Preparing for the Holidays: Part 4 You Can’t Skip the Middle

Xtreme Audacity
2 days ago
6 min read

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🎥 Catch last week’s podcast where we talked about Preparing for the Holidays: Part 3 Grace for the Move.

🎧 And check out this week’s episode on Preparing for the Holidays: Part 4 You Can't Skip the Middle.

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As the holidays approach, many of us start at point A thinking of the ideal: the perfect festive home, the warm gathering of family, the glistening decorations, the joy. That’s point A, the vision. Then we imagine point C: smooth celebration, relaxed hosting, sparkling surroundings, laughter and gratitude. But between A and C lies B, the middle. And as my guest on the podcast, Jevata Crawford, reminded us, You Can’t Skip the Middle. You can’t jump straight from A to C. You have to do the work of B.

In this episode she said something I keep returning to: “We are always in the middle of a move.” And she wasn’t talking about moving from one house to another. She meant the continuous shifts in our lives, our hearts, our habits, our homes, our careers. We’re always moving. We’re always transitioning. We never land permanently at point C without walking through the middle. That middle is where the messy, the uncomfortable, the unclear live. But it is also where transformation and the magic happens.

So as we turn from Thanksgiving towards Christmas and the New Year, that time of gatherings, more calendar fullness, more demands on our Space, Time, Energy, and Money, let’s give ourselves grace for the middle. Because preparing for the holidays isn’t just about decorating or hosting. It’s about equipping our homes and our hearts for the middle with systems that work: systems for organizing, for simplification, for ease. That’s what I mean by The Organized Life. And that’s where my S.Y.S.T.E.M. philosophy comes in: Save You Space, Time, Energy, and Money.

Stylish living room with a gray sofa and pillows, black coffee table, plant, and overhead light. Text: "SYSTEMs Save You Space, Time, Energy & Money."

1. Acknowledge the middle

When you imagine the holidays “done,” you might picture everything in place, flawlessly polished. But what you skip over is the middle: the planning, the decision-making, the purging, the organizing, the rearranging, the unexpected. On TOL Podcast, Jevata reminded us that she can get you moved, but she can’t make it home. In other words: someone can provide a container, can help with structure and support. But you have to walk the middle-steps. You have to settle in, adapt, shift, sit in the tension, make decisions on what stays and what goes and where it will go.

For your holiday home, that might mean:

Revisiting last year’s décor: What worked? What felt stressful? What can be reused or repurposed?
Decluttering spaces that tend to accumulate overflow (gift wrap stations, guest room closets, entryways).
Establishing hosting zones and hospitality routines ahead of time so your space supports your celebration rather than undermines it.

When you skip the middle you bypass the growth and the ability to create sustainable change. You land in point C superficially, but you won’t feel grounded or truly ready. You will feel rushed, scattered-brained, and disorganized.

2. Build your holiday-ready systems NOW

Here’s where your S.Y.S.T.E.M. comes alive: that Save You Space, Time, Energy, and Money.

Space: Create dedicated zones now, a holiday décor storage area, a “ready to wrap” station, a guest overflow spot. When you do the middle step of zoning, you avoid scrambling at the last minute.

Time: Use checklists, calendars, and routines now so you’re not managing chaos on the day. Maybe a weekly “holiday refresh” slot: 15 minutes each week to tidy one zone and prep for what’s next.

Energy: Minimizing decision fatigue by pre-selecting décor, pre-choosing guest flow, pre-assigning tasks. When your systems are in place, you conserve your energy for presence and celebration.

Money: Plan early. Determine your décor budget, your gifting budget, your hosting budget. Use organized storage so you’re not impulsively buying duplicates or paying rush-shipping because you forgot a piece of the puzzle.

The beginning (Point A) is where you set up the system for the middle. It’s where you lay the track so that when the holidays roll in you glide rather than skid.

3. Grace for the in-between

Let’s talk grace. Because if you’re like many of the professional women I serve, managing a high-level job, overseeing a household, raising teens, balancing self-care, you don’t get a free pass. You already work hard. So when the middle feels messy, feel your feelings. It’s okay that your holiday flow isn’t perfect. It’s okay if all boxes aren’t wrapped, if the guest room isn’t fully styled, if the décor isn’t “Instagram-ready.” What matters is you have prepared with purpose and compassion for yourself.

You’re living into The Organized Life. You’re not aiming for perfection, you’re equipping your systems, clearing your space, and making room for joy. And yes, you’re walking through the middle. The goal isn’t to bypass it, but to build within it. This is where you design your zones, establish your flow, and create daily rhythms that make your holidays a reflection of rest and harmony instead of chaos and overwhelm.

As you invite grace into your process, remember: the middle is not your enemy. It’s your workshop, your learning ground. It’s where you polish, pivot, and refine. It’s where growth happens, and where you become ready for what’s next.

4. Holiday organizing tips to move through the middle

Here are actionable tips to navigate the middle with ease and create your Organized Life for the season.

Inventory your décor: Before you buy anything new, walk through your boxes or storage and note what you have. Use large clear bins or drawer systems so items are easy to identify. Label everything.
Zone your space: Map out holiday zones (entry, living room, guest room, dining, wrapping station, donation zone). Assign each zone a mini-project for each week leading up to the holidays.
Adopt the “One in, One out” rule: If you bring new décor or holiday items in, consider removing at least one item that no longer serves your current style or space. This keeps clutter at bay and respects your space budget.
Use a wrapping station kit: Keep a rolling cart or tote with all your wrap supplies, paper, scissors, tape, ribbons, so when it’s gift-wrap time you’re not hunting.
Plan guest flow: If you host, make sure pathways are clear, bathrooms are stocked, closets are decluttered. The middle here is about logistics so your holiday hosting doesn’t drain you.
Create a post-holiday plan now: Think ahead to January. What will you do with leftover décor? Where will you store it? Having the next step planned Saves Space, Time, Energy, and Money after the high.

Each one of these tips is part of the middle. They aren’t glamorous, but they are necessary. They keep you moving forward. They get you from point A to point C with the least amount of stress and strain on your S.Y.S.T.E.M.s.

5. You are always moving — treat yourself accordingly

Finally, remember: life is always in motion. You are always moving, emotionally, spiritually, mentally, physically. That means there’s no static “done” state. The middle is continuous. You’re not waiting for the moment when you’ve “arrived.” You arrive as you move.

Organization is a lifestyle, not magic. It’s not flipping a switch and having everything be perfect. It’s about designing strategies and systems that carry you through transitions and change. As you prepare for the holidays, you’re not only prepping your home, you’re organizing your mind, your habits, and your heart. You’re giving yourself permission to be human in the middle.

Text "Acknowledge the Middle" over a serene blue mountain landscape. The image conveys calmness and reflection.

When you acknowledge the middle, normalize it, and give yourself grace for it, you empower yourself to live your Organized Life. When the celebrations come, you can show up fully, not tethered to unfinished tasks or chaotic spaces. You can feel calm. You can feel prepared. You can feel free.

This holiday season, don’t skip the middle. Lean in. Build the zones, schedule the routines, decide what stays and what goes, and plan the flow. Most importantly, give yourself grace as you move through it. Because when you do, you make space for the magic in point C to shine, and that’s where the real joy is.

"It’s a lifestyle, not magic."