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Simplify Your Traditions

Close your eyes, take a long deep breath in through your nose and out through your mouth, and visualize your most favorite and joyful holiday memories.


Dream big!

How do you most want your holidays to look and feel?

SIMPLIFYING 

Every October we focus on clearing clutter simply and easily with our 30 Day Clutter Clear Out Movement. We’ve created powerful tools you can utilize any time of year to support your journey. If you have some extra time, hop on over there to access these offerings. If time is of the essence and the holiday season has begun, circle back to the Clutter Clear Out in January.

For November and December we invite a slow down and focus on simplifying. We’ll spend the other nine months diving into organizing. Check out our Simplify Your Home and Holidays for all of our suggested actions. 

TRADITIONS 

No matter what holidays you partake in there is excitement and, dare we say, magical qualities. Then there are the inherent complexities. From wanting to attend all the gatherings to buying gifts that bring great joy; from having delightful decor to making delicious meals; from all the traditions passed down or created ourselves to deepen the meaning of the holiday.

Focus on Freedom: When it comes to the holidays do you allow yourself extra time to cultivate ritual and tradition in the events, activities, and to-do’s? Do you say yes when you really want to say no? Do you have any time for rest and rejuvenation? Sit down with your calendar and be realistic and truthful about how much you can and to engage with. First, block out some “you” time each week. Then add things you know for sure (shopping, decorating, cooking, baking, gatherings) in your calendar where you will not schedule other things.

Focus on Family: One of the most precious things we can do at the Holiday Season is spend meaningful time together. To keep this simple, sit down together as a family and ask each person to share what is the one thing they want most to do this year?

Focus on You: It’s your life and your choice. Choose traditions based on your family’s current values and desires, not just what has “always been done.” Some of our favorites include a sledding day, reading together before bed, giving to a family in need, and having a game night each week.

Remember memories are stored when we experience emotion. Make your holidays deeply memorable! Then put these important choices first on your calendar and feel the relief of letting go of all the other stuff we tell ourselves we should be doing. You have chosen what matters most.

When you are ready for more simple actions, head over to our Simplify Your Home and Holidays page, where you will find more blogs and our eBook chock full of our home and holiday simplifying goodness.

simplifyhome, simplifyholidays, simplifylife
Clear & Simple, SEE IT. MAP IT. DO IT., Simplify Your Home, Simplify Your Holidays

Your Guides to a Simpler Life, Marla Dee & Kate Fehr

We are passionate about teaching The Clear & Simple Way© to transform your life.

Simplify Your Kitchen

Would you love to have your kitchen feel fresh and beautiful to gather in?
It’s in the kitchen where the warmth of shared memories,
laughter and life create a recipe that spans generations.
– Yuvraj Kakodiya

The kitchen is the heart of the home. Yet, sadly it can become the dumping ground for paper piles and homeless stuff. And so often there isn’t room on the counter to cook or room on the table to eat. We want your kitchen to be a happy place for family and friends to gather for the holidays.

 

Use these 3 simple steps to simplify your kitchen:

Step One: Clear your kitchen counter of the paper piles, homeless items or things that don’t even belong in the kitchen.

Step Two: Put fresh flowers or a living plant on your kitchen counter to bring in beauty and prevent clutter from building back up.

Step Three: It can be a blast to clutter clear and organize your junk drawer. One person opens their junk drawer an average of 3 times a day so organizing it can be a great gift to yourself and your family.

You and your family deserve to have a simpler, peaceful and sweet holiday season!

The Holidays are a wonderful time to slow down and focus on simplifying. Check out our Simplify Your Home and Holidays for all of our suggested actions.

If you want support in clutter clearing you can get help at our 30 Day Clutter Clear Out Movement. We’ve created powerful tools you can utilize any time of year to support your journey. If you have some extra time, hop on over there to access these offerings.

 

simplify kitchen, organize kitchen, home & holidays, organize home
Clear & Simple, SEE IT. MAP IT. DO IT., Simplify Your Home, Simplify Your Holidays

Your Guides to a Simpler Life, Marla Dee & Kate Fehr

We are passionate about teaching The Clear & Simple Way© to transform your life.

Simplify Your Wrapping

How many types of wrapping paper, bags, bows, ribbon, and tissue paper do you have?


Simplify your gift wrapping

and create a signature style!

SIMPLIFYING 

Every October we focus on clearing clutter simply and easily with our 30 Day Clutter Clear Out Movement. We’ve created powerful tools you can utilize any time of year to support your journey. If you have some extra time, hop on over there to access these offerings. If time is of the essence and the holiday season has begun, circle back to the Clutter Clear Out in January.

For November and December we invite a slow down and focus on simplifying. We’ll spend the other nine months diving into organizing. Check out our Simplify Your Home and Holidays for all of our suggested actions. 

NOW FOR GIFT WRAPPING

Are you done with the constant mess and overwhelm of too many gift wrapping options and flair as well as never having just what you really need or want? Are you ready to create a simple yet creative and joyful signature style for your gift wrap?

We recommend choosing a solid color of bulletin board paper you love and can work for all celebrations. Have fun changing up the types of bows and ribbons you pair with the paper to suit the occasion as well as express your personal style. Metallic markers are a great option for writing on the paper and decorating it.

Bulletin board paper is super cost effective and will last for years to come. You can even use it for other applications like packing paper, craft projects, and covering your dining table for pumpkin carving. It is heavy duty and recyclable when clean. Most gift wrap, bags, and ribbons are not recyclable. Basically, the fancier the item the less likely it can be recycled.

If bulletin board paper is simply not your style or you want more options, take the time to go through all of your gift wrap and bags to decide what you truly like and want to use. Be willing to donate the rest and stock up on the supplies you love using.

When you are ready for more simple actions, head over to our Simplify Your Home and Holidays page, where you will find more blogs and our eBook chock full of our home and holiday simplifying goodness.

Clear & Simple, SEE IT. MAP IT. DO IT., Simplify Your Home, Simplify Your Holidays, Wrapping Paper
Clear & Simple, SEE IT. MAP IT. DO IT., Simplify Your Home, Simplify Your Holidays

Your Guides to a Simpler Life, Marla Dee & Kate Fehr

We are passionate about teaching The Clear & Simple Way© to transform your life.

Home Organizing Tips & Tricks for Productivity

Being organized and being productive both require finding what you need when you need it. The following tips will make both of these easier.

Our homes can easily fill with clutter and chaos.  Yet, the purpose of our home is peace, support and connection.  We are sharing our top 5 tips that are easy to implement and can make a big difference over time.

Watch the video for all the great information and see our tips down below. Marla on Fox 13 – The Place

Marla Dee on Fox 13 – The Place

Top 5 Tips: 
  • Containers make a huge difference for all types of stuff and all areas – everything from drawers to the garage. Containers make it easier to store your things, find your things and return them to where they belong.  Trick: Leave the tops off containers that will be used often for easy access. (Watch the video for some of our favorites)
  • Then label the containers and the shelves. This makes it easy for you to find what you want rather than digging through multiple bins and boxes.  It also makes life easier because the kids (or husband) can put it back where it belongs. Get and use your own labeler. The Container Store has a great selection of all kinds of labels.
  • Get your own TimeTimer – the best tool for making time tangible. This wonderful tool is different from you typical timer.  It shows you by the section in red how much time is left so you can quickly adjust.
  • Capture all incoming information in ONE place – one notebook, one place on your smart phone and one container for all the paper that lands in your home. (check out the video for a couple fun ideas including a magnetic container from the Container Store that can attach to your refrigerator Piggy Magnetic Container.
  • Create strong ZONES by putting like with like. These days we are so busy that the stuff lands everywhere. Start with creating zones just for home office & paper, for all the toys, keep the bedroom only the bedroom, all tools together, a nice relaxing living room, etc.

We care about your home being everything you need and want.  Please reach out and let us know if we can help by teaching you how or helping you get it done!

Marla, Kate & Team