Do you keep the holidays alive throughout the month of January, or have you already begun the holiday “un-decorate” process in your home? Whichever camp you fall in, it’s helpful to think about ways to make next year’s holiday decorating process a little easier on yourself. If you are the type that really dreads the process of holiday decorating, it’s particularly important that you store your holiday items in an organized manner in order to minimize the pain of decking the halls come next December.
 

I thought I’d share a few helpful tips to keep in mind as you begin the process of storing your holiday items for next year…
 

CREATE A DECORATING “CHEAT SHEET”

 
Before disassembling any of your holiday vignettes, be sure to take photos of them. These photos will enable you to easily replicate the vignette on your mantel, bookshelves, and table tops for next year if you don’t have the time or inclination to come up with new ways to display your holiday accessories.
 

 

I have a file folder named “Holiday Decorating” on my computer that I routinely refer to each November as I begin the process of decorating for the holidays. I typically like to mix things up from year to year. Occasionally, I’ll find my creative juices lacking and I’m thankful to have the photos to use as a “cheat sheet” for re-creating a tried-and-true vignette from a previous year.
 

 

IMPLEMENT A STORAGE GAME PLAN

 

1. IDENTIFY & LABEL HOLIDAY BINS

 
Determine how you will identify your holiday bins among the vast collection of storage bins in your attic/basement. Will they all be a particular color? Right now, the major retailers have most of their bins on sale in a variety of colors for storing holiday décor.
 

 

You will also need to determine how you will keep track of the contents of each bin. You basically have 2 choices: 1) label the contents on the bin itself (using a large label or the ever-popular duct tape/sharpie method), or 2) number the bins and create an inventory of the contents for each numbered bin. You can keep the inventory in your holiday planner/notebook or in a designated folder on your computer.
 

2. SELECT A STRATEGY FOR GROUPING DECOR

 
The way you group your items in storage bins should be determined by how you decorate your home for the holidays. Do you like to decorate with the same items and in the same location every year? If so, group your décor items by the location in which they are displayed (e.g., a “dining room” bin and a “fireplace” bin). If you like to mix it up each year, then it makes more sense to group like items (e.g., a “garland” bin and a “wreaths” bin).
 
Bonus tip: Create a “#1 Bin”, which contains the items that you need early on in the season. This can include items such as your advent calendar, the Elf on the Shelf, and holiday cookie cutters.
 

3. CHOOSE CONTAINERS WISELY

 
My final tip is to put some thought into the containers you choose for storing your holiday items. You will want to avoid stuffing your décor into ginormous 150 gallon bins (particularly if you are storing them in the attic!). If your containers are manageable, it will make the task of lugging them up from the basement each year less aversive.
 
Do you have a tip to share for making next year’s decorating process easier? I’d love to hear it.  Leave a comment below!
 

For more information about Natalie Gallagher and Refined Rooms, visit www.RefinedRoomsLLC.com.