 3 Simple Steps

July 19, 2025 by Amy Slenker-Smith 3 Comments

I’m not a fan of big storage rooms with endless shelves and bins. But we all have storage needs and it's important to keep it organized. Storage rooms, attics, and garages are where clutter goes to die. And more space simply means more stuff. Most storage rooms I visit are jam-packed with no organization and the floor can't be found. Worse yet, useful items are buried under stuff you do not need. But with intentional planning, you can create an organized storage space. Our storage closet is small. But it holds the following: holiday decorations, extra paint, banker boxes of files, ski equipment, extra flooring and tile, and sentimental items. It is a 4x8 unfinished space that extends under our stairs. That's it. And did I mention that we park cars in our garage too? Anything at the back of the storage closet is small and rarely used like the flooring and tile. Likewise, the more frequently used items are upfront. I resist the urge to fill the entire space and …

Empty Nesters: 10 Simple Tips to Help You Declutter and Downsize

July 9, 2025 by Amy Slenker-Smith 9 Comments

Empty Nesters We're officially empty nesters. We launched our son a year ago, and so far, so good. With this experience, I feel even more connected to my clients who are already empty nesters. And to those who can see that their kids won't be living under their roof much longer. I think I always knew that the "days would be long and the years would be short." But I guess I didn't realize how very short they are. I have sincerely loved every phase of raising a family and building a career, two careers actually. But I firmly believe that living a life with less stuff and more contentment made it all the better. So as we embark on our third act of life, I plan to declutter and downsize even more. And help as many empty nesters and working women as I can along the way. Decluttering and downsizing is a daunting task, especially if you're just getting started. A few years ago, I moved my in-laws to a retirement community. They had to downsize 70% of their belongings. Like …

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