Happy
After a month hiatus due to illness, I'm back with another organizing idea for your weekend.
I know many of you have already taken down and put away all your Christmas-related items. If you're one of those eager beavers, you can pin this post so you can refer to it next year before you begin "Operation De-Christmas". Then find something else to organize this weekend :)
For the rest of us who will be taking down our trees and decorations this weekend (or in the coming week if you keep yours up until Epiphany or the end of the 12 Days of Christmas), here are some tips to help you organize all your Christmas items.
1. Group like items together (tree decorations, books, craft supplies, greeting cards, Christmas cookie cutters, etc.) rather than randomly putting things into bins. Click the link below this picture to see a bunch of different categories you could use.
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2. Another option is to store decorations by the room they are used in.
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3. For your Christmas lights, you can wrap each strand around cardboard to avoid tangles {and frustration!} next year.
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4. Once you've grouped everything, then put your groups into bins. You don't need to go out and buy expensive divided storage containers to store your tree decorations {although if you ever want to, this is the time of year for great deals!}. Here's a great DIY ornament storage solution.
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5. Label each bin with the contents. That way you can easily find what you're looking for next year. Your labels don't have to be anything fancy. Just make sure they stick to your bins!
I like this idea of labeling the decorations that are fragile so they stay out of reach of little fingers :)
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A few other tips:
- Don't forget to purge as you pack! If you didn't use something this year then you probably won't use it next year either so give it away rather than storing it all year. If your kids have outgrown Christmas books or festive clothing, donate them so someone else will be able to enjoy them next year. If you bought or received new ornaments or decorations this season, then purge some of your older ones so you can still store everything in the space you have. It's a great feeling to lighten your load and allow others to benefit from the things you purge.
- You may want to number your bins in the order that you'll want to bring them out next year. For example, greeting cards could be in bin #1 so you can write them up early. And gift wrap, bags, bows, tags, etc. can be in bin #2 so you can wrap your gifts early. Use any order you think will help you be the most organized next year!
- If you're like me and you always find a few Christmas items after you've packed all the bins away {or you bought a few things on sale}, you can keep a small bin or basket handy to add to later. Last year we added a few things into our Christmas tree bag in our garage {that big red thing on the shelf} because it was the most accessible.
Have you put away Christmas at your house already? Or are you still working on it like we are? How do you organize your Christmas items?
Happy organizing and have a great weekend!
