If there has ever been a time in my life where there is a lot of stuff around, it’s right now. Two kids, no time or energy to sell/donate the baby stuff, Christmas and a birthday back to back – it’s safe to say we are flush with all of the things. I will start by saying, we are incredibly grateful for such generous, and very thoughtful friends and family in our lives. We have more than enough clothes for our children, new games and toys to keep them busy for days and days. Whether you’re overwhelmed with toys, thank you notes to write, or a pantry in need of organizing – we can all benefit from this shift.

I posted yesterday on my IG stories (where I post most of my content because it’s easy and I love it! @wellbeyondthekitchen is my handle) a pile of clothes that no longer fit Rye. I would love to say my house is perfectly organized and that we only have what we brings us joy…but it’s just not the truth. We have piles of things pretty much all over…from clothes one size too small, to Christmas books to put in the box for next year, to gifts for the girls on my team. If you are in this season of life with me, I know you get it!

My ultimate goal would be to be Maria Kondo and only have what brings us joy, to be super minimal and have very little!! Things create anxiety, too much stuff feels like too much stuff! But we only have so much energy, or “bandwidth” as it feels like to me. And with two kids running around, two working parents – there isn’t much time for getting to that place right now. I am NOT about to throw 75% of our stuff away…although it’s tempting at times. But all of this ending up in a landfill is way more stress inducing than having it here.

I can feel myself coming back to life now that Rye is one (!!), and I know I will have more time and energy to sell/donate/downsize/come up with a good system. But we live in a small home, and I am not going to spend all of my time organizing and donating. SO….all of this being said, I have a mantra, if you will, that has really helped me manage this feeling of overwhelm.

When I look around, and it feels like too much…whether it’s the toys, the dishes, the fridge that needs to be cleaned out or my inbox, I am taking a deep breath and saying to myself “little, by little, by little, by little.” I have been practicing this for a few months now, and as with any thing we practice, it becomes more and more of a habit.

I feel an immediate sense of ease. A weight off my shoulders. Sara you might not be able to clean off the entire dining room table, but you can tackle the amazon return and the check that needs to be e-deposited. And then later, you can tackle the emails you need to respond to. And little by little, you’ll make progress. Because really, not giving up is the only thing that matters.

As I finish writing this, I realize this example of piles everywhere may only applicable to those in a similar stage of life as me. But for those of you who are in a different season, where can you slow down and take the pressure off? Where can you bite off just enough, and not much more than you can chew.

Let’s head into 2020, and this new decade, giving ourselves a lot of grace. We don’t have to do it all in one day. We can do it little, by little, by little.

In fact, I am going to make the argument that if we bite off less, we can do a whole lot more.

Here’s to doing less in 2020, but being happier, more content, and more consistent because of it.

xx

Sara