The end of the calendar year is traditionally a time for self-reflection – a ceremonial farewell to the year that was, and an enthusiastic greeting for the year to come. As we take stock of our habits, homes and personal ambitions, we strive to refine our lives – ensuring that, year after year, life steadily gets better.

But the holidays are a stressful time for many. It can be challenging to focus on self-Improvement when we are simply trying to persevere. Between busy end-of-year work schedules, holiday shopping, family obligations, cooking and more, finding the time and energy to start fresh in 2021 is a daunting task. Luckily, NEATSPACES can help.

We understand how busy the holidays can be. We also understand the impulse to start the new year fresh, whatever your New Year’s resolutions may be. Let us take some of the load off of your shoulders this holiday season so that you can look forward to change. In this article, we’re discussing how holiday clutter can add to your stress and how decluttering can help you start the year on the right foot.

Finally, we’ll discuss our downsizing services. If you, or an elderly loved one, is planning on downsizing in 2021, refer to the last section of this article, where we walk through what you should know.

‘Tis the Season for Stress

The holidays are a stressful time. According to the Canadian Psychological Association, holiday stress stems mainly from our sense of expectation. We expect to be able to manage the high volume of busywork. We expect family dinners, gift-giving and family relationships to go smoothly throughout the holidays. And we expect to keep everything organized.

When we feel overwhelmed by the busy work, disappointed that not everything goes as planned, and frustrated by our inability to keep things organized and clean, we stress out. It’s a natural response.

Furthering that, the mess itself can be a significant stressor. As we pointed out in our coping with Covid article, “mess causes stress” is a genuine psychological phenomenon. Clutter creates excess stimuli, which forces our brains to work overtime to comprehend everything. As clutter piles up and we feel increasingly helpless against it, our frustration compounds, and we begin to feel ashamed. These feelings feed even more stress, creating a vicious cycle.

All of this is to say: don’t feel like you’re alone in your holiday stress. It’s a common feeling, and there are concrete ways to alleviate it.

How NEATSPACES Can Help

If the stress of the holiday season has immobilized your ability to keep up with the clutter, NEATPACES can help. And if you simply want to get organized before the New Year, we can help with that too!

With our professional decluttering services you can tackle the holidays with ease. To start, our expert team will set up a complimentary consultation where we will discuss your objectives. Then, we’ll work with you to develop a game plan. We’ll edit your belongings, sorting and disposing of any unneeded items, and implement easy-to-follow organizational systems to ensure you can keep your home free of clutter.

To simplify things, we like to break your home down into zones. Do you want to transform your bedroom closets? Let’s make it happen. Want an orderly, efficient home office? We’ll get to work. Looking to reclaim space in your kitchen, garage, basement, attic or living room? Together, we’ll find the home organizing systems that work best for you. Whatever you need to feel free and happy in your home, we’re here to make it happen.

If it’s a deeper clean you are looking for, explore our special project cleaning services. Sometimes, you need more than a mop and broom to make your house look like new. Whether you are staging your home for sale, deep-cleaning after renovations, fixing up an estate, or you just want a spotless sanctuary in 2021, our cleaning team can help. They can tackle jobs of any size and scope, including windows, power washing, carpets, and other burdensome tasks.

Is 2021 the Year You Downsize?

2020 was not a conventional year, by any standard. With the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, we spent more time indoors and less time with loved ones. It has been challenging, but it has also allowed us to rethink our priorities.

Perhaps you don’t need everything in your home. Perhaps it’s time to part with that big family home and move somewhere closer to friends and family.

If you or your loved ones are considering downsizing in 2021, contact NEATSPACES about our compassionate, professional downsizing services. In many ways, downsizing can signal a positive life transformation – but it can also be emotionally stressful and logistically overwhelming. How do you sort through a lifetime of memories? How do you coordinate a large-scale move? And who will help set up your new home? Our downsizing services address each of these concerns.

As with our organizing services, we start your professional downsizing journey with a complimentary consultation, where we discuss your goals, desires and intentions. At NEATSPACES, we understand that your home is more than a house – it contains memories, cherished belongings and items accumulated over a lifetime. That’s why we work closely and patiently with our clients during the sorting process, keeping your cherished items and selling, donating or disposing of unwanted items.

When moving day arrives, we are on-hand to offer end-to-end move management, overseeing movers, packing supplies, elevator reservations and whatever else the move requires. And we can even help set up your new home in an organized, efficient way.

Essentially, NEATSPACES takes all the worry out of downsizing so that you can focus on the exciting new chapter of your life.

The holiday season is nearly upon us. As we deal with the added stress, we also look forward to new beginnings in 2021. Whether you want to get organized after the busy holidays, start the New Year on the right foot, or plan for an upcoming downsizing, you can trust NEATSPACES to help you achieve your goals.

Here’s to stress-free holiday celebrations and fresh starts in the New Year!