This season, when one year ends and another begins, can be one of the best for downsizing and decluttering. At New Year’s, when you think about downsizing and decluttering, think beyond your stuff: Downsize your goal list; Downsize your calendar and time commitments; Downsize your stress – build margin in your life, schedule time for self-care and connecting with others, ask for help; And, yes, declutter your stuff…

Downsizing is a good way to think about managing holiday expectations and, in turn, reduce stress. Think about it. When we put too many demands on our time, too many events on our calendar, too many gifts on our shopping list, and more, we become overwhelmed. It’s time to downsize.

Downsizing means eliminating the excess in your life – getting a smaller home and reducing the amount of stuff you own. We are in the process of that kind of downsizing. Downsizing stuff is not that different from editing excess words. This post looks at both types.   As I work at cleaning out closets in the home we’ve lived in for 44 years, it occurred to me that downsizing my stuff is not that different from the editing I am doing to keep the second edition of Communicati