Your Guide to Holiday Decluttering and Decorating
Ah, the holidays - a blend of festive cheer, cozy nights, and without a doubt, probably a little chaos thrown in! This holiday season, I encourage you to embrace simplicity and slow down to enjoy this time with your loved ones. Whatever that looks like for you.
GRAB YOUR HOLIDAY BINS AND LET’S GET ORGANIZED
Over here at The Orderly Space, November and December are packed with clients looking for encouragement and assistance in going through their holiday decorations.
Year after year we save treasured items, and over time, the 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 look over what you have, donate any items that are no longer needed, and preserve the items that bring you joy. Whatever it looks like, take inventory of what stays and what goes before you start decorating your home.
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 propose holding onto the past year’s holiday greetings, sifting through them as you pull out your decor for the year, and then letting 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 safe keeping.
One way to keep things minimal in your home is to replace current decor with holiday decor. When we keep out our year-round decor and add the holiday items on top of those, it can become a 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 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 can help you with some of these tips!
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.
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 your garage, attic, or other storage areas to keep your holiday items in order and ready to be used.
Clear, weathertight storage bins will keep your holiday memories and decorations safe from pests and moisture wherever they are stored year round. Try to avoid solid red or green bins - clear totes will allow you to see exactly what is inside without having to open them up.
FEELING OVERWHELMED? WE’RE HAPPY TO HELP!
The last thing we want is for you to feel overwhelmed by sifting through your items, decorating, or the holidays in general. That’s where we step in! When clients hire us for our holiday services, they typically hire us for two sessions - one to declutter, prep, and decorate for the holidays, 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 looks like when we come to your home at the start of the holiday season? Keep reading!
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, then it’s time to 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
In a world dominated by busyness, I encourage you to simplify your holiday lifestyle and get down to the important things. You can have a well-decorated home and still feel in control of your surroundings. Take your time going through your holiday items, reminisce, get organized, and soak in the moments of laughter and joy. Enjoy your home and streamline your holiday living.
