Holiday Home Organization: Decluttering and Decorating
As I write this, our household is in the middle of a heated debate over the "right" time to decorate for Christmas. The kids and I are firmly on Team "Tree Up as Soon as Halloween Ends," while one certain someone (who shall remain nameless) insists we wait until after Thanksgiving. But with Thanksgiving falling so late this year and travel plans keeping us away over the holidays, I think this might finally be the year we win the battle. Christmas tree, here we come!
No matter when you start decorating, one thing is certain: the holidays are a whirlwind of activity! The last thing we need is for our decor to add to the chaos. In today’s post, I want to help you approach holiday decorating with simplicity and intention. Whether you’re decluttering, minimizing your decorations, adding practical storage solutions, or even hiring some help to lighten your load—I’m confident you’ll find a helpful tip or two that will make this season a little less overwhelming.
Let’s kick the season off by making room for what truly matters so we can savor every moment of this magical season!
Grab Your Holiday Bins & Let’s Get Organized!
Here at The Orderly Space, November and December are packed with clients seeking encouragement and assistance in going through their holiday decorations.
Year after year, we save treasured items; over time, those items start to pile up until we don’t know what to do with them! The beginning of the holiday season is the perfect time to walk around your home, donate any items that are no longer needed, and preserve the items that bring you joy. Be sure to do this BEFORE you start decorating your home for the holidays.
A Time to be Intentional
It is not uncommon for us to find years of holiday cards and kids crafts stashed away in boxes when working with clients. We find that many people have a hard time parting with these - especially photo cards, but I’m here to tell you that it’s okay to let them go! For cards, I like to hold onto the past year’s holiday greetings, sift through them as I pull out my decor for the year, then let them go. PRO TIP: Before tossing, savor the memory of the card by taking a photo of it and making it the contact photo for that family in your phone!
As for kids’ holiday crafts - I like to display only this years projects and few small mementos from years past. The rest of their creations get filed away in their keepsake bins for safekeeping.
One way to keep things minimal in your home is to replace current decor with holiday decor. If you keep out your year-round decor and add holiday items on top of those, your home will quickly start to feel cluttered and overwhelming. Replacing items for the season will freshen up your space with your holiday favorites without creating chaos. Pack your usual home decor away into the holiday bins, and when the festivities are over, you can swap them back out!
Select Containers That are Practical and Functional
Whether you are taking your items out for the season or putting them away, the containers you use can make a huge difference in your storage space! At The Orderly Space, we are all about form and functionality! Your holiday decor should be well-organized, easy to find, and easy to store.
If you aren’t quite there yet, no worries, we’re here to help!
Save your holiday wreath in a wreath bag that is easy to find and keeps your wreath in mint condition all year long.
If you use an artificial tree, ditch the box it came in for a nice tree storage bag. (Pro Tip: While it’s tempting to purchase the cheaper options on Amazon, in my experience, these don’t hold up as well!)
Store ornaments in an ornament storage case where they will stay safe and secure.
Use our favorite label maker to label your bins and bags in order to keep your holiday items organized and easy to find.
Clear, weathertight storage bins will keep your holiday memories and decorations safe from pests and moisture! Try to avoid solid red or green bins—clear totes will allow you to see exactly what’s inside without having to open them up.
Instead of just tossing strands of lights into a bin to get tangled, neatly wrap them up and keep each strand separated.
Feeling Overwhelmed? We’re Happy to Help!
The last thing we want is for you to feel overwhelmed by decorating, sifting through your items, or the holidays in general. That’s where we step in! When our Bellingham and Seattle clients enlist our help during the holidays, they typically hire us for two sessions - one to declutter, prep, and decorate, and one to take everything down, organize, label, and store them after the season is over. Contact us today to schedule your complimentary consultation!
Wondering what it looks like when we come to your home at the start of the holiday season?
Before we begin decorating, we’ll pull out ALL of your holiday decor.
From there, we’ll help you organize, sort, declutter, & purge any decor that is not going to be put to use.
Once you’ve decided what to keep, we’ll help you display your decor in a practical and tasteful way that is sure to put you in the holiday spirit!
And after the holiday season…
We’ll pull out your holiday storage bins and take everything down!
If we took down or put away any of your year-round decor, we’ll take those items out of the storage bins and put them back on display.
From there, we’ll ensure you have a practical storage system for all of your holiday decor (complete with labels, of course)!
All is Calm, All is Bright
With all the hustle and bustle of the holidays, it’s easy to feel like it’s just one big to-do list! This year, however, I encourage you to hit pause, simplify your approach, and focus on the important things (Note to self: not when the “right” time to put up the tree is). You can still have a beautifully decorated home while feeling in control and present in each moment! Take your time going through your holiday items, reminisce, get organized, and don’t forget to soak in all the moments of joy that the holidays bring.
