Tips for organizing your holiday decor
My team recently worked on a really fun project organizing holiday decor. Not only was it a blast to see the client’s beautiful holiday decor collection, it was also a reminder of how much joy decorating our homes for the season can bring.
Holiday decorating can also be loaded with stress and expectations, during a season that can be overly busy and stressful. So I wanted to take a moment to share a few organizing tips to help you maximize the joy of seasonal decorating.
A huge thank you to Dana O’Korn in Canonsburg for inviting my team to organize her gorgeous rustic decor collection and share her project with you.
#1 - Take stock of how you’re feeling this year.
Many of my clients feel sad, frustrated, or disappointed when they can’t match previous years’ decorating efforts. I completely understand this — there is a comfort and familiarity holiday decor can bring, and it can feel sad when it’s not there.
However, pressuring yourself to go all out on decorating when you’re dealing with health issues, a death in the family, or other major life changes can just add stress and create resentment. I encourage my clients to ask themselves the following questions before they start pulling out the big artificial Christmas tree:
Do I have the time, physical energy, and emotional energy to decorate like I usually do?
Has my personal situation changed this year?
Do I feel energized about decorating this year, or does it feel like another chore or obligation?
Am decorating because I enjoy it, or because I feel it’s expected of me?
If you realize that you’re not really up for a full-blown holiday extravaganza, that’s ok! Some great options to consider are:
Focusing on decor pieces that bring you joy but are easier to setup and takedown (like pre-lit table top trees instead of full-size trees).
Limit decorating to only a few spaces or rooms instead of decking out the whole house
Finding another way to enjoy the holiday spirit (visiting a friend or driving to another neighborhood or a museum to see holiday lights)
Asking family, friends, or even a professional to help you do the decorating this year (and yes, my team can help you with putting up, taking down, and organizing indoor decor)
Shelving makes getting your decor out so much easier.
#2 - Make it easier to access your holiday decor
Holiday decor often gets relegated to the most inaccessible parts of our homes — basements and attics, I’m looking at you.
Often, these spaces are the best choice for decor that comes out once a year. But they’re often not the most functional and accessible. And if it’s really difficult to retrieve and put away your decor, you might not want to take it out, forget what you have, or buy new items instead of using what’s in the attic.
Decorating is way more fun when it feels doable. Keep your decor storage spaces functional by:
Adding shelving to avoiding piling bins and bags
Keeping bins and boxes as small and light as possible…nothing puts a damper on the holidays like hurting your back dragging out a massive tote of heavy string lights
Storing large, heavy, and awkwardly shaped items in a secure, accessible place near or on the ground
Grouping items into categories that make sense to you
Using clear bins and/or labels to help you find what you want
And my last hot take on storage is…fancier isn’t always better. There are a lot decor-specific bins and totes, but I find that basic square and rectangle-shaped bins work just as well (if not better) than specialty organizers.
I love being able to see and choose fun decor pieces.
#3 - Regularly revisit and edit your decor collection
Like any organizing project, periodic maintenance and review of your belongings is the key to getting and staying organized. If you feel like your holiday decor collection is outgrowing your space, here are some good questions to ask:
Is the amount of holiday decor proportional to the storage space in my home? Is it proportional to how meaningful decorating is to me?
Am I hanging onto decor that I no longer put up or enjoy seeing?
Am I holding onto another family member’s decor out of guilt?
Am I buying new items because I forget what I already have?
Do I enjoy reusing old pieces, or do I want a new look in my house every year?
When I first pull out decor for the holiday, I love to take a few minutes to purge and declutter. It can be as simple as:
Tossing anything that is broken
Donating pieces that are too difficult or annoying to put up
Donating pieces you no longer use or enjoy (and don’t foresee yourself using next year)
Some other great strategies to keep your decor stash manageable:
Hold a festive decor swap with friends or family at the beginning of the season. Anything that doesn’t get picked up goes to the thrift shop.
“Shop” your own organizing collection before you hit up the stores. Using shelving and displaying sturdier items can make it easier to see and remember what you already have.
Look for multi-purpose items that can be used across multiple holidays. For example, linens in solid colors like white, gold, silver, black, and red can work for multiple holidays.
Focus on decorating for your favorite holidays and pare down or skip the decorations for the ones that aren’t as meaningful.
Limit the number of pieces that are sentimental/keepsakes but that you don’t actually display.
So much fall goodness.
#4 - Don’t forget to have fun!
Put on your favorite music, pour yourself a seasonal beverage, and have a good time (and if you also feel inspired to decorate, go for it!)
And if you need hand to make the holidays run a little more smoothly, my team is here for you! Book a free consultation so we can talk about how we can help.
Here’s wishing you a fun and beautiful holiday season!
