Featured Post from Baylor University

Trim the Clutter, Keep the Cheer

Baylor design expert offers four tips for a sustainable, clutter-free holiday season

Dec 4, 2025

3 min

Elise King, MID, M.A.


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The holiday season brings warmth, joy and a touch of magic into our homes, but it also can bring excess clutter, waste and energy consumption, making it hard to feel festive. However, there are simple and creative ways to decorate sustainably without sacrificing the festive spirit.


Baylor University human sciences and design professor Elise King, M.I.D., M.A., an expert in interior design and built environments, says embracing sustainable decorations, changing to energy-efficient lights, eliminating clutter and reducing waste can help maintain a tidy, eco-friendly home – and create a holiday atmosphere that resonates with joy and meaning.


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“The holidays can often feel busy and stressful, so it’s helpful to focus on traditions and decorations that bring joy and add meaning to the season,” King said.







By taking simple steps to reuse materials, reduce energy consumption and focus on what matters most, families can celebrate the season with both heart and mindfulness, King said.


Decorating sustainably

One of the easiest ways to approach sustainable decorating is by reusing or repurposing materials you already have or finding decorations at resale shops.


"Upcycling items from thrift stores or turning last year’s Christmas cards into garlands are simple and creative ideas," King said. “Beyond thriftiness, these practices add a personal and nostalgic touch to decorations.”


King also said that it is important to consider the lifecycle of a product, beyond just being recyclable.


"Also consider elements such as durability/longevity, manufacturing processes, transportation, energy consumption and disposal,” she said. “I recommend people make the best-informed decisions they can, while also remembering not to let it become overwhelming.


Switch to LED Christmas lights

Changing from incandescent to LED Christmas lights is good for both style and sustainability. LED lights reduce energy usage, are more durable and typically last longer than incandescent. Plus, they have come a long way over the past few years.


“The criticism used to be that LEDs had a blue hue and were ‘cold’ compared to incandescent,” King said. “That isn’t really the case anymore. You have to be particular about what you purchase, but several companies offer lights that are virtually indistinguishable from vintage lights.”


A clutter-free peaceful mindset

While holiday decorations create a festive touch around the house, they can add to the clutter and busyness, which ultimately takes away the joy, King said. Decluttering and organization can help create a peaceful environment.


“Most people enjoy Christmas decorations, but over the years we tend to accumulate a lot of them,” King said. “Sadly, for many, the thought of decorating for Christmas no longer brings feelings of excitement and joy. Instead, we dread going into the attic, dragging out the tree and boxes of ornaments, checking strands of lights, fixing broken bulbs, etc., only to know that we’ll have to put it all back in about a month.

"Keep decorations that bring joy and let go of what no longer feels fulfilling can make a big difference in decreasing the excess while emphasizing what is important to you and your family," she said.


By clearing both physical and mental space, families can better prioritize the activities and moments that truly matter.


Reducing paper use

It can be difficult to go fully paperless because of gift wrapping, but there are ways to reduce paper in the holidays from reusing materials or gifting experiences.


“You can reuse paper shopping bags or even cut up the bags or other paper you have around the house and wrap gifts,” King said.


Gifting experiences rather than physical items is another growing trend.


“I find that many people are interested in receiving or gifting experiences, which can also reduce wrapping needs,” King said. “Not only does this minimize waste, but it also emphasizes shared moments over material possessions.”


King noted that since COVID, there has been a trend to go paperless and people tend to be more comfortable with virtual communication and remote collaboration in general, which can also eliminate the need for Christmas cards and other paper products.


Connect with:
Elise King, MID, M.A.

Elise King, MID, M.A.

Associate Professor of Interior Design, Interim Chair

Interior designer, historian & researcher who explores community relationships with built environments, architectural history & sleep

Frank Lloyd WrightInterior Design and Architectural HistoryDigital Humanities

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