Oh thank God. Finally Someone who understands and puts out the right kind of content for what I'm actually dealing with

As a scandinavian the natural "key" to decor is "eadible, burnable, compostable". You can have a sterling, sparkling Christmas decor consisting of food, candy canes, cookies (even decor elements like ginger bread house, gingerbread decor hanging in windows), chocolat calendar, oranges, red apples, candles, marshals, sparklers, fresh red flowers, potted Christmas plants, fir twigs, fir cones, Christmas napkins... With only the Christmas lightings (light loopers, paper stars), a few tablecloths and red ribbons (to tie and hang the "edible or compostable" ornaments in) there are actually not very much to store from year to year. Even the stockings can actually be regular (fresh) rag/woolen socks with a small wrapped gift or a nice plant in it. (And this does not mean you have to do the baking yourself, all of it can be found in a regular store.) If you haven't eaten or used it all up after Christmas it goes to the compost (or trash).

Thank you for this, Dana! I was a good girl - my son and DIL helped us decorate this weekend. I ran across something that I needed to get rid of. I offered it to my DIL and said, "Feel free to say no." She was happy to take it. I followed up with, "If you find it doesn't work for you, feel free to donate it. I won't be upset if you don't keep it."

Marie Kondo’s got nothing on you Dana K. White! You changed my life radically, for the best life I could live. I am functioning! Thank you for your books and all of your videos 🙏🏻❤️

While decluttering I found 3 Christmas platters, and some others totally forgot I had. We played Bingo after Thanksgiving meal, and put those platters with a few other gently used items in a prize box. You would have thought they were gold plated! Guests were asking to play more than one card to increase chances of winning. It was hilarious!

I literally never once thought of this before! Seasonal decor REPLACES other decor? MIND-BLOWING! I never could understand how "cleanies" could handle it when mine always looked like such a mess, even if it was clean! Now I get it. THANK YOU for helping me understand this!

Omg I totally did not think of putting the current decor into the Christmas box! Have been wondering where to put it lol!!!

Best Christmas decluttering idea I've ever had is to decorate to my heart's content with everything I have and whatever doesn't make it out of the tote box I look at long and hard and most of the time I'll donate or trash it. It really helped keep me from buying too because it makes me realize what I had too much of as well.

Thank you so much for not advertising other companies products. That makes you credible, helpful and a little beloved. Happy Thanksgiving!

Last Christmas season, I was recovering from Covid. I did minimal decorating because I just didn't have the stamina. I told my family to feel free to decorate or not. It was an experiment for me personally, to see if I could allow myself to do less and be ok with it. For ex: I put the Christmas tree up but only put ribbon and a star on it. No one was upset. Most people seemed to like my minimalist tree and it saved me hours of work. I may try it again this season

I love the replacement idea. Makes perfect sense.

Here I am thinking, oh, yeah, if I buy new decorations I should get rid of old decorations - then realized you meant normal everyday stuff that's always there gets REMOVED and REPLACED not decorated around! Sheesh why didn't I figure that out sooner! (Because my brain works just like yours, and thank you so much for sharing what you have learned so I don't have to keep learning the hard way! I'm almost 50 for goodness sake!)

I’ve enjoyed using more materials from nature like pinecones, greenery, etc. that way I can just chuck it outside when I’m done😂.

Thank you!!! You always have the very best advice!!! I found you last year just before Thanksgiving. 14 days to opening your front door to company. You are a lifesaver! Now I am sorting through things and decluttering again! We sold our fully furnished vacation lake home last month and I would have felt helpless and hopeless if it wasn't for all of your great advice. I have enjoyed giving many things to friends and family. Other things that I would have once found difficult to donate, because of their value, I have donated. It has brought me peace of mind and a calmness. I didn't want to deal with selling those things. The trade-off is life-changing, in a good way! Thank you, thank you and God Bless!!!

So glad to have someone telling people to replace the everyday stuff, it makes everything look so much better when you can focus on the Christmas decorations. Great job!

Dana, I like that you say "It's Okay" instead of I give you permission. I don't think grown women and men need permission by anyone for things they want to do. So thank you for that. Thanks for sharing !!

My compliments to Reed on the editing! This video was so concise and enlightening! My Mom used the "replace" method in her livingroom... we'd carefully remove the everyday items from the fireplace mantel, hearth, and the shelf above her couch before arranging the Christmas decorations. We put the everyday items on a table on the back porch, but I love the idea of using the Christmas storage containers! I do use that method with my seasonal clothing storage but never considered it for decor! Regarding only focusing on one room, I too didn't decorate for years because any decorations would have simply been lost in the clutter. For the past few years, I found I could decorate the little table next to my computer chair, since anyone on Zoom would only see that part of my apartment :) This year I will try the Replace method and decorate more that what I refer to as my "Zoomscape." Thank you!! ❤

I get hung up on the sentimentality of all the ornaments and decorations from when my kids were little.

I always replace the everyday decorations with our Christmas stuff, but it never occured to me I could store them in the Christmas totes! Thanks for the tip!

Great, great video, Dana! Very helpful. We moved into my aunt's small townhouse after her move to nursing home. (We are very blessed!) When decluttering before seeling our old house I decided that we'd only have thd space for 2 large boxes ('totes' as you say in the US) of Christmas decorations. She has no basement (they aren't common in Ireland) and the attic joists are not to be 100%trusted.... so we have to store decor items in the house. The 2 large boxes are totally adequate for our needs. Working on the other areas now! LOL! Blessings of the season to you and your extended family on KZfaq, Dana.G Ire

It’s frightening to me how much you’re in my mind. My entire adult life I always over decorated for every holiday. Now I loved it. When I got married, I came to find out that my husband is a true minimalist and doesn’t really love holidays. So my decorating has gotten very very very small in my house. But I have recently started to over decorate my office at work. So I get the benefit of having the decorations for every holiday but a minimalist house with very few. So I curate some very important pieces to me to be in my house. But it is a good reminder in both locations to Declutter as I go. Don’t put away at the end of the season pieces that you don’t love. Just donate. Thank you.

I have done this for years! That way the holiday decor takes center stage and it isn’t cluttered. Makes it super easy when you’re done. Just bring out the same tote and switch back. And yes. Spending $6 now vs how ever much later. Smart! Thanks for all you’re helpful tips!

On point and so helpful as always! You’re my favorite!!!

As always, Reid's "Editorial Commentary" in the credits, make me chuckle! Thanks for all the Great tips!

Oh Dana K White! I've read multiple of your books and I just love your sense of humor and your ability to talk honestly about real people and real stuff! I laughed out loud at the credits... also I didn't even THINK of replacing when I was putting my Christmas stuff out... and now I'm wondering why it feels cluttered... oops.

Yes!!! You need to post these every holiday... these tips work! It allows you to clean and reevaluate every time these occasions come along... thanks, mom, for teaching us how to do this at a young age!

Oh my gosh! I’ve been struggling with twinkle lights for three years!! I bought a ton on sale and it turned out they were the blinking kind. And they were only a dollar cheaper. And they didn’t have the kind I wanted. But I just stored them instead of returning them. And now I have to declutter flashing lights. And I STILL did not buy them full price when I passed by the fully stocked section the other day. Thank you for holding up a mirror to my insanity.

Love this - thank you! After 3 moves in 13 months, I decided I just could NOT go through one more box, much less the 17 green and red tupperware boxes containing 50+ years of memories, decor, and fun stuff that I would use for less than a month but would add more stress to my "today." I chose to smile and handle all of the 20+ monogrammed family stockings in the stockings box, yet only pulled out and hung the three for the three of us who will actually be here for the big day. I chose a few red and white silk poinsettias and stuck them in an tin container as a mantle-piece; I stuck some raffia in there and it's the cutest country cabin look ever. Best of all, I don't feel guilty - I feel like I can go read a book on the couch, by the fire, with my dog today, instead of decorating 'because that's what we usually do this time of year.'

I only decorate my living space (kitchen, and living room....which both are small and close together). It's the only space that needs decor. It's is too much work to decorate every room....then you also have to worry about storage. Also, I am trying to massively declutter during the holiday season, so I put all of the decluttering items in question in one room to sort out. That way the rest of the house is tidy while I go through all of the extra stuff.

I have been putting my everyday stuff in the Christmas bins for years. This year I added some Christmas decor in my bedroom by changing out the pillow covers and added a new throw, made it easy and affordable.

Dana if I'm being honest, I've been extremely overwhelmed for yrs. I started watching Dawn SEVERAL YRS AGO and now I watch you and Cas too but I'm still like frozen. A lot of things make sense but actually doing them is a whole other story. I know you get it. Hopefully ONE DAY I'll turn a new leaf 😩.

We moved to a coastal community 4 years ago. My former home was a colonial with antiques, dark woods, roosters and granny square throws. Every holiday I kept it all out and just added Christmas. It was nearly impossible to walk a clear path. When we moved I did manage to donate, give away or trash most of that decor, but began accumulating some coastal decor to go in our new home. Now, every holiday season I take out the Christmas decor; (limiting myself to 4 bins of Christmas decor); and put my everyday decor in the empty Christmas bins. I take pics of both styles before I put it away again to make it easier and faster to decorate/undecorate and also to remember what worked and what didn’t. If I buy something new and it won’t fit into one of the four bins I take something else out and donate it. Keeps me from buying something new unless I really really love it more than what I already have!!

I love the idea of replacing! I did it a few days ago and felt that I had stumbled upon a game changer. Glad to hear you confirm it! I am so wired like you. You are the most relatable for me in my decluttering journey!

Thanks Dana and Reid! I enjoy your videos 💡 Well done.

Thank you! Lightbulb moment ...putting normal decor away, so simple but I never gave it a thought. Great point about buying the one item full price now against a whole host of reduced "stuff" later. Great video Dana xx

I do believe I shopped after Christmas the year I was moving January 12th but I mostly just bought lights. Having less decor strategically can pull a look together better in a much classier way. If done well 3 or 4 items can set a tone as well or better than 30.

Great ideas that I needed to hear, and no, you weren't rambling, or else Reid did an outstanding job editing! Which is possible too!

You are so gorgeous, Dana! Love your hair like this. You remind me so much of my daughter and I've finally got her watching you. Your books, podcasts, group TYHB has made such a HUGE difference in my life.

Oh my goodness- the twinkle light theory of getting what you actually need NOW rather than waiting until the sales and then ending up being tempted with all the reduced stuff- you have saved me so much time, money and energy, Dana! This explained a lot about how my mind works and I was like ohhhh I get it! You’re a genius & I love you! Honestly your videos, books & podcasts have made me feel more sane and in control and actually able to manage my things & keep my home under control. Thank you 💖🌸⭐️

"Feelings"....oh yeah...I don't know how I would have EVER gotten started..if I had not discovered you... I recommend you to EVERYONE... THANK YOU SO MUCH❤️

I love your tips! ❤

Love the idea of packing up the rest of the year decor in the Christmas bins!

What a fantasticly clever idea. I love it.

Love your personality Dana. You’ve helped me so much. I loved the course.

hahahaha i love you, Dana. You're so funny and I relate with you on "things" so hard. have a fabulous holiday.

I mostly just decorate my mantle. I have a small nativity set that goes on a shelf on the built in bookshelf next to the fire place and our tree of curse but otherwise it's just one small mantle. By limiting the amount of space I decorate it limits the amount of decor I can use, like the container concept. I got a few new things this year for the first time in years so I know when I go to decorate I will need to donate some things. I already have some in mind that can go and getting a few new things I really love to replace old, sad items is making me really excited to decorate this year!

The blurbs you put up after your videos always crack me up!

Yup! So much common sense here , but why didn't I think of it !

I Love Your Work! Thank you Dana, your tips are so useful, relevant, practical and inspiring - as always! 🌟

Great tip about replacing the all year round stuff with the seasonal items. Great video

I never thought of replacing, what a fantastic idea, thanks.

I love you so much! 😍 Thanks for all the motivation!

Great tips! Thanks for the reminder.

I love replacing my linens. We’re fairly minimal on linens, but switching pillow covers, duvet covers, and throws, etc, really makes it feel festive. I add holiday themed figures and photos to the book shelves.

Oh my gosh! This makes so much sense! How have I never thought of this?! Thank you Dana!

I liked "replace", I currently have Thanksgiving items mingled with year- round items. But swapping them ***into the storage boxes*** was a revelation! Thanks!

okay after years of watching you I actually do the replace thing for holidays... YAY!!! thank you for the tips

I have used the replacement method for several years. You are so right about when I take down Christmas & get out my regular everyday items, it like I appreciate them more after not seeing them for a while!

Love your approach Dana! You have helped me so much by telling me to give myself permission to get rid of something or use the container concept. I'm a fan for life and I hope you have a wonderful Christmas in your new place!

Literally just got out my Christmas glasses and mugs and am about to to pack away my regular glasses and mugs into that box! Took a break for lunch and to watch this, and it looks like I'm not the only one with that idea!

I needed to hear this. I have 4 Christmas trees in the house and lots of holiday decorations. And…. We decided to have our kitchen dining room and entryway slightly remodeled in mid-December. It will take two weeks. Yikes. I have been moving stuff into other rooms and it has shown me how much stuff we have. So instead of just getting ready for the remodel I am taking this next week to declutter, donate, throw away and curate those rooms and have less stuff. In January I will tackle a bedroom and the two bathrooms. It’s a process. Taking excess to donate on Wednesday. Wish me luck.

Wow, thank you for showing us how to replace the decor. So often, I just pile more on more!

Love your shirt Dana! ❤🎉 All great ideas! Yes I take old decor down, I look for things to declutter in my Christmas bins as I’m decorating, I do put little touches thru the entire house but I don’t go hog wild. The worst/best (LOL) thing I have is a HUGE 12 foot tree for my 12 ft ceilings and I want to keep a lot of ornaments to fill it. Otherwise I’ve really tried paring my stuff down the past 3 or so years. Thx for the motivation!

Excellent advice especially about the sales

This is so practical. There is so much external pressure to have our homes a certain way for Christmas. Your videos always help my cluttered brain. Thank you!

Love this!

Wonderful!! Thank you! Downsizing from large family to just the two of us is quite a challenge. Blessings & many hugs! 💞

I am experienced with minimalism but learned so much from this video. Thank you.

Dana, well light bulb moment, duh! I have been replacing my daily with seasonal items,,,but it never sawned on me to put the daily stuff INTO the decoration boxes.. Thank you very much for helping this stuff make sense to those fit us that this doesn't come naturally! May God continue to Bless you and your family.

I love everything you just said! Decorate one room, yes! Started this a few years ago ( we are now 60, kids all married, etc) and it is so much more fun! We still love outdoor lights (but less) and a little in the dining room (pretty runner, make a fun candle scape and maybe some greens and ornaments.). Last year we downsized our tree, and it is so great to ENJOY the tree decorating now. All our kids have been marrying and have their own homes in the area, so over the last 5 years, we have texted randomly a pic “Would you like this big Christmas tree?” And surprise! They often say yes! Even outdoor decor ( old lights, candy canes, etc, they say yes!) You have motivated me now to just go grab a box and fill it with some other clothes, glassware ( old, scratched 30 yr old cups, that we are tired of) I agree… I just stay away from all after Christmas sales… because I truly don’t NEED a thing! More clutter, more gas, more crowds, more storing, more stress.

Thank you for giving the OK to decorate only one room. I did that last year and it was so much more peaceful, calm and quickly. I decorated the living room only and outside light s. Oh I also have a door in my outside storage room that has been broken and off for years. I hung a great shower curtain with a Christmas theme. It made my outside look beautiful, festive and served the purpose of a door without having to pay the big price of getting custom doors made. So now I change the curtains, for Paris in Fall, different spring Paris in Spring, Fall Harvest for Thanksgiving and Christmas theme in December..I love it, and it's an easy decoration I can do by myself and gives me so much Joy! You have helped bring so much peace into my house, for that I will always be grateful. !

Lol. I'm a smart cookie, but I've never in my life heard I should pack up regular things to get out holiday stuff! Liquid gold! Thank you for remembering "the rest of us" who would not figure it out on our own. Hahaha

Fantastic tips. Love them all!

First time watcher! Awesome- thanks! I’ll be back!

I love your JOY sign.

I have been swapping everyday things w Christmas things for years. I still have too much. Chronic health issues have forced me to reach my Christmas threshold. Last year, I left the curio cabinet full of Christmas things, and my Santa collection on the stairway ledge: and that is just a smattering of the Holiday stuff we have collected over the years. Also left a small tree fully decorated, and Hubs set it up last night. 😊 I leave my things up til Feast of the Epiphany, but won't be leaving them up all year again ! TY for the motivation to keep on decluttering !!!

Happy Thanksgiving, Dana K White!! Hope you have a blessed Christmas...xo

I love these ideas !

There are not enough words to describe how much this video imparts wisdom. Literally everything, everything you have said here Dana is: "worthwhile practical and usable content." It is relatable to our lives and very much appreciated! It is almost a bit scary yet comforting to think how much my brain is working identical to yours, sarcasm I know you will understand haha the part about the twinkle lights.. those are actually the only thing I wanted to buy this year, just to add to the few little items on the mantle. And my first thought was I'll wait till the after Christmas sale.. but we both know what that would mean.. thank you! For being an example of my brain and for recognizing it and affirming it. Also the part about replacing the decor instead of adding to it, genius. Just yesterday I was talking to my husband saying, why does this still look kind of cluttery and he said you need to take away the plant on the mantle and I was like oh okay relocate that until after Christmas now it looks good. Just need to grab those 5.99 fairy lights🙃😉 instead of feeling irritated or overwhelmed after watching a video, I feel normal and relieved after listening into this content of yours! Wishing a merry Christmas to you and yours!!

Such practical advice. Thank you!!

Excellent advice, thank you!

Brilliant!

Perfect timing! I have not put up decor for a few years for health reasons and am now procrastinating due to the sheer volume of "stuff". My adult children declined taking their own ornaments as they want them on our tree, but I am going to make a box for each and sort them out so I can get down to a reasonable number of ornaments to put up. The trash bag and donate box are also going to factor in to my process. Thanks for the pep talk!

Thank you Dana.

Good, practical suggestions.

I love how you think! ❤

Thanks Dana! I definitely needed to hear this. We are sure struggling.

My kids are older and out of the house so I no longer have a big Christmas tree, at first I just had a 4 ft one for a couple of years, then replaced to a mini 20 inch one a couple of years, now all I have is a small decorative country craft metal one with bells running down the center of it, now that's what I call downsizing, LOL. Also I wanted to say that I kept a few of my favorite ornaments but I put them in a decorative tin placed by the small craft tree.

Sweet share in the credits Dana 💗

Not Christmas related but I just used your advice to look up a price on an item we need right away. We are moving my MIL into our home and need a stair lift. They are way less expensive than my imagination was saying. Also I love your advice to store away things while some of my decorations are taking up their space. Thank you for so many practical tips!

I LOVE your tip about thinking now about the after-Christmas sales. I was just thinking yesterday I need a new tree skirt and I stopped myself because I've been trying to get out of the "I need (xyz)" mindset so I sat with and considered do I actually need one now? No, I don't. For now, the one I have will work even though the little buttons have all fallen off. What would I like to have instead? I'd really like one of those that looks like a barrel since I have cats now and they are constantly moving the fabric one all over the place (which is exactly why it no longer has buttons lol) So now thanks to you I can look for one at the after- Christmas sales and hopefully get one on sale!!! Thanks Dana, you are amazing.

Put other bits of decor / stuff away in the Xmas boxes to make Christmas decor feel less chaotic 🤯 feels so ridiculously obvious I should have worked it out but sooooo not obvious to me !- thanks Dana ❤

Dana, I think I just had an A HA moment. I kinda tend to add my Christmas "decor" but the replacement idea sounds brilliant because instead of putting away empty bins that will still take up space might as well put at least some of the normal "decor" at least during the holidays.

We put out all our Xmas decorations today. We have 1 tote of ornaments and trinkets and the 2 cardboard boxes that hold the small pre-lighted tree. That's it. Easy to handle for the 2 of us.

Great ideas

Thanks for the reminders Dana... And Thank Reid for me.. I always wait for his comment bc it always gives me a chuckle! Always!!... gt

Hey Hey hey you said this last year. Fantastic Great Tip

Dude. This is brilliant. Putting the year round stuff into the Christmas boxes…just switch out…NEVER would have thought of that. Seriously. My first thought at your replacement strategy was “but where do I put the stuff I’m replacing??” Than you immediately answered my question. And also, you have a Buddy the Elf quote and an elephant bell. Can you be my new best friend?!

One space! Yes! I don’t get the multiple trees and every room decorated! Only after Christmas item I do is Christmas cards. I have a specific box that has my advent wreath so they are easy to pull out after Thanksgiving because I like working on them Black Friday instead of going out!

Well, I was another person who didn’t think to pack the Christmas boxes with my every day decor. 😂. So thank you for that valuable tip !!!