Tips, Tricks + Products to Keep Your Seasons Organized

Too quick it seems that the holidays are always upon us. We haven’t even had a chance to take a breath from summer celebrations and the craziness of back-to-school routines. Before you get stuck in the Pinterest-y ways of getting holiday-ready and organized, stop, and consider the mental impact holidays have on your home. 

Organization is so much more than well-labeled bins and carefully placed items. It is about having enough in your home to make holidays meaningful without being overwhelmed by all the stuff. So we have compiled some easy ways to get organized--mentally and physically--so you can enjoy the holidays.

Storage Solutions that Make Sense

Holiday storage can be rough. There are so many different sized items, not to mention breakables and both indoor and outdoor decorations. We want to make sure that your storage solutions make sense and that they will help keep your decorations protected during the off-season. 

We’ve gathered some of our favorite tips and products so you can get organized for the holidays and find it easier to pack and unpack all the things.

Wrapping Paper

Do you have the space to store rolls and rolls of wrapping paper in your home? Some people do, while others are limited in their storage areas. If you have the space, consider investing in vertical wrapping paper storage. Or, go for a complete over-the-door wrapping station to keep all those items bundled in one place, easy to find, and easy to store.

Wreaths + Odd Shaped Items

Wreaths can be tricky if you don’t have the right storage because they can easily become crushed or broken. The same can be said of ornaments or lights. 

For wreaths, you can put them in trash bags and store them. You can also invest in a wreath bag which keeps them tucked safely away. 

For ornaments, we suggest an ornament storage container designed to keep each ornament safe and secure. 

When it comes to lights--we have a few tips. First, keep your indoor and outdoor lights separated by placing them in their labeled containers. This way you can pull them out and string them up easily. Also, to keep from getting tangled, products such as a light cord wrap come in handy! 

Categorize

Creating categories for your holiday decorations and then storing and labeling them can help make seasonal transitions easier. We suggest categorizing your holiday items using one or more of these methods:

• Group by holiday or season - whichever makes the most sense for your home

• Subdivide by room or item type

• Store your labeled bins and boxes in an area that is both easy to access and safe to access

Decorate with Ease

The holidays are stressful enough, so we want to make your ability to get holiday ready as simple as possible by offering solutions that have you decorating with ease. Pulling out Halloween or Christmas items should be fun and exciting, not a daunting task. We’ve compiled some easy options and product solutions that will make decorating ten times easier. 

Command Hooks

Decorating for the holidays has never been easier than with command hooks. These versatile hooks come in many shapes and sizes and offer you a quick method for hanging decorations without damaging your walls and doors. From stringing lights to mounting wall decor, command hooks make temporary decorating a delight. 

Spare Parts

Make sure you have at least one container of spare parts for your seasonal decorations. Your spare parts can include anything from extra bulbs to ornament hooks. Anything you need that may have replacement pieces should be stored together in an easy-to-remember location. 

Accessible Bins

The Container Store has an array of bins available that make packing up your decorations a breeze. Selections run from clear bins to solid bins to keep your holidays organized all year long. Additional holiday storage solutions are also available so you can keep everything organized and accessible. 

Decorate Enough

It is like being organized enough, except with your decorations! We believe that less can be more when it comes to your holiday decor, but won't tell you to drop your favorite holiday items. 

Whether your family puts up one big tree or several trees throughout your home, you have to know your limits on how much time you have to decorate and how much you are willing to manage yearly. Decorating enough for one family can look drastically different for another, so take the time to consider what enough means for your home. 

Don’t Get Stuck on the Pinterest Perfect Look

Don’t get us wrong, Pinterest is great for inspiration. However, it can become a nightmare when we try to achieve that “perfect” look we saw and saved. Holding yourself to such high standards will only make you feel more overwhelmed. Remember, your home, your family, and your decorations are special because they are important to you. No amount of Pinterest-perfect looks can take that away. 

Give Yourself the Mental Space you Need

Consider how many hours of time and energy you want to put into your decorating. Give yourself the space to breathe, pause, and relax during the holidays. Some years you may need more mental space and others less--if the holidays start to feel overwhelming, consider what you can do to make them feel less stressful. Sometimes, that includes less time spent decorating your home. 

Don’t Feel Forced to Part with Sentimental Items

The holidays are not the best time to make hard decisions. If you are unsure about items and whether or not you want to continue keeping them, leave those decisions for after the holidays. While you are putting away your holiday decor, that would be the time to determine if something no longer sparks joy. Some sentimental items we keep just for nostalgia, and that is okay. Consider what you are willing to part with and what is non-negotiable. 

Our Biggest Tip of the Season

The holidays are the best time to reconnect and reflect with your closest friends and family. They are a time to connect to the future with New Year and a time to reflect on the past achievements and moments of the year behind us. Our biggest tip of the season: make sure you only have what you need to enjoy those moments. 

Although we talk numerous times about minimizing, we encourage you not to rob yourself of the joy you could have of opening those sentimental holiday boxes every year. They are the gift that keeps on giving and memories meant to be cherished time and time again. 

If you are feeling over-burdened by your holiday items, reach out to us at Organized by Keli & Co. Our team can help get you on track and help make your holidays truly magical without the stress of too much.