In this tender episode, Kathi Lipp welcomes friend and author Cheri Fletcher to walk with listeners who are facing a holiday table that’s forever changed. After losing her 29-year-old daughter, Annie, to undiagnosed colorectal cancer, Cheri offers compassionate, practical ideas for navigating Christmas when your capacity is low and your heart is heavy. Listeners will learn:

• Simple ways to honor someone who is missing—think favorite movies, small touchstones, or wearing a gift—without turning Christmas into a full memorial
• Giving yourself permission to scale back decor, modify or skip traditions, and ask the most important question: Why am I doing this—comfort or compulsion?
• How to host kindly when one person wants to talk and another doesn’t
• Plus what actually helps a grieving friend (hint: do the small things without asking).

Cheri introduces her tool, Beyond “I Don’t Know What to Say” grief communication cards—conversation starters that help families find words when grief makes everyone go quiet. If you need a gentle plan for a hard holiday, this conversation will help you find both comfort and doable next steps.

Use the code "clutterfree" or "redhouse" on Cheri's website for 10% off.

In this solo, right-on-time episode, Kathi Lipp shares 10 tiny, high-impact tasks to lower your holiday stress—perfect for the Tuesday before Thanksgiving (and just as helpful for Christmas). Instead of chasing a magazine-perfect home, she helps you remove friction in the exact places that cause chaos. Listeners will hear details of the following 10 small tasks:

1. Clear the "turkey triangle" (sink, oven, main counter)

2. Do a 10-minute fridge edit that saves sanity on Thursday

3. Pre-assign serving dishes so helpers don’t need to ask what goes where

4. Set up a drink and appetizer station away from the kitchen

5. Prep trash/recycling/compost in advance

6. Post a simple Help List so guests can actually help

7. Guest bathroom reset

8. Create a landing zone for coats and bags

9. Decide on a dishes-and-cleanup plan now, and...

10. Doing one kind thing for "Friday you"—like setting aside leftovers containers and pre-loading the coffee maker.

If you’re feeling behind, this episode meets you with grace and gives you a clear, doable path to a calmer holiday—without the perfection pressure.

In this episode, Kathi Lipp shares the one tool that rescued her holidays from overwhelm: the Help List. If your brain goes blank when guests ask, “How can I help?” this episode gives you an easy, repeatable system to turn stress into shared responsibility. Listeners will learn how to: - Create a list of five-to-fifteen-minute jobs guests can grab without instructions - Pre-stage hosting tasks (charcuterie tools, serving dishes, bathroom wipe-downs, ice duty) - Delegate non-cooking roles (greeting, recycling runs, kid/dog duty, dessert station) - Keep food hot and transitions smooth with real-life tips from the Clutter Free community (trivets + sticky notes, buffet swap captain, leftovers station) Kathi shows how a simple Help List declutters your mental load and builds a shared home culture—so you can enjoy your people without playing the one-woman show. Perfect for Thanksgiving, Christmas, birthdays, and small groups.