Dr. Jessica Peck prescribes Hope for Healthy Families on American Family Radio

Hello, and welcome to the Dr. Nurse Mama show, prescribing Hope for Healthy Families here on American Family Radio. Here's your host, professor, pediatric nurse practitioner, and mom of four, Dr. Jessica Peck.

Dr. Jessica Peck: Well, hey there, friends, and welcome to my favorite time of day, getting to prescribe Hope for Healthy Families. And today, we've got something I know you're going to love because you have loved it every time we featured it this year. We have another episode of the Declutter Diaries today. Today, yes, we have none other than Kathi Lipp. And I know I've heard from many of you as my listeners that as soon as I announced that she is on the show, you have this sudden urge to clean out your junk drawer in your kitchen. So go ahead, do all the things, declutter all the places. I hope that you've been having a great time in our journey this year. As I shared before, you have had such a great response to this. We are actually going to extend, extend to Kathi and have her back as a regular guest for all of 2026. So I am delighted for that because she is a guest who is in demand. But she, you, you, y' all have just made friends, and so we're going to continue that.

Today we're going to talk about not letting holiday clutter steal your joy

And today we're going to talk about not letting holiday clutter steal your joy. Now, I know, I know there are a lot of you out there who are my After Thanksgiving adherence, you don't want to talk about Christmas until Thanksgiving. So we're not going to fully go there, but we're going to peek around the corner and say, how can we prepare you? Whether you already have your tree up like I do or whether you are not going to put that up until after the Thanksgiving parade has finished and you have, eaten all of the turkey leftovers wherever. But is. It's. I know it's not just me, but every December starts to feel like a game of Tetris that you just can't win. Those blocks keep dropping, you know, faster and faster, and you just don't know, like, what are you going to do? Like, is it. It's just. And you start off strong. You start off, you have one tote of Christmas decor, you know that you're getting out or maybe just one organized thing of wrapping paper, but suddenly, like, you got a tinsel tornado. Like, that's just what happens. And so we are, we want in this Declutter Diaries, we want to not have the holidays feel like a logistics marathon. It's supposed to feel like joy and connection and, and we are going to Talk about clearing space in your house right now for peace, not just in your home, but in your heart. And so, Kathi, I'm so delighted to have you back. Welcome. Welcome, friend. So looking forward to this.

Kathi Lipp: Are you kidding? This is my favorite time of month getting to. But I have to ask you seriously, already have your Christmas tree up?

Dr. Jessica Peck: Well, I have a good story about this. Okay, I haven't. I have something that going to make you think I'm a little less, nuts. So what happened actually was one of my daughters, when she was young, she had an immune deficiency. And so the kids were going to some event at church for Halloween. And, that was not Halloween, right? It's like a fall festival. And, and so she. She couldn't go because she wasn't allowed to be around other people because her immune system was weak. And so she was crying, crying, crying, saying. And I said, what can I do? What can I do to make this better? And she said, can we put up the Christmas tree? And I said, absolutely we can. And it just kind of stuck and it became a tradition. So here we are. So I may be a little behind the curve, but thank you.

Kathi Lipp: Well, you know what, why you, know. And if you are like, okay, Christmas doesn't start until after Thanksgiving, totally fine. But, you know, if. If it would bring you joy to put up your tree now, why are we saying, yeah, no joy for you? We're not doing that.

Dr. Jessica Peck: See, Kathi, this is why. This is my therapy hour. And I just feel like we just invite hundreds of thousands of people to listen in on, On. On you helping me break down all of those things. But you're absolutely right, because it just brings me joy. Now they come home for their college break in October, so just still feels like they want to be involved in that. So I'm a little behind the curve on the holiday clutter. But wherever anybody is listening is at. Let's. Let's help them break this down because we've got physical clutter, we've got emotional clutter, we've got spiritual clutter. Honestly, all of those things there because we've got too much stuff. We have too many expectations. Those expectations clutter our calendar and too little margin. And so we. You're going to help us stock up and pare down today, which I cannot wait for this. I've had a little sneak peek at the notes of what we're going to talk about, so I'm really excited about this.

Why do holidays create such a Perfect storm for all of that clutter

But let's talk about why. Why, Kathi? Why do holidays create such a Perfect storm for all of that clutter. Like, why do we always go in with the best intentions and come out feeling just defeated?

Kathi Lipp: Well, Jessica, I think, you know, I. We have a really large Facebook group, but I have a smaller Facebook group of people who, they're paid to be in this group. It's called Clutter Free for Life. And I love it so much. And we just did a coaching today, and one of the people we are. We. We're on organized October. And I said, ok, tell me your challenges. And one of the people said, you know, it's my basement. And I, We've been hearing about her basement for like a year now because, hey, we all space, right? Scene.

Dr. Jessica Peck: Yes, yes, absolutely.

Kathi Lipp: Yes, exactly. But she said, you know, I've got my basement. And then on top of that, it's the living room getting the living room ready for the holidays. And I said, okay, but why are we working on our basement and our. Our living room for the holidays at the same time? Because us cluttery people, we. We. We. Our brains cannot differentiate between the importance of the. The basement, but also the importance of the living room. And I said, okay, can we put your basement aside until December 26th? Can we just focus on the holidays are coming. You want to feel comfortable, let's, you know, set up some time and some space for your living room. We're just. It's kind of like when we decorate, but we don't declutter first. We're just putting, you know, decorations on top of nonsense, and we don't. Our brains don't know what to do with it. So it's time to pare down a little bit, maybe not commit to so many things on top of holiday stuff. And can we get rid of some things before we put the holidays on top of it?

Dr. Jessica Peck: That is so wise, because you're right. I love how you say, Kathi, us cluttery people. Because I am definitely in that group in the us, cluttery people, because I struggle with this so much, but it's almost like our brain is broken. And you're so right in thinking, okay, let me take on this big project, like, right when I'm about to decorate for Christmas. Like, now is not the time to look at my garage. No one's going in my garage for Christmas. I'm not hosting any dinners there. We're not opening gifts there. Like, I can just let that go. But I think in my mind, I start to think, like, oh, I want my house to be perfect. And so that means, like, all of These spaces. And, oh, well, the Christmas decorations are out there, so I might as well clean up that, too. That's so hard. But I think all of that is that what we need to do is transition our expectations from having and let go of that need to have the perfect holiday. Because it's not going to happen. Even if you were to come to my house and declutter it for me, which I would love that, by the way, even if you were coming to my house, it still wouldn't be a perfect Christmas. Right. It wouldn't be there. It's just. And that clutter is not about space, it's about stress. And so give us, as you go into this, when we talk about stocking up and paring down, give us some more framing for that. Help us to continue to reset our hearts and homes and our expectations for what a clutter free Christmas can really look like.

Kathi Lipp: Yes, absolutely. And you know what? I'm going to include Thanksgiving in this. We are early enough that we can talk about the prep for that as well.

Dr. Jessica Peck: Yeah.

Kathi Lipp: So, there are, let's be honest, this is the time of year when the most stuff comes into our house. So we're going to talk about a cluttery person's favorite thing to do. And this is stocking up. We are so good at this, right?

Dr. Jessica Peck: Oh, yes, ma'.

Kathi Lipp: Am. Yeah. Let me tell you a note I put on my calendar every December. Every December, I put a note on my calendar for next September that says, kathy, you have plenty of Christmas wrap you do not need to buy anymore. And it's my past self helping my future self just to say, you know what, maybe you need some more scissors this year. Like you could. You couldn't find scissors, so it's okay to buy that. Or maybe I need some scotch tape, but do I really need all the things. Or maybe, you know, there was one year I said, you don't need Christmas wrap, but you do need some ribbon and bows. Okay, so you're going to buy that, but you're not going to buy the seven rolls from Costco that. I mean, they're so cute and they're so fun, but those rolls are hefty. We don't need all of that. So we're going to stock up on some things, but we're going to stock up smart. But we're not going to stock up on everything. And we're going to really declutter before the holidays come.

Dr. Jessica Peck: That is so good. Because you're right, I have the best of intentions. When I put away my Christmas stuff. But I forget in a year, I forget what I have and what I don't have. And then that's where I get into the trap of just buying it. And then as I'm getting out my Christmas stuff, I'm like, oh, well, I already had 4,796 gift tags, so I probably didn't need 100 more. So I. I think that's a great idea, you know, having that, that list before, like, for making it when you put it all away so you know what you need more of and what you don't need more of. And you're right. I love a good stock up. Like, I love to do that.

Although I will say I stopped a lot of auto shipments based on your coaching

Although I will say I stopped a lot of auto shipments based on your coaching, and the world has not stopped. There has been no crisis of toilet paper or toothpaste in my home. Like, everything has gone fine. We've had plenty. We've needed what we needed. And I have a whole stack in my g now of space that's available. So that was really good.

Kathi Lipp: It's amazing.

Tell me about how to stock our pantry without going overboard for holidays

Dr. Jessica Peck: Let's talk about this stock up. Okay? You have seven. You have several different areas that we're talking about. So first is pantry and hosting. You call these quick wins. Tell me about how to stock our pantry without. Without going overboard.

Kathi Lipp: Okay, so the first thing you need to do is these categories I'm mentioning. You need to do an inventory of them because it's so easy to just get to Costco or Walmart or Aldi's or wherever you're going. And like, well, I think I'll need flour. I think I'm gonna need some baking powder. No, let's actually know. So here are some things.

Dr. Jessica Peck: No, I'm sorry, I'm gonna hear this in the aisle when I'm at Costco. I'm gonna hear Kathi Lipp telling me, let's actually. No, Jessica. No, let's actually know.

Kathi Lipp: No. Yes. Know what we need. Right? And then you can buy with purpose. So some categories to check on baking basics. So do you have enough flour? Do you have enough sugar? Brown sugar? Now, here's the other thing, Jessica. If you're not a baker, but you're an orderer, maybe you don't need the 25 pound bag of sugar. It's just a thought, just something to consider. No judgment. But, you know, if you are a big baker. But let me also say this. I am normally a big baker. My family loves my cookies. We love to do things. But also, I have long Covid right now how much baking Am I actually going to be doing? I think there's going to be a lot of buying of cookies so maybe I again I don't need the 25 pound bake but we've got sugar, ah flour, brown sugar, baking powder and baking soda, vanilla, cocoa and yeast. What do you actually use and what do you actually need? some savory bases. Do you need some chicken or vegetable broth? canned tomatoes. Canned tomatoes are like one of my favorite go to things. Tomato paste, do you need some beans? What do you need in order to be able to make those quick meals, Quick soups, quick stews, some shortcuts. We all love a good shortcut. So is there some box stock? I love the better than broth, vegetable, based chicken stock, that kind of stuff. some jarred sauces, love some jarred tomato sauces, things like that. shelf stable gnocchi and pasta, instant mashed potatoes for topping, casserole as quick side or pre made pie crust. You know that's a great shortcut. And then beverages, seltzer, tea and coffee, shelf stable creamers, cocoa packs, all of those things if you actually use them. It's time to take it inventory and then stock up.

Dr. Jessica Peck: This is so great. So thinking about it, if you prep your pantry now that can be something that you concentrate on to declutter before the holidays and then put some quick meals in there. Like you could get a copy of Kathi Lipp's book called Sabbath Soup that has fantastic soup recipes in there. Something that you can make quick and easy when maybe you take the long way home to look at the Christmas lights when they come out. This is great, it's practical and we have so much more coming up where we'll talk about how to prepare your house for the holiday. We are going to talk about those, about those things that we're stocking up on. But we'll also give you seven zones that you need to pare down to have a peaceful Christmas. We'll see on the other side of this break.

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Kathy Lipp talks about getting your homes ready for the holidays

But today we have Kathi Lipp back and we are talking about getting our homes ready for the holidays. And we're about talking, saying, don't let clutter steal your holiday joy. And before the break, she had some great advice about prepping your pantry to make sure that it is decluttered and you've got some easy to make meals there, because there is a fine line between being prepared and panic shopping. And we know we all do that. So we're talking about stocking up, but stocking up smart, and it's not difficult. Fill our pantries is to prepare our pantries and really to fill our holidays with margin. That's what we want. And that is not going to happen by accident. It's only going to happen with some intentionality. So grab your lantern or whatever, your paper bible, your paper to do. List here, whatever you need while we're having these tech outages. And we will continue to talk with Kathi about preparing for, stocking up for the holidays. So we've talked about pantry essentials, Kathi, and let's go on and talk about paper and prep. What are things that we need to think about in this category?

Kathi Lipp: Yeah, when we're thinking about, our kitchens, what is it that it would be a real bummer if you ran out of it, you know, in the middle of your weekend baking or something like that. So think about things like foil, parchment paper, plastic wrap, Ziploc bags, like the quart or gallon size, disposable containers for sending home leftovers. So if you have everybody eating at your house, you, can pack up that turkey, that ham, those potatoes. And one of the things we do, and we do this year round because we have lots of guests at our house, is we get those plastic containers and we give everybody, you know, we put all of the leftovers and snacks and things out on the table because we have people flying home from our house and they can make their own, like little charcuterie boxes or their snack packs because we all know buying anything at the airport is crazy expensive. So just having those little to go boxes is going to help you and your guests so much. And then think about, do I need some extra doll dish soap or sponges or, you know, all, all of those cleaning up things. Maybe it's Paper towels. Maybe it's paper napkins. What is it that it would be a bummer to run out of in the m. You know, on a weekend.

Dr. Jessica Peck: While you're hosting for the holidays? And one, I love that idea of letting them pack up some leftovers so they don't have to buy expensive airport food. This is why my husband will say, I love when Kathi Lipp is on because she's making you less cluttered and. And she's saving me money. I mean, you are just singing music to his ears. But another really creative idea that you have that could be something that you stock up on. So for those of us trying to get rid of stuff, you know, something that you can. That you can buy is a guest or just put together what you have is a guest comfort. Go bag. Tell me about this idea, because I'm very intrigued.

Kathi Lipp: So, if you have guests coming over, you can either stage this in their room or in the bathroom if you have a bunch of different people. But. But like a travel toiletries basket, we have a drawer where we keep extra toothbrushes, some unscented hand soap. We've even bought things like travel deodorants, razors, because people always forget something. Little packages of tissue. and we also have a drawer that has things like acetaminophen, ibuprofen, antacids. And we tell people, grab what you. You in the middle of the night, if you need something, go to the draw. Be, you know, feel free to grab it. And that way, you know, they just feel comfortable be able to do that. It's. What would I run out of at 9pm on a Saturday? That's your list for stocking up. And, you know, have a couple of extra things on there that guests can get to double a triple A batteries, maybe an extra charger that they might need a power strip. Things like that. That would be helpful that people, you know, may have just forgotten or that you may need as well.

Dr. Jessica Peck: See, I love this because I feel like my gift wrapping closet is going to look like an explosion happened in there. But this guest drawer, yes, it is going to be stellar. Like, let me tell you, I can understand that assignment. I can really do that. So that for all of the cluttery people out there who are listening, those are things that you can stock up on. Those are things that, you know, just make us feel good to have those extra things. Because I know I grew up just. Just having that fear of being without. And so I. That is therapeutic to me to make sure that I'M going to make sure nobody else has to feel that way.

You need to pare down seven zones before the holidays hit

But there is another side to this. We'll talk about the flip side, and that is pairing down. And you have seven zones that we need to pare down at the same time. Okay, yes, we're going to stock up, but we're also going to pare down seven zones before the holidays hit. And this is, again, this is not, this is really not about stuff as much as it is about. As it is about peace, about finding our right, the holiday piece. So tell us about those areas that we can look at prioritizing. Maybe it's not the basement, but what do we need to look at for the holidays to prioritize, to make sure that we're ready?

Kathi Lipp: Right. January is basement time. Right now we are triaging where you are living, your guests are going to be living, that kind of thing. And let me just say one thing really quickly. and this goes into the decluttering side. Ah, about all that gift wrap and ribbon and things like that. I have, you know, kids in m their 30s, but when they first moved out, I gave each of them a couple of rolls of gift wrap, some cellophane tape, some scissors, you know, just starting them because they can't afford to buy all that stuff. Some gift bags, that kind of stuff. And then. And like you, I was exploding. So that's something you can do for one of your kids. That's move, you know, moving out. It's their first Christmas. Get them set up. But let's talk about the seven zones. So the first zone is your entry and drop zone. So this is where people come in. Maybe it's your foyer. You know, it's the front hall, whatever that is. So you're going to clean out a little room in whatever the closest closet is, put some extra hangers in there, baskets for hats and gloves, a tray for your keys. Clear the floor. You know, when it's just us, the boots can pile up, the umbrellas can get out of control. Clear it. So, like, when you have guests coming in there, does it need to be there in December? If not, relocate or release. number two, and this is a gift you're going to give yourself all year long, but especially for the holidays is fridge and freezer It's time to toss out those experiments, those, you know, those hot sauces that nobody really liked, the things in the freezer that has that mystery frostbite. It's time to get rid of that. And then can you create a shelf for those extra Those things that you really use so much more of during the holidays, the butter, maybe some cream, those extra eggs, the cheese, it's time to label it. And this is the. You know, I always tell people, hey, anything in my fridge that's there for you, you can use whatever you want during the holidays. Okay? If you eat my fancy cheese, we're going to have words. I'm saving that for everybody coming over on the 24th. So get, get a roll of painter's tape, get a Sharpie, and if there's any food that you're keeping for guests, put, you know, mark it, label it, or just put liver on it. Nobody's going to touch it, I promise you. Okay. And number.

Dr. Jessica Peck: I'm totally gonna do that because I, I just have to say, Kathi, I mean, I live in a house with teenage boys who bring over a lot of teenage boys, and they would totally eat the fancy cheese and not even know what to do about that. So I love that. Just having some labels to say, like, okay, during the holidays, this is off limits. Okay. All right, I'm taking notes. Keep on going.

Kathi Lipp: Okay. Number three, your pantry area, which is your prime real estate, right? So, if you need, clear some space, get those stale crackers out of there. The chips that nobody ate. Actually, the stale crackers and chips, you can use those for a topping, for a casserole. They will crisp up again. It's fine. But, get rid of everything or relocate things that you don't need during this month and move your regular snacks to a lower or higher shelf. And then just keep those ingredients that you're going to come back to, that brown sugar, those, the flour, the yeast, all of that stuff, keep it where you can see it, because this is the. The month of creating those dishes that you don't create the rest of the year. And so make your kitchen as user friendly as possible. And you do that by rearranging your pantry so that it's available most not, let's say, 10 months out of the year. Your pantry is, is optimized for the other humans in your house. For six weeks, you can optimize it for you, the cook, and that's what I want you to be able to do. So get rid of the things you don't really use. number four, that gift wrapping station. Where are you going to set this up? We have a drawer in our living room that we repurpose for about six weeks out of the year. So I keep things like a neutral wrap. We like, like a brown paper wrap. I Love that. Then there's that fun penguin roll that we all love. Some ribbon and your tag set. and like I said, this is the time to really inventory. Am I just bursting at the seams or am I running out of stuff? Take that now and put on your calendar for next year. You don't need to buy anything or, hey, buy those tags, you know, So I,

Do you like to gift wrap or is it a drudgery for you

Because do you like to. Do you like to gift wrap or is it a drudgery for you?

Dr. Jessica Peck: I love to gift wrap. I absolutely love it. But I will tell you, Kathi, I am on the brown paper train. I love that because you can buy really fun ribbon from the dollar store, and that's how it makes everybody's package a little bit different. But it's great because it lasts for the whole year. So I'm not just having to throw this Christmas paper away. It's like. Like I can add pink ribbon and it's a baby shower gift all of a sudden. Or you can add ribbon with balloons on it. And it is. Is there. And it's so funny because I'm. I'm hearing my husband in my ear. Not. Not really, but I'm hearing him talk about this because he's like, well, we don't even get. Need gift wrap anyway. You just give it to them in the shopping bag that it came in. No, I'm not quite that extreme. But I. I do love gift wrapping. But I think it's so much more fun to have the neutral gift paper. And then just like, you can put a little flower or a candy cane or an ornament or something like that on it. I'm all about that.

Kathi Lipp: Can I tell you one of the things that I did about five years ago, and I feel like a genius for this? My mom is a sewer. I am not. And so I said, what? Nothing frustrates me more than one of my kids taking one of those really expensive gift bags and just shoving all of their gifts into it. Like, do you not know what. And of course they don't, because, you know, they're boys. And so I had my mom make everybody a Christmas tote that they can put all of their gifts in. And I remind them the year before, I say, you get a bonus if you bring your Christmas tote. And they all find it every single year. And that's what they take it home in. And I keep, Now, if my girls wanted to take some gift bags, they know how to, you know, take a gift bag, fold it neatly, and reuse it next year. My boys don't they just don't. And so I keep all of those gifts. It has been my best hack ever.

Dr. Jessica Peck: That is a great idea. I know my in laws do that for stockings, but it is a great way to be reusable and it creates a sentimental keepsake. So I love that. I think that's a great idea.

Kathi Lipp: Oh, I. I'm so glad. I hope that can help somebody so they don't cry over the Hallmark gift bags. So.

Dr. Jessica Peck: Yeah, I know. See, this is what people love. You're relatable. You just keep. We're keeping it real here. We're keeping it real. If that gift bag says 5.99 on the bottom, like, no, it's not going to be your trash bag. No.

Kathi Lipp: Yeah. And I'm kind of with you. Even if you did repurpose some Trader Joe's gift bags or something like that, because if you've seen the price of gift bags, it's insane. It is insane. Another. It is. Another thing to think about is if you have people sleeping over, go look at those guest rooms. You know, it's very easy if you have some extra rooms to, you know, shove things in there that you're not using. It is now time, because you don't want to be doing that just as they're pulling up. Right? So clean the surfaces. Check those drawers to see if anybody's left anything behind. put a spare blanket in there, maybe a small tray. Just remove those storage piles because, let's be honest, it's easy to let things pile up. also check out that guest bathroom if that's not something you use. Get rid of those expired beds. Duplicate, you know, make sure you have some backup TP there. Those are really important.

Dr. Jessica Peck: We're already at our second break. We do have one more. It's the kitchen countertops. But when we come back, I'm going to have a speed round with Kathi and we'll talk about 15 minute wins. This has been transformational for me, is just looking for those little tiny projects that make a difference. More with Kathi Lipp when we come back.

Dr. Al Mohler: Where is history headed? What's the meaning of it all? In the end, how is the story going to conclude? Dr. Al Mohler from the American Family Studios documentary, the God who Speaks. The Bible's promise of what is coming is that the righteousness and justice of God, will be comprehensively applied under the lordship of Christ with everything brought under submission to him under his feet. And it's at that point that there will be no, tears and no More crying. It's only at that point that the lame will leap for joy. It's only at that point that things that are now so wrong will be made right. And of course, that also comes with the promise of heaven and the very real threat of hell in people headed for either heaven or hell, every single human being who ever lived.

Can't Steal My Joy by Josiah Queen ft. Brandon Lake: Visit thegodwhospeaks.org in the Valley of the. Shadow I got a feeling it's season. That'Ll make me grow. I'm still breathing. I got praise in my lungs. and acquiring my soul can't steal my joy. Can't steal my joy what the world couldn't give No, it can't take away. Sorrow may come, but it can't steal my joy.

Dr. Jessica Peck: welcome back, friends. That is Can't Steal My Joy by Josiah Queen. And that, my friends, is exactly what we're talking about today on this episode of the Declutter Diaries. Not letting clutter steal your joy this Christmas, this Thanksgiving in the holiday season. Coming up, I'm talking to decluttering expert guru Kathi Lipp, and she has been so helpful in giving us multiple episodes of the Declutter Diaries.

What if the best gift you gave your families this year was a decluttered space?

As we've been sharing collectively our journey together and today's episode, we've got a really kind of radical thought for you. What if the best, best gift you gave your families this year was a decluttered space? And what if that decluttered physical space left your margin for emotional space, for mental space, for peace that's in your home. Space to breathe, space to just be together, space to not fight about, that. That pile of junk that has been by the doorway since forever. And basically to find joy. Because at the end of the day, nobody is going to remember exactly how perfect the bows were on the gifts or how perfect the cookies were or whether or not your space was perfect? They're going to remember all of the laughing, the singing, the cooking, the baking, the bedtime stories, those moments that we actually looked up from our phones and were present in that family time. Decluttering is not about having a Pinterest perfect house. It's really about creating space for peace. And it's not about what you're losing and what's sending. You're sending out the doors you're decluttering. It's about what you're making room for. And you're making room for connection, for gratitude, for, you know, that quiet night where we're not just looking for whatever it is that we're looking for, discovering that we've bought double of Something that we don't need and beating ourselves up about that. And so Kathy's been sharing with us, some ways to stock up. Smart. Looking at your pantry now before the holidays start. Looking at your paper and your prep, all of those just kind of things that you need, like the Ziploc bags and foil and stuff like that. Wrapping and mailing, looking at your being prepared for your guests. Having a guest drawer, which I'm already excited about being able to do, but also seven zones to pare down your entryway, your fridge and freezer, your pantry, your gift wrap, your guest room, your bathroom and your kitchen countertops. And so, Kathi, you and I were just talking behind the scenes during the break, and I was sharing that I just have this really unnatural attachment to the two shopping bags that I have. Like, I went to the M M store at Times Square thinking, I still have this bag. Why do I have this bag? It's just been sitting in my closet for years. But you just had a great idea, and you said, maybe I could get some M M's, somebody who likes M M's and make an M M themed gift. So I am on a mission now to go through those bags that I have to think, think, what ways could I repurpose these to be fun gifts? I think that's. That's genius. That's genius, Kathi.

Kathi Lipp: I love it so much because I don't know that I would have thought of that if we hadn't talked. But if you wanted to get, you know, a box of M M's, because my husband loves a good M M. And, then you could put, you know, you could do a theme with like, you know, movies and munchies. Eminem. Right. And so you pick a movie and then you, you could fill that up with Those M&M's, or different types of M&M's, and then maybe some caramel popcorn or something like that, there could be a whole theme on it. Harrod you could go, you know, you said you had a Harrods.

Dr. Jessica Peck: I do.

Kathi Lipp: Bag, because, oh, my goodness, you know, Harrods is a magical place. But could you go to World Market and get all sorts of English themed things? you know, some English tea or, you know, some, biscuits and things like that. And, you know, you've, you probably have something in your life as an Anglophile and put all of that together. What a magical basket, a little tea set. Somebody, sent me, ah, some tea. And then the tea, I can't remember what you call it. Not a strainer but you know, this, what you steep the tea in, it was a manatee is, I mean, how cute is that? It's shaped as a manatee. So let those be an inspiration for you, but only give it to other girls who will get it right, because the girls will get it.

Dr. Jessica Peck: That's so true. And that's just a way that I can let go of that emotional attachment that I, I think honestly, Kathi, when I think about some of those things, it's what we've talked about before, whether it's baby clothes, it's kids artwork, it's, you know, something from the fifth grade. It's just that emotional connection to that memory. But we don't need that memento to still honor the memory of that. And so I am learning still to let those things go and to know that I don't need a tangible expression that, yeah, I actually had that experience. Never would have dreamed that I would have had an experience of going to London, going to Harrods. I did have that experience, on the way back from a mission trip actually is where we went. But I think just knowing that, okay, I was there and I don't need the bag to prove it is really helpful.

Let's talk about 15 minute wins where we can just take 15 minutes

But I want to take you on a speed round here. Okay. So let's talk about these 15 minute wins where we can just take 15 minutes and do you just have some of these ideas where you can really like feel. Because it feels good. Feels good when you clean out that junk drawer and you feel like so accomplished. So let's do speed round. Tell me. Coat closet.

Kathi Lipp: Okay. And your coat closet. So we're just going to remove all the off season stuff. You know, the, you may have some beach stuff in there. Time to get, you know, put that away someplace else. And I want you to have a goal of having 10 empty hangers. So you make some decisions. Only keep in there, maybe two coats for each family member and then have some empty space for when guests come them.

Dr. Jessica Peck: Okay. And so some of us are thinking like me. All right, that's not a problem at all because I only own one, one coat. I live in Texas. Kathi. Perfect. Now flip flops are totally different thing. I've got plenty of buckets of flip flops. But for those who maybe don't have the coat closet, let's talk about kids toys.

Kathi Lipp: Yes. So before new toys are coming in because you're going to get your kids some toys. Grandma and grandpa are, make room for joy. You know, you're going to pre, you know, talk to your kids about things that you no longer use will be such a gift. And I remember when I was a single mom, I got my kids some used gifts and you know what it was? We had that conversation. But to be able to let your kids know there are kids who are going to. That's what they're going to get for Christmas, you know, whether you do the Santa or, you know, however you position that. But to pull things out before new.

Dr. Jessica Peck: Things come in, that is so. I love doing that. I always make my kids do that. And it's really great way to reset your heart for gratitude.

What can you do to make your holiday decorations better this year

Okay, here's the speed round. Next is. Oh, this is a sensitive one for some people. But let's talk about all of those tubs that are out in your garage that have all of your holiday decor that your husband is already dreading the moment you say it is time. Bring in the bins. What can you do to make those better?

Kathi Lipp: Kathi, let me reframe this for you. You have ornaments. You have decorations that you pull down every year, you never unpack and you put away for the next year. And here's what I want you to think about. Could you pull those down early enough and go through them that you could create some donations for families who are not buying their ornaments at Target, who are going to Goodwill or, or whatever that the version of that is in your town and so that you can pre gift those. Or do you have some of those little libraries that have food, food pantries, you know, the little food pantries in your community so you could bring some food and some ornaments to those that people could use for their own family. Families.

Dr. Jessica Peck: You're so right. I definitely am guilty of that. I have things that I just pack away every single year and don't use. So that's a great way.

Declutter your kitchen countertops and get rid of holiday clutter

Okay, talk baking tools.

Kathi Lipp: Yes. So the number seven we weren't able to get to is those key areas is the kitchen countertops. This is time to reevaluate what is up there. Yes, you probably need to keep your knives for Christmas. You probably need to keep that kitchenaid mixer. But, but declutter all of that. And then the other thing I do is I have a Rubbermaid tub that I put all that holiday nonsense into. So you know, the extra baking sheets, the extra, you know, the rolling pin that I only use at Christmas time, maybe you have cookie cutters, that kind of thing. Put instead of trying to make room in your kitchen, put that, all that whimsical only in December stuff into that Rubbermaid that you could throw into the garages. Guests come here. But just curate all of that in one place. Keep the best and get rid of the rest.

Many of us are ordering online and then having to return in person

Dr. Jessica Peck: All right. Talk about the car.

Kathi Lipp: Yeah, you know, it's probably time to get those beach umbrellas out of the car and let's, you know, can you curate what is in there? So, so many of us are ordering online and then having to return in person. So put a tote in there with all the returns that you need to take to Whole Foods because you ordered from Amazon or those Old Navy returns that you need to do. Put a tape measure in your car so that when you are at the store, you can measure. Will this actually fit into that space? Or maybe a collapsible crate so that you're not taking home all those boxes from your Sam's Club pickup. They're just going into the crates and you can take. Tell that worker, hey, just take this box back. I don't need to bring it home.

In October, go through your pictures to prepare for the holidays

Dr. Jessica Peck: Okay. This next one I really love, because who cannot relate to this? How many of you out there listening? And I'm sure, Kathi, you've had this experience, too. You're waiting for somebody to take a picture of something at an event, and they're like, oh, wait, my phone is full. My storage is full. Hold on, let me see what I can delete. And you're just standing there waiting, and the moment is passing and everyone's annoyed, including the person who's trying to find space on their phone. And I'm not looking at anybody here in my studio that has that problem either. But, how do you. What do you do now to make sure that moment doesn't happen in the holidays? To steal your dime and your joy.

Kathi Lipp: Okay. In October, go through your pictures. I tend, you know, everything uploads to my, my laptop, and I can just go through and I can get rid of all of those pictures of when my dog was looking the wrong way. Or you took a picture of that thing on your skin that, like, nobody needs to see ever again. But, you know, hey, you know, when a third of your pictures are dedicated to moles, it's time to get rid of some of those things. Right?

Dr. Jessica Peck: Yeah.

Kathi Lipp: Ah. You know, as you age, these are the pictures we take. And so get rid. Keep the best and get rid of the rest. Clear it out so you can get ready for the holidays days.

Dr. Jessica Peck: It's so true. I've got to delete all the screenshots of sales or, you know, just random things that I have there. That's so Important.

Block off two nights a week where you just do nothing

All right. And you also. The last one is your calendar.

Kathi Lipp: Yeah. Can you block off two nights a week where you just do nothing? if. If you're like, no, I can't, then one. One night a week and start to put on there those things that you do do. Every single year. We plan a night where we go look at Christmas lights, we drive through in and out for dinner, and then we get our Starbucks at the end. You know, put those on your calendar so you're not trying to squeeze them in at the last moment with all the other stuff that's going on.

Dr. Jessica Peck: I think that's really wise because so often we feel like that we have to do everything, and I think sometimes just having that built in buffer is a really great way to create some space in your home.

How do you get your family on board for a clutter free holiday

Okay, so before I let you go, Kathi, before our time is over, we have, I want to ask you some coaching prompts, and these are examples of coaching that you do in your Facebook group. There's a free Facebook group that people can, that can, can join or there's a paid membership for people who are really on a journey to, invest in this, which I think is so great. So let's talk about how do we get our family on board right now? Like, because, you know, when they come home from school, if I say, hey, kids, we're going to declutter for the holidays and pick up some stuff, I don't know that they'll be that enthusiastic. How do you get them on board?

Kathi Lipp: Right. So I think it's all about prior notification. You're going to let them know, hey, on Thursday, we're all just going to work for 15 minutes in the living room because I'm overwhelmed and I want to be able to enjoy the this. You have a playlist that everybody loves. And we're not going to say we're going to spend hours on this. We're just going to say, hey, we're going to work on the kitchen today. We're going to work on the living room so that it's not. But you're going to let them know in advance and then make sure that there's a treat at the end of it. We're going to drive through, Sonic, and we're all going to get a 169 drink or just something small to say I appreciate your time. Time.

Dr. Jessica Peck: That is a great idea. I love that. What about if you have sentimental things that you just never use? What do you do with those?

Kathi Lipp: Yeah, there are collectors out there who want that thing. So take a picture. or you know, ask your family, is there anybody else who wants this? But you know, this is the time to release it so that others people who will enjoy it can enjoy it. You're going to really bless somebody with that.

Dr. Jessica Peck: Well, I think this is all great. Think about now what you can do to create some space in your home so that you can have a clutter free holiday and that clutter doesn't clutter your mind and your heart and your relationships and your home. We will have more next time on the next episode of the Declutter Diaries But if you want to join Kathy's Facebook group, do it. And as you do, I pray the Lord will bless you and keep you and make his face to shine upon you. See you right here tomorrow.

Jeff Chamblee: the views and opinions expressed in this broadcast may not necessarily reflect those. Of the American Family association or American Family Radio.

Declutter Diaries. Kathi Lipp talks with Jessica about the upcoming holiday season and how to get a handle on the clutter and prepare for family gatherings.

Rx for Hope: Don't Let Clutter Steal Your Joy

https://kathilipp.com/