How to organize and simplify holiday decorations

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Good morning! Have you put away all of your holiday decor yet? I will admit I love putting up all of my decorations but I equally love taking them all down too and getting my house back! :) By the time Christmas is done, I am done too. Ready for a clean and un-cluttered house!

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Today I am going to show you how I simplify and organize our decor. One thing I recommend is that when you get your holiday decorations out in the fall, purge anything that you don’t use. If you didn’t use it, you don’t need to store it. Less clutter!

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Do you throw away your gift bags, boxes, or tissue paper that you receive as gifts? Don’t! You are throwing away money! I always fold up my tissue paper, boxes and gift bags and stack them away neatly for next year.

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I also go ahead and place a blank label over the old labels on my bags and boxes. That way it is already done for next year and I don’t accidentally leave an old label on.

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I put our old Christmas cards on a ring and save them for next year. It’s fun to look back throughout the years of cards! :) IMG_6018My husband always helps me put away our tree. I put away all of the accessories and he does the tree. We don’t have a tree with pre-lit lights, just a regular $25 target special we have had for over 5 years. It works for us and is simple.

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The kids all have little baby trees for their rooms. I got all of these and the ornaments on clearance at Target over the past few years. We have fun decorating them every year. I store their ornaments and decorations in a ziploc with their names on it.

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This is pretty much all of my storage. Each one of us has a keepsake tote, and we have a sewing tote, fall decor tote, Easter tote, swimming stuff, and gift wrapping. That way when I need something I know right where to find it.

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So, this is our simplified storage. We fit everything Christmas related into these five totes, plus a few little ones for breakable ornaments. I pad those totes with egg cartons to keep them safe. I made the labels with some leftover scrapbook paper. I also keep all of the leftover Christmas light bulbs in a little ziploc bag taped into one of the totes. Simple and easy for when Christmas rolls around again. I also know exactly what I have, so if I am yard saling or thrifting throughout the year and see something that I need, I know I don’t already own it and waste my money.

How about you? How do you organize and simplify your holiday decor? Any tips or ideas to share?

4 January, 2013

24 comments on “How to organize and simplify holiday decorations”

  1. Gina on said:

    I like that idea of putting a new label over the old one BEFORE putting them away – I’ve been guilty of forgetting to take off the old ones!!

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  2. Steph @ Crafting in the Rain on said:

    Having the same size boxes is so helpful!!

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  3. Michelle @ Delicate Construction! on said:

    This is such a great post! Thanks for linking up! I gave you a shout out on my Facebook page!

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  4. Paula J on said:

    Hi Erin! These are all great tips! I’m not the most organized, but have managed to improve a teeny bit this past year :) )

    Thanks for sharing with my NO RULES Weekend Blog Party!!

    Paula
    lifeasweknowitbypaula.blogspot.com

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  5. Olga@StardustDecorStyle on said:

    Love reading organizing tips, they’re always helpful!
    Olga
    www.stardust-decorstyle.blogspot.com

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  6. Amanda C. on said:

    Found you from The Shabby Nest Linky. Love this! I need to organize my decorations better! I have stuff for all holidays all mixed together so most never gets used.

    http://chaoticcantrells.com/organization-week-1/

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  7. Mandy@ a sorta fairytale on said:

    Hey Erin! Hopping over here from the BlissDom FB group! Love this post! I finally just started getting organized with my Christmas stuff!! Feels so good to clean everything up, and put it away in an organized way!

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  8. TidyMom on said:

    great tips!
    Happy New Year and thanks for linking up! I featured your post in my wrap up http://tidymom.net/2013/organizing-home/

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  9. Carrie @ My Favorite Finds on said:

    Erin, this looks so great! I feel like I am constantly in “simplify” mode! Slowly but surely, right? Thanks for sharing at Pinworthy Projects!

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  10. Venetta on said:

    Loved these ideas. I will incorporate these while I am putting everything away this weekend. Venetta from Ashford Cove

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  11. Diann @ The Thrifty Groove on said:

    Wonderful tips. I am loving the pink tree with the Barbie ornaments! Thank you for sharing last week at TTF. Have a fun day!

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  12. The Fruitful Home on said:

    Thanks for the tips! I am still taking down my Christmas decorations and trying to organize them!

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  13. Charlene@A Pinch of Joy on said:

    Great tips – especially the one about retagging with a new tag when PUTTING things away. Wrapping gifts always turns into a rush and those old tags are easy to overlook! Thanks so much for linking on Busy Monday!

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  14. Cathy on said:

    Thanks for the tips! Quick question, how do you adhere your labels to the totes? I used post-it note labels (sticky all over) and they fell off either because of the extreme heat or cold in my attic. Thanks!

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  15. BeColorful on said:

    Very impressive. I did a post this week too about packing away Christmas. I love it when I find others that feel the same way about this that I do ie share my neurotic organization obsession :D I especially liked your idea of also storing swimming items. Why didn’t I think of that? :D and the Christmas cards on a ring is something else I am going to take away with me. Thanks for sharing on BeColorful this week.
    p

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