Published on December 8, 2020 by Alison Bentley on Redfin.
The holiday season is in full swing, which means decorating your home with lights and ornaments galore. But with all this winter cheer and seasonal décor, you might be struggling to keep your home organized. Don’t worry, we’ve consulted with organizing experts across the country and they’ve revealed their best household organizing ideas for the holiday season. So whether you’re living in sunny Sacramento, CA or chilly Philadelphia, PA you’ll want to know how to keep all your holiday items organized this December and for many years to come.
1) Set intentions on what decorations are most meaningful and spark joy for you.Ask yourself – do I want to store these decorations year-round? Do they take up valuable space in my home? Would I rather rent or borrow decorations to limit the number I own? Remember, the less stuff we display, the more meaning we find in each piece. – Dr. Jessica Louie, Host of The Burnout Doctor Podcast & Master-Level Certified KonMari Consultant
2) Let go of any holiday decorations that no longer spark joy. By making intentional choices about which holiday decorations you keep and display, you let the decorations that you really love shine. As you are putting away decorations, ask yourself, will I be happy to see this again next holiday season? Write a “note to self” and tuck it away in your decorations as you pack up for the season. The note could include highlights of the season and suggestions for next year. – Megan Spillman, Peace and Tidy
3) Reuse what you have and make sure to label. When packing away holiday décor, save the used, ripped tissue from gift-giving to wrap and protect fragile items. When packing multiple bins or boxes you’ll use, be specific: label “Mantle & Staircase” or “Blue & Silver Décor” instead of “Hanukkah.” When putting all the décor away, if there’s anything that didn’t make it out this season, consider donating it if it no longer fits your aesthetic. – Amy Trager, CPO®
4) Clean out your storage closet for the season. The winter season is a great time to declutter and organize your storage closet(s). Sorting light bulbs, batteries, and Command hooks into separate clear bins and adding labels, help make holiday decorating a breeze and put away a cinch too! You may also consider moving these items down to a convenient shelf (at least temporarily) for easy access during the winter. – Melissa Rogers, Modified by Melissa
5) Decide what to donate before decorating. Before you bring gifts into the house, set a timer for 15 minutes, put on fun holiday music and skim the house for things you can donate. Thrift stores need items at the holidays and now more than ever that’s where people are shopping. Reduce reuse recycle. The kids can get involved, too! Make it fun by letting them know other families will love their hand me downs. – Amy Fritz, Thoughtful Organizing
6) Donate items you no longer display. For much of the year, your winter holiday decorations are out of sight and out of mind. When you’re getting out your festive décor for the holiday season, that’s a perfect time to let go of items you no longer display. Not only will this leave you feeling lighter, but by donating your excess decorations before rather than after the holidays, you could help make someone else’s celebration a little brighter this year. – Kammy Lee, Organized by Kammy
7) Store ornaments by shape and size. When storing tree ornaments, keep similar sizes/shapes together! Keep flat ornaments separate from balls and round ornaments, as it is more space-efficient and they will fit better in boxes. Wrap any delicate ornaments in tissue to avoid damage. – Adeilah Dahlke, Jigsaw Organizing Solutions
8) Reuse boxes to store your ornaments. Save money by using wine boxes from a local liquor store to preserve holiday ornaments. The dividers keep ornaments from breaking, and even heavy ornaments are safe in these sturdy boxes. – Barbara Reich, Life Organized
9) Plan for next year. Declutter your holiday décor as you are returning it to storage bins, purging the items that year after year don’t make the cut. While it’s easier to ball up the lights and toss them in a box, wrap them around a piece of cardboard or invest in a light storage reel to make future setup a breeze. – Azure MacCannell, Live Composed
10) Clean your holiday items as you store them. Dust and clean all holiday items as you put them away. As you excitedly open the boxes next year you are all good to go and don’t have any housekeeping to do. Just decorate for your holidays and enjoy! – June Carter, GYST* Solutions
11) Store seasonal décor so you can see it. Keep all seasonal decorations in clear bins (not orange for Halloween or red for Christmas!) When everything is in a clear bin, you can see what’s inside and then label the outside! Make sure to get rid of anything you don’t use this year, so that you don’t accumulate clutter. – Whitney Tevis, The Organized Nest, LLC
12) Make storage a breeze. We are all getting ready for the winter holidays pulling out decorations and clothing we have not used since last year. We recommend using clear containers is a great way to go for storage. Searching through the attic space or garage can become less of a chore if you can see what was packed a year ago. We also suggest when packing up the use of dry packs of Silica Gel which will absorb the moisture to keep the damp and musty smells from your keepsakes for the following year. – Kathleen Dahan, Uncluttered Places
