It’s the most organized time of the year…

For many of us, the holidays are a great opportunity to go all out on decorations for both inside and outside of our homes and the process of decorating is almost always a fun one. The only problem is that sorting and organizing your decor can seem so intimidating that it takes the fun out of the whole process of decorating. Uncluttered would like to offer you a few easy tips…

Q: “I’ve been meaning to organize my holiday decor, but I don’t even know where to start”…

A: At this time of year, many of us are taking down fall-themed decor and getting ready for the winter holiday celebrations. This is a great time to sort and purge. Some things to ask yourself when sorting are:

• Do you love this decoration?
• Have you used it in the last few years?
• Is it still sitting in the same box year after year?

If the answer is yes to the last question, then it’s time to get rid of that particular item. Sort through your decor and put it into piles of what you want to keep and/or get rid of. This is also a good time to make piles for each room, i.e. dining room decor, living room decor, etc.

One of the best things you can do is buy clear containers with colored lids for your themed decor. Donate or throw out what you don’t use, and put what you still love in your boxes. Storing them in boxes makes the whole task easier for the next year.

Pro Tip: This is a great time to purchase storage solutions for decor. A lot of storage solutions sell out in the last week of December and January because everybody is doing the same thing. Buy early!

Q: “Now that I’ve sorted through my decor, what comes next?”

A: As we previously mentioned, storage boxes are great! Clear boxes with colored lids like an orange lid for fall decor or a black lid for Halloween decor with labels are the most effective.

If you have a lot of decor, dividing it into the room it goes into is so helpful. That way, when bringing out your items next year, you can place them directly into the room they will decorate. If there is any decor that is broken, taking the time to fix it before it is stored is key.

Often we set something aside to “do it later”, but then later never comes and you find yourself moving it from room to room throughout the year trying to remember to fix the item.

Pro Tip: If you have batteries in any decor, take them out each year before you store the piece so the batteries don’t corrode inside it.

Q: “Do I have the correct products and storage location for my holiday decor?”

A: Consider the storage items you purchase. If you have wreaths, you may want to invest in a hard-cased wreath storage system so the wreaths don’t get crushed. If you have an artificial tree, where will it be stored in its box? If you have holiday wall art, can it be stored so it is kept flat?

Now consider the environment in which you are storing it. Will it be upstairs in the attic or downstairs in the basement? Will it be hot, dry, cold, or moist?

These are things to think about to ensure that your decor stays looking the way it did when you bought it. Heat can melt and moisture can mold decor items. A temperature-controlled location is ideal.

Once your winter season decor comes down, to prepare for your next holiday, you can divide it into piles, purge, and use the organizational tips we offered in this blog so you’re ready for next year. The following year will seem so much more fun to decorate once the hassle of unorganized decor is eliminated.