As the holidays are approaching fast, the excitement is high, but so is the potential stress and overwhelm. I have discovered that a bit of preparation can turn the festive season into a truly joyful and relaxing experience. ✨

Here’s my guide to help you navigate through the holidays seamlessly:

1. Simplify Your Living Space:

Holiday decoration can lead to clutter in your living area. Make sure that the areas you plan to decorate are as minimal as possible. Remove unnecessary items from surfaces and eliminate small decorative pieces, creating space for your holiday items.

2. Declutter Your Decor:

Before you go shopping for new holiday decorations, evaluate all of your existing items. Keep only those that spark joy, and let go of anything that doesn’t. Replace any broken lights and purchase only what is truly essential. Be intentional and mindful about this process.

3. Organize Your Kitchen and Pantry:

If your countertop is not yet streamlined, do it now for a more enjoyable and efficient food preparation, especially when hosting. Check your basement, cabinet, and drawers for any duplicate or unnecessary items and let go of them. Make sure you have all the essential items for food preparation, including pantry staples.

4. Refresh Your Refrigerator:

With increased cooking and leftovers during the holidays, it's a great time for a thorough clean-out! Remove everything, clean inside, and check for expiration dates before restocking. Prioritize using existing items before more grocery shopping. Don't forget to clear space in your freezer – clean it out, check dates, and consume stored items.

5. Deep Clean Your Home:

Before you unveil the holiday decor, it's an ideal time to deep clean your home. A clean and tidy environment not only sets the stage for festive decor but also creates a refreshing and motivating atmosphere. Dust and wipe surfaces, vacuum and mop floors, clean windows, and check for those often-overlooked spots like baseboards and corners.

I hope this guide helps to make your holiday experience as smooth as possible, ensuring you fully embrace the joy of the season!

Do you miss traveling but feel nervous to take your toddler along? Traveling with a little one can be quite intimidating. Since I’m from Germany, and my family and friends live back at home, I travel back pretty frequently. Before turning two years old, my daughter went on six plane trips, five international and one domestic (most of them just her and I). I always liked to make use of the option to have her sit on my lap, instead of getting her an own seat, because it saves a lot of money. While every child is different, and certain scenarios can’t be controlled, I believe that a solid preparation is the key to success. I hope my tips are helpful to create a smooth flight and ease your nerves.

Booking Flight

• Check flight times: If possible, schedule your flight during todder’s nap or bed time. If it doesn’t work out, don’t sweat it. When traveling, I try to be as flexible as I can because many things are simply out of my control.

• Book seat in advance: For every international flight, I book a bassinet seat. It’s a small bed for babies that attaches to the airplane bulkhead wall. Not only can you lay your little one down to sleep (max weight and height is different on every airline), you also get more legroom.

  I find the biggest advantage is that you get the seat guaranteed and thus, money well spent! However, even if you don’t book the seat, airlines usually try to give that option to those who travel with infants free of charge.

  Also important to know: The seats with extra legroom don’t have the option to put the armrest up because the food tray is stored next to you. Unfortunately, you lose the option to lay your child down flat to sleep. I prefer the extra legroom, so for me personally, it’s okay.

• Book a travel insurance: I never used to do this but since I have a child, I am so much more relaxed before and during my trip knowing I have the protection. Kids get sick all the time.

Packing

• Organize in advance: I find that the sooner I start, the more relaxed I am during the days leading up to the trip. A proper preparation never fails to ease my mind.

• Packing List: I always start by updating my go-to packing list that I saved in my iPhone notes. It doesn’t matter if I travel for one night or three weeks. I adjust the list according to my child’s age and needs since certain things change constantly (breastfeeding vs. no breastfeeding, kind of toys, does child crawl, walk…, etc.).

  Please know this is a very detailed list and I only need all of the items when I travel internationally. Before I start packing, I just checkmark the items that I don’t need for that specific trip. I find packing for a trip to be a very individual thing so please only take away what is helpful and important to you.

I divide my master packing list between two categories: “to-do-list” and different bags that I bring on the plane. While I usually prefer a minimalist approach, when it comes to traveling with a toddler, I learned that I need everything to keep her busy and fulfilled. This list is also based on the fact that I keep my travel stroller until I get to the gate, so I only carry the bags from the gate to the seat. I am okay with the extra baggage for the short walk.

I have a great diaper backpack that fits a lot of items including a small purse. I also bring a kid’s backpack with her toys along with a food bag. This is all based on me traveling alone. If I have my husband with me, its much easier to divide the bags.

• Packing List for when my toddler was 20 months old:

To Do:

• Pick up jacket from dry cleaner

• Bake muffins

• Download shows for Lily

Purse:

• Wallet

• Passports

• Covid Mask

• Air Pods

• Kindle

• Food Pouch (toddler)

• Toiletry bag (contacts, medicine, mints, lip balm)

Diaper Bag:

• On-The-Go Wipes Dispenser with Diaper Pouch

• Diapers

• Diaper Creme

• Diaper pad (reusable)

• Wet wipes

• Trash bag for diapers and general trash

• Disinfection wipes

• Tissues

• Bib

• Back up clothes (toddler)

• Back up clothes (me)

• Hat (toddler)

• Toddler Medicine

• Laptop

• Portable Power Bank

• Busy sensory board

• Glasses

Toddler’s Backpack:

• Fidget Toy Cube

• Pop Fidget Bracelet

• Dimpl Toy (one of the few toys that my daughter is obsessed with at every age)

• Small coloring book and pens

• Stickers, Post-Its

• Small books

• Tissues

  Make sure to bring new toys or toys that the child hasn’t seen for at least two weeks

  Download fun apps (i.e. SoundTouch App) and some videos to watch

Food Bag:

• Water bottle

• Blueberries

• Bananas

• String Cheese

• Food Pouch

• Peanut puffs

• Healthy spinach muffins

• Sandwiches (for me and toddler)

• Cliff bar for me

• Tissues

  Bring food that your child is obsessed with. Snacks keep my daughter always busy!

At the Airport

• Check in: I find that the airport crew is extremely accommodating when you travel with a child (especially when you travel as a single parent). I check in my luggage but keep my travel stroller.

• Security: I always carry my child through the detector.

• Use airport as a playground: I always try to power my child out. Once she could walk, I let her walk as much as possible and explore. Some terminals actually have playgrounds.

• Before boarding, I change the diaper and put nose spray in her nose to prevent ears from popping during the flight. I drop the stroller off and put my child in my carrier.

• Boarding: Early boarding for families is possible. Pro: You can get situated before everyone comes in. Con: you are longer in the plane. I prefer to board early.
  

During the Flight

• If you have the first row seat, you have to store all of your belongings in the overhead compartment for the departure and landing. Since I don’t breastfeed anymore, I need my child’s staples (water bottle, food pouch, string cheese, cell phone for videos and her favorite toy) for departure. I make sure to have these important items in my small purse that I squeeze between my leg and the armrest.

• Important: Right before the plane takes off, breastfeed or give your child food, a bottle or a pacifier. It helps with the ear pressure.

• Food service: If you travel alone and don’t have the seat next to you empty, it will be hard to eat the food provided to you. This is why I always bring my own snacks that can be eaten with one hand.

• Activities: Go up and down the aisle, get creative with water cups and napkins (when my baby was 12 months old, she LOVED to play with tissue). I don’t bring the favorite toys or phone out unless it is absolutely necessary. You don’t want to play your best cards unless you need them :). While I have stricter rules about screen time and particular foods at home, traveling is an exception. Whatever makes my child happy and relaxed is fair game!

• Bathroom visits: When I travel alone, I would put my daughter in the carrier to go to the bathroom.

Mindset

Many people ask me how I travel with a toddler because it can be very intimidating. I always say it’s all about your mindset. Here are my thoughts:

• The memories you make while traveling are always worth the effort. I am always amazed to see how much my daughter grows and changes during every trip. The exposure to other cultures and people is just too exciting to miss.

• The best advice I got when I was nervous before my first flight alone with her: You are a team! It’s so true! I am with my daughter all the time, we know each other so well, we got this!

• When I get really nervous and stuck in my mind, I compare my flight to a very challenging work day in the past. I realize that it’s just temporary and I can make it through. It works every time!

• Don’t worry about other passengers. I know it’s stressful to think that your baby might cry on the plane or kick the seat. Once I get situated in my seat, I am always friendly and apologetic to the passengers around us. If people still give nasty looks, it’s their problem. I try my best to keep my little one calm and frankly, that’s all I can do :).

• You are probably tired of hearing it but its so true: The more relaxed you are the more calm and at ease your child will be. And when things go crazy, I take deeeeep breaths. The flight is temporary, never forget that…

While I know that every child is different, and travel varies from person to person, I hope these tips helped bring some calmness to the process. I can’t promise that it won’t be challenging at times but you got this! To be honest, the last time of traveled I ran into some issues that were out of my control, and it wasn’t all fun. However, at the end of the day, it all worked out. It was one time out of six, and it was still very worth the time and effort to go on the trip. I always feel incredibly empowered after every flight I take. Believe in yourself and your kid, most importantly, and enjoy your trip! :)

After completing the KonMari Method®, my life was impacted in so many ways. Besides having an organized space, and living more purposefully and intentionally, the process helped me keep a cleaner home. By having no clutter, and keeping only items that I love and value, I found that it is much easier to clean the house. I am also more motivated to do so.

I love routines because they help me stay focused. A few years ago, I started a weekly cleaning plan that has worked very well. I used this routine in all of my previous homes and I still rely on it to this day. I don’t believe there is a “one plan fits all” cleaning routine. Everybody is different and their schedules are too. I do think, however, that a plan can be super helpful in keeping your home clean and your mind clear. While some may prefer to clean the whole house once a week, I prefer to clean a little bit each day. This ensures that I stay on track and don’t get overwhelmed. Since I have a baby, I don’t always have time to follow the exact schedule and I’m not strict about it. I like to use it as a guide for cleaning each week. In doing so, our house is almost always neat, clean and tidy. 

Besides my weekly routine, I also make sure to always clean up after myself, wipe down the main counters and empty out the trash cans. Fun fact: My baby LOVES the noise of our vacuum, so I vacuum at least once a day. If I do all of this regularly, it doesn’t take me a long time to maintain a nice and clean home.  

Here is a look at my Weekly Cleaning Routine:

Monday:

Floors (vacuuming and mopping) + Laundry 

Tuesday:

Bathrooms + All mirrors 

Wednesday:

Dusting + Surfaces + Laundry

Thursday:

Kitchen

Friday:

Miscellaneous tasks (hand wash laundry items, clean make-up brushes, vacuum couch cushions, etc.) + Laundry

Saturday:

Change bed sheets 

Sunday:

Clean cat’s litter box

Overall, I’ve found that if you can stick to a weekly cleaning routine, maintaining a clean home is much easier. There is a lesser chance of build up, and the process is less overwhelming. Likewise, the feeling of a clean home is way more motivating. 

Do you have a cleaning routine? How do you keep your home clean? Let me know in the comments below.

Pure by Jana was featured in Redfin’s recent article:

“Small Kitchen? No Problem! Organize Any Small Kitchen with These 23 Expert-Approved Tips”

There can never be too much space in the kitchen, especially when working with a small space. And when the clutter inevitably begins to accumulate, every inch of space needs to work twice as hard. 

Fortunately, organizing a small kitchen doesn’t need to be stressful. With a couple of clever tricks, you can organize a small kitchen with no trouble at all. To help you get your space back under control, Redfin reached out to experts like me from Huntington, NY, all the way to Stittsville, ON, for their best organization tips and tricks to get the functional kitchen you’ve envisioned. 

You can check out the full article on the Redfin blog.

I have been living in a clutter free home for years now and I enjoy the benefits of it every day. I am calmer, more productive, and simply more happy. However, what didn’t fit into this lifestyle was my cluttered phone. I am pretty good at keeping my emails and text messages to a minimum but my pictures were endless. I found that digital photos created mental and emotional clutter. Besides the pictures that I regularly took during vacations, outings and fun moments, I got into the habit of saving screenshots, videos and random pictures. As a result, I accumulated tons of photos. To be honest, the thought to declutter my pictures made me feel nervous and overwhelmed. I wondered what could I do to make this doable? During my research, I found that these simple steps were very useful. I incorporated them into my decluttering practice and can gladly report that the process wasn’t bad at all. 

If you feel overwhelmed by your digital photo album, these steps may be helpful for you:

1.     Check the status of your picture storage on your phone

With pictures, and unlike physical items, you are not able to see how many items you’ve already decluttered. This can be unmotivating and frustrating. As you keep going through the process, check your picture storage. You will see how exciting it is when the number goes down. 

2.     Delete videos

Go through your videos and look at which ones really spark joy. If they do, ask yourself if it is realistic for you to re-watch them. If the answer is no, delete them with gratitude. More often than not, we don’t even remember having the videos in the first place. Also, you could stop filming videos and enjoy the present moment instead. It makes these experiences so much more valuable. On the iPhone, you can just go into your photo albums and select the videos folder to see them all in one spot. This makes the decision process much simpler. 

3.     Delete your screenshots

It is so tempting to take screenshots of quotes, inspiring Instagram posts, etc. This was something I was totally guilty of. But let’s be real: how often do you really look at them afterwards? Do yourself a favor and just delete them all at once. Just like with the videos, the iPhone gives you the option to select the screenshots folder. If you find it too difficult to delete them all at once, go through them over time but make sure to do it quickly to make it more manageable.  

4.     Stop saving pictures automatically 

Certain apps give you the option to save pictures automatically. As much as you enjoy the pictures that were being sent by your family or friends, think about how often you go back to look at them. I used to have tons of pictures saved in my photo library because of this reason. It made such a big difference to change that setting. Now, I only save a picture if I really think I am going to look at it again or use it for a purpose. 

5.     Create a declutter “To Do” goal list to tackle your project

To make the decluttering project less overwhelming, I created a “To Do” list that worked for me. I categorized the months and years, and my goal was to work on one month at a time. Once I started, I frequently ended up working on a few month at the time so I went through the process pretty quickly. However, knowing that I only had to work on one month at the time, it gave me motivation to start in the first place and feel accomplished with my goal. Make sure to work on it daily, or at least weekly, so you get the decluttering done efficiently. 

This is my “To-Do” list from my iPhone notes:

6.     When decluttering your images, ask yourself questions to help with the process

• Does the image spark joy?

• Do I need to keep this picture in order to remember the moment?

• How does my life benefit from this picture?

If the answer is yes to any of these, keep the picture with pride and joy. If the answer is no, delete the image with gratitude. 

7.     Create a weekly or monthly routine. 

Once you have decluttered your digital photos, get into the habit of doing a weekly or monthly clean up. By the end of the week, I usually go back and do a joy check on my recent pictures. I realized that many times, the joy of a picture or screenshot is in the moment I took it. In frequently keeping my pictures organized and decluttered, I became more conscious about the photos I was taking, and whether I wanted or needed them. That’s why keeping a weekly or monthly routine is so good. It helps you stay on top of your images, be in the present moment, and fully embrace the time versus making sure you have a ton of photos.  

I am curious. How many pictures do you have on your phone right now? Have you decluttered your digital photos before? How did it go? Share in the comments. 

The pantry seems to be a place that can get quite messy. It often becomes the “basement” or “garage” for food items when we just need a place to put something somewhere. It invites clutter and makes it tough to find anything. Food tends to expire and disorganization seems unavoidable. While getting your pantry organized is the key to avoid the points mentioned above, it also helps to prepare meals easily, and creates a more calm and motivating environment overall. 

If you feel overwhelmed by your overflowing pantry and would like to have it organized and joyful, I have three tips for you:

1) Declutter your food storage:

Get rid of items that are expired, don’t belong in there, and you know you won’t eat (donate!). Don’t forget to gather all the items that are located in different places but belong in the pantry. If you have an overflowing pantry, make sure to use the majority of these items immediately before buying new stuff. 

2) Create subcategories: 

I organize the pantry as follows: baking goods (flour, sugar, etc), canned goods, breakfast items (oats, granola, bars, etc.), nuts and seeds, dried food (pasta, rice, quinoa, etc.), spices, tea and coffee, oils and vinegar. Create subcategories that make sense to you. Keep the ones that you need the most easy accessible. 

3) Make your pantry functional and joyful:

Keep your open food containers closed by using rubber bands, clips or tape. I like to use glass Tupperware for most of my items because it seals the food while displaying the contents clearly. The more organized and pretty the pantry looks, the more motivated I am to keep it clean. It also helps me to avoid overbuying food while encouraging healthy eating :).

I hope these tips were helpful and you are motivated to organize your pantry!

The year is coming to an end and I know that it was a very difficult year for many of us. Dealing with COVID-19 was, and still is, quite difficult but I believe that most of us found a way to coop with this situation as much as possible. This year definitely taught me many lessons. Some of them were very challenging and painful while others were simply amazing. I appreciate all of those lessons since they helped me to grow and become a better version of myself. Here are my top reflections:

Being busy doesn’t always mean success

I have the personality where I like to fill up most of my time and tackle never ending To-Do lists. I did that because I felt like I am not a hard worker if I didn’t constantly work or improve myself. However, I noticed that by doing this, I lost joy in working on projects and self-development. This concerned me. I needed to change something. I contemplated on my tasks and was very honest with myself. I cut out as much as possible and focused only on my top 3 priorities. I immediately felt relief, more motivation and joy to work on those necessary items.

Listen to your gut – always 

I have made a lot of progress with this over time. Nevertheless, I still ran into situations where I questioned my internal feelings. I realized that it came from my habit of not believing in myself enough and trying to please others. Reflecting on this, it reminded me that if I truly listen to my gut and be true to myself, I know what is best for me and what feels right. I love this quote from Karen Moning: “The most confused we ever get is when we try to convince our heads of something that we know in our hearts is a lie” because it summarizes my thoughts perfectly. 

It is OK not to be always liked

I am not talking about ignoring other people’s feelings or suggesting to be rude or self-centered. I just know that it is impossible to be liked by everyone. There will always be people who won’t agree with my decisions or choices on how to live my life and that is OK. I am the only person who has to love my life. It sounds selfish but I think it is quite the opposite. I believe that self-love is the most important ingredient to having a great relationship with important people in my life and that includes myself. 

Sit with discomfort 

A very dear friend, who teaches mindfulness practice, recommended this to me. If I struggled mentally, I usually found ways to cope with the feelings or distract myself. I always tried to find immediate solutions to make the pain go away. Through mindfulness, I learned to focus on the present moment even if it meant I experienced the negative feelings because it is ok to sit with the pain. I learned that the struggles won’t go away with distractions or short-term remedies. It’s okay to sit with the uncomfortable feelings. Don’t judge yourself for having the emotions. Let them be and accept them. They will eventually pass. 

It is okay not to excel at everything 

I have a big vision for myself and can be quite idealistic at times. This, however, puts a lot of pressure on myself and can lead to constant feelings of guilt. For example, while being newly pregnant, I had this idea to have the healthiest pregnancy. I wanted to eat the best food and exercise as much as I could. The ill feelings and crazy food aversions had another idea. I simply couldn’t handle healthy foods all the time and that’s okay. So what if I couldn’t eat healthy all of the time or maybe I could but chose not to. It didn’t mean that I wasn’t having a good pregnancy. There were other things I did really well…like exercise. I realized that I should focus on those instead of beating myself up for not excelling at the desired, “all perfect” pregnancy.

It is not my goal to 100% succeed in all of these realizations. Rather, I want to be aware of them and work towards them while being kind, understanding, and gentle to myself. 

I am curious. Can you relate to any of those points? Did you come to other conclusions about areas in your life that you would like to improve? If so, I would love for you to share these with me. 

Wishing you all a very joyful and Happy New Year 2021! 

With isolation still in place, a main priority for many of us is staying at home and working remotely. While important, this also means that we can lounge around in our sweatpants because we don’t need to put ourselves together if there is nobody to dress up for. Honestly, I could let days go by without washing my hair or putting on make up, and that is exactly what I used to do back in the day. The moment I got home, I would wear old sweatpants or clothes that I didn’t feel were good enough to wear outside anymore. Much like the situation today, I thought why should I dress up if nobody sees me anyway? The question I should have been asking is why shouldn’t I dress up? I’m happy to say that my attitude towards dressing up has changed a lot over the years. 

Here are my reasons why I believe that dressing your best matters:

1) Boost of Confidence

If I don’t put any effort into my attire, or have a sloppy appearance, it definitely affects my mood. It makes me feel down and tired. Haven’t we all experienced the moment where we ran into a co-worker looking like a slob and felt ashamed? I don’t like those moments. By getting ready for the day, I feel more confident and my energy level goes up. I don’t need to hide at home because I don’t want to be seen; I am excited to go outside and be active.

2) Productivity 

It is easy to get lazy and cozy on the couch when lounging around in our sweatpants. However, this often leads to procrastination. If we dress our best, it can boost our energy, motivate us to be productive, and allow us to get work done. It also helps us to work better and faster. This is why I always shower first thing in the morning and get dressed for the day. Our clothing affects how we feel and how we are going to act. 

3) Respect

Taking the time and effort to dress up shows self-respect and impacts our self-image. It doesn’t imply that we have to wear high heels or a suit. It means to choose to feel our very best and wear clothes that make us feel good in our bodies. Marie Kondo always dresses up at her tidying sessions wearing mostly white shirts and skirts. She always looks put together. This shows not just respect for herself, but also for the clients and the product that she offers.

4) First Impression

There is the saying “don’t judge a book by its cover” but the way we dress has a huge impact on how we feel about ourselves and how we are perceived. People who dress well are often given more respect and attention than people who don’t. If a KonMari Consultant would show up to a tidying session in old denims, a ripped shirt and unwashed hair, wouldn’t she be viewed differently than a consultant who dressed up nicely? This is an extreme example, but I believe it is important to portray a good image, not just for others but also for ourselves. 

5) I Deserve It 

Dressing up in my favorite clothes makes me feel good in my body, gives me confidence and motivates me. I used to save nice outfits for the perfect occasion and avoid wearing them. Honestly, what was I waiting for? I realized that I shouldn’t hold back. I deserve to wear my favorite items whenever I want. I strongly believe that every day in our lives should be treated as special, and we don’t need a reason to dress up. We deserve to feel our best all the time. 

I want to point out that dressing up, to me, means embracing my clothes and feeling the very best in my skin. Like most of us, I often wear comfortable clothes when I work from home. However, I will always try my best to look put together even if it’s with cute yoga tights, a nice shirt, and a little make-up. Don’t get me wrong, I also have days when I don’t feel like dressing up and that’s okay. For me, it’s a conscious decision to dress up or down because I am aware that this is how I want to feel at the moment. 

Now that you have read my thoughts about why dressing your best matters, how do you feel about the importance of putting yourself together?

Social distancing has forced us, rightfully so, to stay at home. This has a big impact on our society; one that is usually non-stop and on the go. For many of us, our home is now our office, playground, restaurant, and gym. 

While an organized home is always important, I believe that, now more than ever, we need to have a surrounding that makes us happy, comfortable, and relaxed. Why not use this additional time to declutter your home and create a space that brings you joy? 

Why it is beneficial to create a joyful and peaceful home? Here are five things to think about:

1) Clear mind 

In this current time, it is a human reaction to be uneasy about the uncertainty. Our mind is running and afraid of the outcome. Physical clutter increases stress and anxiety to our mental health and distracts our brain. An organized surrounding gives us an immediate sense of calm. It helps you to think clearly and with less distractions. A lot of items that we no longer need, or don’t spark joy, can trigger anxious thoughts and discomfort.

2) Productivity

Most people are working from home during the COVID-19 crisis. It can be challenging to stay focused with our home being cluttered. Our brain tends to feel overwhelmed with the extra stimuli which has a psychological effect on our concentration. Once you have decluttered your external space, you will find that it helps you feel more focused and less stressed. This is the key to success. If your work place is organized, you can concentrate on important tasks. 

3) Financial benefits 

Businesses are closing down and work hours are being cut. Many people are losing jobs during this difficult time. Decluttering your home can have benefits to your financial situation. Items to be discarded can be sold or you could find cash or gift cards during the tidying process. Once clutter is removed, you can create an additional space in your home that may be rented out. Over the long term, you could even think about downsizing to a smaller house with less costs. 

4) Easier cleaning

If clutter is spread around our home, it can be challenging to keep the space clean. It automatically creates an obstacle in your mind that leads to procrastination. The fewer belongings we have, the easier it is to keep a home clean. The KonMari Method™ recommends to have a designated place for every item. When people don’t put things away where they belong, mess is created. 

5) Gratitude

When you have less stuff, it makes you aware of what you actually own. If these are all items that spark joy, or have an important function, you want to take care of them. When we know what we have, we value and appreciate them more. Living in this isolated time brings us a whole new awareness of appreciation and gratitude. Why not feel calm and excited about our home when we get to embrace it 24 hours a day?