Home organization gurus Clea Shearer and Joanna Teplin from Netflix's 'The Home Edit' reveal their holiday organizational tips for a stress-free season. Prioritize decluttering before decorating, utilizing clear bins for easy storage, and categorizing items. Maximize space with vertical storage and embrace coordinated gift wrapping. Streamline your holiday decorating process with these expert strategies to keep your home festive and functional.
Planning is Paramount: The Pre-Holiday Purge
Before you even think about stringing up lights or wrapping presents, Clea and Joanna advocate for a thorough pre-holiday purge. This isn't just about decluttering; it's about creating space for the influx of new items and experiences. Think of it as making room for holiday cheer! Go through your closets, drawers, and storage areas, ruthlessly eliminating anything you no longer use, love, or need. Donate gently used items to charity or consider selling them online. The less clutter you start with, the easier it will be to maintain holiday organization throughout the season.
Strategic Storage Solutions for Decorations
Holiday decorations are often the biggest culprit when it comes to seasonal clutter. Clea and Joanna emphasize the importance of investing in proper storage containers. Opt for clear bins with labels to easily identify contents without having to rummage through everything. Group similar items together – ornaments, lights, garlands – and store them in designated areas. Consider using ornament organizers to protect delicate items and prevent breakage. Remember to take photos of your decorated spaces each year as a visual reference for future setups. This will save you time and frustration when it's time to decorate again next year.
Gift-Wrapping Wisdom from the Pros
Gift-wrapping can quickly become a chaotic mess. To streamline the process, Clea and Joanna recommend creating a dedicated gift-wrapping station. This could be a designated area in a closet, a spare room, or even a rolling cart. Stock it with all the essentials: wrapping paper, ribbons, bows, tape, scissors, gift tags, and markers. Consider organizing your supplies in clear containers or drawer dividers to keep everything tidy and accessible. Wrap gifts as you buy them to avoid a last-minute frenzy. And don't forget to recycle or repurpose wrapping paper whenever possible.
Kitchen Conquer: Organizing for Holiday Feasts
The kitchen often becomes the epicenter of holiday activity, especially when it comes to preparing festive meals. Maximize your kitchen space by decluttering your pantry and refrigerator. Remove expired items and consolidate ingredients. Utilize vertical space with shelving and organizers to keep items visible and within reach. Invest in clear containers to store dry goods like flour, sugar, and spices. And don't forget to label everything! Prioritize easy access to frequently used items and designate a specific area for holiday baking supplies. This kitchen organization will make meal preparation much more efficient and enjoyable.
The Art of the After-Holiday Reset
Once the holiday festivities are over, it's time to tackle the after-holiday reset. Don't procrastinate! The sooner you put everything away, the less daunting the task will be. Take down decorations promptly and carefully pack them away in their designated storage containers. Donate any unwanted gifts or items that you no longer need. Return any borrowed items to their owners. And don't forget to clean up any messes or spills that accumulated during the holiday season. This post-holiday reset will help you start the new year with a fresh and organized space.
Quick Tips at a Glance
Here’s a handy table summarizing The Home Edit's holiday organizational tips:
Tip |
Description |
Benefits |
|---|
Pre-Holiday Purge |
Declutter closets, drawers, and storage areas before the holidays. Donate or sell unwanted items. |
Creates space for new items, reduces clutter, simplifies organization. |
Strategic Decoration Storage |
Use clear bins with labels for decorations. Group similar items together. Use ornament organizers. |
Easy identification of contents, protects delicate items, prevents breakage. |
Gift-Wrapping Station |
Create a designated area with wrapping paper, ribbons, tape, and scissors. Organize supplies in clear containers. |
Streamlines the wrapping process, reduces clutter, keeps supplies accessible. |
Kitchen Organization |
Declutter pantry and refrigerator. Use vertical space with shelving. Store dry goods in clear containers. |
Maximizes kitchen space, improves efficiency, simplifies meal preparation. |
After-Holiday Reset |
Take down decorations promptly. Donate unwanted gifts. Clean up messes. |
Starts the new year with a fresh and organized space, prevents post-holiday clutter. |
By following these holiday organization tips from Clea and Joanna, you can transform your home into a festive and functional haven. Embrace the joy of the season without the stress of clutter and disorganization. Happy holidays!
