Get Organized While Putting Up Holiday Decorations
You don’t have to wait until the end of the holidays to get organized! Follow these tips to keep you organized from the moment you pull your holiday decorations out of storage to the sad day when you have to take them down.
Taking decorations out of storage
This is prime time to take inventory of your holiday decorations and declutter as needed.
Go ahead and get rid of the following items. And don’t look at this part as a sad departure with beloved holiday decorations; look at it as an opportunity to buy some more this year!):
- Broken items
- String lights that no longer work (this includes strings that are missing only a few lights; make room for those that are fully functional)
- Anything that was once part of a set but is missing other parts
- Anything that no longer fits your style
- Anything that adds to the clutter or feels out of place
- Anything left over from last year (such as Christmas cards or gifts you still haven’t used)
It’s okay to ditch the items you no longer like or need! Styles evolve, so it’s okay to part with something you once loved! The holidays can become very nostalgic, which means we hold onto items we don’t need. But it will help to take this opportunity to declutter and organize.
When you’ve identified the items it’s time to part with, hand them down to a family member or friend, donate, or throw them away.
Start decorating
Organize what’s left. Take inventory of what items are left (and what you’ve added, if anything), then begin to organize by room and functionality. Some tips:
- Map out each room you’ll want to decorate. Establish a theme for each and begin organizing items based on this.
- Make a plan for the outside of your home. Ensure you have enough lights and decorations for both inside and outside, and place outdoor decorations aside so they don’t get jumbled together.
Start decorating! This is the fun part. Use your inventory list and categories to keep things organized and to help prevent you from becoming overwhelmed. Have fun!
Post-holiday organization
Organize your decorations after the holidays have come and gone. Now for the sad part. Organizing your decorations upfront will help with this part, but take the time after the holidays to prepare you for next year.
Some tips:
- Begin shopping for containers early on (if you don’t have enough or don’t have the proper ones already). We recommend plastic containers with lids so you can easily spot everything inside and keep it all safe
- Save tissue paper and wrapping paper to wrap ornaments and other fragile items
- Use ornament storage boxes with divided containers to keep them safe
- Use a light reel, a box, or something else to keep your lights from tangling while in storage
Have a storage unit ready for the larger items like Christmas trees, wreaths, outdoor decorations, and more. Plus, a storage unit is a great place to store your containers of indoor decorations so you can free up some space in your home for everyday items. Check out our locations here to find the one most convenient for you.