Let’s get this under wraps… Organize Your Decor in 4 Easy Steps
How does the holiday season sneak up on us EVERY YEAR?!!! Yesterday I was carving pumpkins, and the day before that I was floating on a giant unicorn raft at the pond. Time flies when you’re having fun, and unfortunately, the holidays are over as quickly as they come. After the excitement and cheer have passed, there’s always a big task looming — organizing the holiday decorations (Cue blood-curdling scream here!)
This year, follow this 4-step guide to organize your holiday decorations and make next year so much easier! With a wee bit of planning, you can set yourself up for success- and make your home into a calm, peaceful oasis before and after the holidays.
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Gather Your Supplies
Like a soldier going off to battle (or a pirate braving a scurvy sea- whichever you prefer!), you gotta be armed and ready! Before you begin taking down those blasted holiday decorations that you oh-so-lovingly hung up just weeks ago (or 3 months ago, no judgment here!)…
GRAB YOUR:
Boxes
Sticky Notes/Notepad & Pen
Permanent Marker
Containers (Don’t buy anything new yet!)
Label Maker (If you have one)
Now, let’s dive into that scurvy sea!
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Declutter as You Go
A common misunderstanding is that professional organizers make you get rid of everything. In reality, we just ask you to consider how much you have and whether you truly want to keep things. It’s always up to you!
Tips for Decluttering Holiday Decorations Now
With everything fresh in your mind, think seriously about how much holiday decor you want to keep for next year.
As you’re following our suggestions to get your holiday decorations organized, remember to ask yourself if you truly love an item. Does it bring enough cheer to justify storing it for a year? Or is it functional? And again — functional enough to store for 365 days? Maybe channel your inner Marie Kondo and ask yourself, “Does this spark joy?”
If the “spark joy” thing doesn’t work for you, try the “poop rule.” Made famous by a TikTok genius (because where else would it come from?), the poop rule is simple: You pick up the item in question and ask yourself, "Would I clean poop off this to keep it?" This rule is totally gross, and in my professional opinion, absolutely effective. Try it! You'll see.
As you spark joy (or visualize poop covering your most precious belongings), grab one of your empty boxes and write DONATE in a big permanent marker across the side. Collect donation items as you go. We’ll be sorting the things you’re keeping in the next stage.
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Sorting Holiday Decor
When you’re sorting your holiday decorations, use boxes to group them into categories like DONATE, TRASH (anything broken), and KEEP.
Here are a couple of options for organizing the KEEP category.
Organizing Based on Location
Now that you’ve decluttered your holiday decorations, it’s time to sort them into categories based on where you use them around your home. This makes things so much easier for next year because you’ll have everything grouped together based on where they belong.
Organizing Based on Category
You may prefer to organize your holiday decorations based on category instead. This means all lights together, all greenery together, etc. Organizing by category is my jam, but if organizing by location feels right to you, then go for it!
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Storing Holiday Decor
“Fit your container to your items, rather than your items to the container!”
What do we mean? The most common mistake professional organizers see people make is when they buy all their storage containers before they assess how much they have. LORD HAVE MERCY!!!
After you’ve sorted your holiday decorations into categories, it’s time to see what types of containers you need. That’s why we say to fit your container to your items — otherwise, you may be trying to fit a square peg in a round hole (or a giant stuffed knome into a bin that’s, like, WAY too small for him). And we all know how that ends!
We love to help you reuse containers you already have, so we suggest you shop your home first. Collect the containers you have available and then see which ones work for your different categories.
Clear containers are our favorite because you can see what’s inside. But cardboard boxes work as a budget-friendly option — just be sure to clearly label the box on the top and at least one side.
Once you’ve contained your holiday decorations, be sure to label the containers so you can easily find things next year! Choose a location in your home to keep all containers together and store them with the labels facing out for quick reference.
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Final Thoughts
Remember, organizing after the holidays is not just about putting things away. It’s also an opportunity to start the new year with fresh energy and a tidy, organized space. Take your time, involve family members if possible, and turn the process into a positive and productive experience so you can feel great in your home.
Remember:
“The ultimate luxury is being able to relax and enjoy your home.” -Jeff Lincoln
Until next time…
Your Favorite Organizer,
Katrine
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If you’re overwhelmed just reading this post, remember that we have holiday decluttering and organizing services. We can even do it all for you!
