With the arrival of the New Year, I’m thinking about better ways to organize my Christmas decorations once they come down. If I start plotting a strategy in advance, it doesn’t feel so overwhelming when the day comes, which is usually a few days after January 1.
What I’ve learned over the years is that there are LOTS of ways to organize your holiday stash! What works for one person may not work for another, so there’s no right or wrong. There are, however, some really good tips and tricks and that’s what we’re sharing today.
Add Shelves
Last year, hubby built a wall of shelving in my craft/storage room, which has been a game changer. Being able to see many of the decorations versus digging through my 30+ Rubbermaid totes has saved me tons of time.
Shelves also great for large or oddly-shaped items that don’t fit into bins easily. You can go big and do the built-ins like we did, or start smaller with a free-standing shelving unit.
Hang It Up
There’s space above our heads and on walls that often goes unused. To maximize storage, consider hanging certain items.
I have lots of wreaths for all different seasons, so we added lengths of metal pipe attached to overhead beams (which are part of the floor system on the main level) to hang them on.
Then I added Command hooks to the outside “walls” of my built-in shelves and between the shelving sections for additional hanging.
Now I can see the wreaths and they’re off the floor where all I did was walk into them. This works great for garland and decorative signs, too.
Use Bins
While shelving has been a major upgrade to my holiday organization, I still rely on bins for a lot of things.
I tend to keep smaller decorations in clear bins that I store on my shelves. Things like floral picks, pinecones, smaller bows, and other seasonal decor go into bins I can see through.
On the other hand, most of my ornaments are in solid-colored Rubbermaid totes. Because my ornaments are individually wrapped in tissue paper, I wouldn’t get an advantage from a clear bin, so solid is fine.
Create a Dewey Decorating System
You may be wondering how I find the ornaments I need when they’re all wrapped in tissue in solid-colored bins. The answer: the Dewey Decorating System (my very own innovation)!
Using the Dewey Decimal System as my guide, I numbered and logged each of my bins in a little book. Next to each number are the details of the bin’s contents. When it’s time to look for certain ornaments, I just consult my book, locate what I need and pull the related bin.
It may sound crazy, but folks, it works!
Recycle Cardboard
If you’re like me, you probably get lots of Amazon boxes during the year. One way to reuse them is to cut the cardboard into rectangles and wrap your Christmas lights around them. It’s a cheap and easy way to keep them organized and prevent tangles.
The same trick can be used for strands of beaded garland, too. If the strand isn’t ridiculously long, try wrapping it around a cardboard toilet paper roll. To keep it from unraveling, tuck the end piece under one of the wrapped strands.
Store in Place
Sometimes it takes me a while to realize I’m doing things the hard way. That goes for holiday decorating storage, too. For years, I have schlepped decorations from the basement to the upstairs.
This is understandable for some things, but if I have room to store decorations closer to the place I’m going to use them, why not store them there? This was an epiphany for me.
I have a walk-in closet in my office that’s barely used. So this year, I’m storing the tree, ornament bins, and select decorations in there. It will be so much easier and more efficient for both decorating and undecorating.
I’m also keeping tabletop decorations for my sideboard, sofa table, bookcases, and end tables in those pieces of furniture when possible.
If you have room to store things close by – do it!
Purge
The process of undecorating for the holidays is the perfect time to toss out broken items and give away anything unwanted or unused.
This year, I have thrown away at least four strands of half-dead lights. They take up space, are unreliable, and probably a fire hazard, so out they went. And it felt really good.
In previous years, I’ve donated decorations I simply don’t use. Not only does it free up space, it makes staying organized a lot easier, as there’s less to deal with.
We all have different amounts and types of decorations, so finding what works for you is key. I hope some of these tips prove useful for your organizing plan – happy New Year!