How to Stay Overwhelmed in Your Home This Holiday Season

A highly scientific, evidence-based, peer-reviewed checklist (peer = me) for anyone committed to making December extra… full.

Every year around this time, I watch families prepare for the holiday season with the same enthusiasm I reserve for a freshly organized pantry. There’s excitement, there’s anticipation… and then there’s the part no one talks about: the tidal wave of stuff that magically appears the moment the calendar flips to December.

If you’ve ever wondered, “How does my house somehow feel smaller during the holidays?” - this list is for you.

Or rather… it’s for the version of you who wants to stay overwhelmed. Because if that’s the goal? Oh, friends. I’ve got the perfect checklist.

The Official (yet cheeky) “Stay Overwhelmed” Holiday Checklist

✔️ Say yes to everything your kids ask for. Even the things they casually mentioned once while brushing their teeth. More is more, right?

✔️ Keep absolutely everything they already own. Because nothing says “festive” like tripping over a toy from 2017. Sentimental? Yes. Useful? Debatable.

✔️ Buy new holiday PJs every year, even though last year’s still fit like a dream. Tradition waits for no drawer space.

✔️ Can’t find something? Buy a duplicate.Or a triplicate. Who’s counting at this point? (Not you. Definitely not you.)

✔️ Snag the newest “must-read” book instead of waiting a few days for it at the library. Overnight shipping > patience.

✔️ Overfill the pantry with snacks without moving a single thing out. If the door closes, it counts as organized.

✔️ Grab one more craft kit or activity box “for a rainy day.” Future You will definitely love excavating it from behind the board games in April.

✔️ Leave every countertop as a drop zone. Kitchen counters, dining tables, stairs… all excellent storage systems according to no one ever.

✔️ Say yes to every holiday event, class party, bake sale, and gift exchange. Your schedule definitely has room. It’s totally fine.

✔️ Skip the pre-holiday edit. Because what’s more festive than welcoming brand-new gifts into a space that’s still full from last year?

But if you’re not actually trying to stay overwhelmed…

If you’d prefer a home that feels intentional, breathable, and ready for the joy (not just the stuff) the season brings - here’s your gentle nudge:

Join us for Play It Forward and swap out the old before the new arrives, or find a local toy swap and give those forgotten toys a second life.

Your future self - and your floors - will thank you.

Because the holidays should feel full…not your closets.