Holiday decorations have a way of multiplying. A few bins become several, decorations from years ago get mixed with newer purchases, and suddenly the garage is filled with boxes you only open once a year. The good news is that you don’t need to dread unpacking your holiday decorations every season. A little decluttering and a thoughtful storage system can make decorating and putting everything away much easier.
As a professional home organizer, I recommend starting with one simple rule: don’t store what you no longer want to decorate with.
Declutter Before You Store
Before putting everything away, take a few minutes to evaluate what you actually used. Did you skip certain decorations this year? Are some broken, damaged or no longer your style? Do you have multiple versions of the same thing?
Letting go of decorations you don’t enjoy creates valuable storage space and makes next year’s decorating much easier. If you haven’t used something in several seasons, it may be time to ask whether it’s earning its place in your garage.
Group Decorations by Holiday
Keeping each holiday together makes finding what you need much simpler. Christmas, Halloween, Thanksgiving, Easter and other seasonal decorations should each have their own designated area.
If your family celebrates multiple holidays, you can take this one step further by organizing each holiday into categories such as indoor decor, outdoor decor, lights and tabletop decorations.
Use Color-Coded Containers
Here’s where you can have a little fun with your organizing system.
If you like color, consider using different colored containers for different holidays. Red or green for Christmas, orange for Halloween and another color for spring or summer decorations can make it easy to identify what you need at a glance.
Don’t want to purchase different colored containers? That’s perfectly fine, too. Simple labels work just as well.
Protect Fragile and Delicate Items
Ornaments, glass decorations and sentimental pieces deserve a little extra attention. Use appropriate dividers, tissue paper or protective containers to prevent damage while items are stored.
For artificial wreaths, garlands and other awkwardly shaped decorations, consider storage solutions specifically designed to protect their shape and keep them from becoming tangled or crushed.
Label Everything
A label should tell you what’s inside without requiring you to open the bin.
Instead of simply labeling something Christmas, consider labels such as Christmas—Tree Decorations, Christmas—Outdoor Décor or Halloween—Indoor Decorations.
The more useful your labels are, the easier it will be to find what you need next year.
Store the Least-Used Items Out of the Way
Once everything has a designated home, keep the decorations you’ll need soonest in the most accessible locations. Items for holidays that are months away can be stored higher up or farther back.
A well-organized holiday storage system gives you a place for everything, keeps your garage tidy and saves you from digging through every bin when the next holiday arrives. If your holiday decorations have taken over your garage, Smart Organizing Solutions can help you declutter and create a system that works for your household. Serving Denver, Central Park, Park Hill, Wash Park, Aurora, Cherry Creek and surrounding Colorado communities, I help clients create organized spaces that bring functionality and peace of mind through every season. Contact Denver Professional Organizer | SOS Smart Organizing Solutions to get started. I’d love to help you get your garage holiday decorations under control.