It's officially time to pack away the holiday cheer until next November (or October for all you Christmas Rebels out there.) I'll be the first to admit, this is my least favorite part of the holidays. Taking down the decor can be a daunting task, and not the most fun form of work around the house, that's for sure.
However, the way holiday items are packed away at the end of the season, matters more than you might think. Having functional and thoughtful storage systems for you items can set you up for decorating success next time you bring the boxes down from the attic to once again adorn the house in lights and holly. So today, I thought I would share a few tips and organizational favorites with you here, that help me keep everything safely packed away and easy to find next time I need it.
Check out my video, where I talk about all the tips mentioned in this post below:
Tip One: Before you take anything down, take pictures.
This is something I have been doing for a few years now, and it has been such an unexpected time saver in terms of decorating year after year. After almost 12 full months have past, I don't quite remember where every little piece of festive decor was placed the year before (who would?) and keeping a few photos on my computer under a file titled "year Holiday Decor" (ex. "2020 Holiday Decor") has been a huge help. You may not need to reference last years photos for placement, but just in case, it doesn't hurt to have a few photos of it handy.
Tip Two: Consolidate everything to one single space in your home.
With the exception of the Christmas trees, once I start taking down the decor, everything gets placed in one space before it gets packed away. I do this for 2 reasons:
1st, it helps me see everything I have, and that makes it easier to decided what will get packed where. (Also, Seeing everything in one place, helps me decide if I need to purchase any new storage items.)
and 2nd, I can take a quick inventory of everything, and if there is anything I want to donate, or need to throw out, I can easily decide, pluck it from the pile, and do so.
Tip Three: Be Thoughtful of your Storage Space
I know storage space can look vastly different from one home to another. I am in a house in Texas that actually has two attic spaces and plenty of garage storage space, but you may be in a small New York apartment with a single closet devoted to holiday items. So, storing our seasonal decor can take a bit of planning and creativity at times.
Regardless of the size of your storage space, it's always a good idea measure before you purchase any storage containers to house your holiday goodies.
Which leads me to the 4th Tip.
Tip Four: Keep it Cohesive
Design and visual appeal does not have to stop at the room decor in your home. Functional spaces can---and should---be pleasing to the eye as well.
One thing I do suggest, regardless of the size of your designated storage space, is getting bins or containers that match or are at least color coded to store your items in. I find that having beautiful storage exteriors, is not only pleasing to the eye, but also keeps that space in your home looking tidy and inviting.
Now, is this an absolute must?? Of course not! It is not always cost efficient to just buy all new storage items, and throw out perfectly good, yet mismatched bins. So, this tip is not something you need to at all consider, if you do not wish to do so.I just find when my storage systems are beautifully organized, I'm less stressed and more enticed to keep it tidy.
Here are a few of the storage pieces I purchased for my holiday decor this year.
{{ Click any of the items pictured above to shop them.}}
Tip Five: Categorize then organize
I know it is tempting to just throw everything in a bin and put it away, but doing so can cost your more time, and probably a giant mess, next holiday season when you go to get it out again.
In an effort to save myself time---and a mess---next Christmas, I like to keep items that I use together in my home, or in a particular room, together when I pack them away. That way, when I pull the bins out next year, decor that is designated for one room or another is in the same box, and that entire box can be set in that room before being unpacked. Nothing is more annoying than bedroom holiday decor being mixed in with the dining room items. (Especially if one room is upstairs and the other is downstairs.)
Tip Six: Don't over pack your bins.
Especially if you are storing your bins in an attic or up on a high shelf. Over packing them can make them too heavy, and unsafe to move around. So, safety first people. Let's not get run over by that Rudolf figurine as it tumbles out of that 90 lb bin that "saved space" last year.
Tip Seven: Label Everything.
I mean it. Everything.
Just because you think you will remember what's in that particular small bin in the bottom left corner of the attic, you won't, so label it. Even if you do remember...label it. It Not only makes the space look better, it will save you so much time next year when you are looking for that particular Santa figurine with the gold sash. Trust me. Label it.
I actually use my Silhouette machine and adhesive vinyl to label things around my home; however, you definitely don't need a cutting machine to have beautiful labels. Before I had my cutter, there was three different ways I labeled items:
Clear packing tape & a good sharpie -- If you have nice handwriting, this is a great way to go. You can easily remove the tape from the bin if you ever decide to repurpose it for other items.
A label maker like this one here. -- I usually use this to label the top of bins detailing the contents of each container. These labels are small, so not ideal for large boxes, but they remove easily and look clean. (I still use this to label things around my home. It's very handy to have anytime of the year.)
Sticker paper (or labels) and my printer. - This is always a great option too if you want to use a pretty font to label bins (you can find free downloadable fonts at dafont.com) Just know sticker paper and sticker labels are not as easy to remove from bins as tape. Here is a link to printable clear sticker paper.
In addition to the larger vinyl label I place on each bin, I also use plastic adhesive index card pockets, and index cards to label the specific contents of each bin. I usually just stick this to the top of the lid or the side of the box.
Shop More Holiday Organization Solutions:
Have you packed away all your holiday decor yet?? Find me on social media and let me know, or leave a comment below this post.
Thanks for stopping by the blog today!
Lots of Love,
Brittney
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