How to Get Organized for the Holidays

The holiday season is quickly approaching. It seems the end of the year always sneaks up on us and then we are wondering how in the world we can get organized for the season. With the holidays comes the desire to have everything in place because you may have more visitors than planned. Each holiday season households all over the world get stressed because they have no idea how to get organized for the holidays. Today, I want to alleviate that stress and help you learn how to get organized so that your holiday gatherings are stress-free and fun.

Get the To-Do List Ready

The first step to getting organized for the holidays is to start a to-do list and have it handy. Think about everything that needs to be organized, completed and purchased for the holiday season. Try to organize a to-do list based on priority. For example, if you are having guests over for a holiday feast, you may be more concerned about the kitchen and dining room organization than the bedrooms. Be sure to make a to-do list on what to take care of based on the room in the house and level of priority.

Take Inventory

When you start to get organized for the holidays you will want to know what you already have on hand. Whether you go through holiday décor or storage bin options, it doesn’t matter, simply take inventory of everything you have then create a list of what you need. This will help ensure that you have everything you need to get that house organized for the holidays without stressing.  Have the family take part in this as you all work together to inventory the entire home.

Declutter Toys & Other Stuff

Get the kids on board with organizing for the holidays by going through their own toy bins. Have kids set aside toys that are no longer played with and donate this pile of unused toys to community organizations who give to needy children for the holiday season.  (Check out our post on how to help kid’s donate)  Decluttering is the most important step in getting organized for the holidays as it frees up much-needed space. Any item you or your kids haven’t used in the last six months is open to being donated. Learn to let go of toys and other items to make room for organization. (Check out our most popular decluttering posts)

Sort Decorations

With every holiday season comes the desire to decorate the home. Sort through the decorations you have compiled over the years. Organize them into bins based on the holiday season and find a good storage place for them so they are out of sight during the offseason. When you sort decorations you will soon find items you don’t use or will want to use this year. Having bins that are labeled and in a conspicuous spot will help ensure you have an organized home when those guests arrive.

Overall the way to get organized for the holidays is to take into consideration what you no longer use, what you need to put into storage bins and what your main mission is. If you are hosting guests, then you may organize a bit deeper whereas if you are just having a household holiday gathering with minimal guests, you may not do as deep of an organizing effort.