It's always "check out all these new things I got" and never "let me show you how to organize them and where they can go when you're done", am I right?😅
Let's talk organization - specifically for seasonal decor. I must confess: I consider myself to have an "organized chaos" type of vibe. I'm working on it. Like, everything may be in bags scattered around the house but I know exactly what is in that HomeGoods bags stuffed upstairs underneath the third window from the right.
Truth is, as much as I knew where everything was, no one else did. Things were being moved, broken and honestly, it's probably not the best way to store things. I had to come up with a way to organize and store my things pretty much as soon as the holiday was over otherwise I'd fall into the organized chaos cycle again.
5 EASY TIPS FOR STORING SEASONAL DECOR
Notes (or maybe a disclaimer 😆): This is just what works for me. This doesn't include outdoor decor (like lights for Christmas and blow ups and what not) because I'd assume they need more space. Feel free to take these tips and make them work for you: add an extra bin if you need one, fix that special star that broke but you can't part with it.
1. SWITCH FROM BAGS TO BINS.
-
I whisper to myself. It's the truth though. Those bags aren't doing you any favors. Switch to a bin. If you have a lot of decor, grab the
bigger bin ($30). My personal faves are a few of these
20 gallon storage totes ($9). I like the clear ones so I can see what's inside but couldn't find them to link so I linked these cute lavender/turquoise ones. Pretty sure these are seasonal colors and change with every season which is also a cool idea for organizing too. Lavender for spring (Easter), red or blue for Memorial Day/4th of July, orange/black for Halloween, etc.
2. SET A LIMIT TO BINS PER HOLIDAY.
This is just something I started because it curbs my need to overconsume for holidays (again, calling myself out here) and makes me purge what I don't use so I can fit everything into those certain amount of bins. Realistically, I'm pretty sure my attic can't hold any more than that anyway. Three bins work for me but truly this ties into the next tip...
3. SECTION BINS INTO DIFFERENT CATEGORIES.
Of all the tips, this one is my favorite. You can section them by room too. Most of my bins are sectioned by:
- linens - pillows, tablecloths, blankets, cloth napkins, etc.
- kitchenware - plates, serving bowls, paper goods, cutting boards, cups, serving trays, candy bowls, etc.
- misc decor - random figures, pictures, etc.
Sometimes a holiday doesn't have a lot of one section so I'll combine (like Easter shown above has no linens really so I just used two bins for misc decor).
4. TAKE A PICTURE OF WHAT IS IN EACH BIN.
I love this tip because once the holiday is over, the bin is up in the attic; it's so easy to forget what's up there. I like being able to look at what I have without having it actually in front of me. This is also VERY helpful when looking for all the bins. I've pulled out pictures quite a few times to be like, "hey, wait, I don't see this..." to find we hadn't taken down that bin yet.
5. GET RID OF WHAT YOU DON'T NEED.
I know, I know. But it's the truth. I'm calling myself out with this one. The perfect time to do this is right at the end of the holiday or season. Look through those bins and bags and see what you didn't pull out this year. Why? Ask yourself these three things:
- Is it broken - and can I actually fix it? If you were born with the "of course I can fix it" gene like I was, follow up with "okay, do I have everything to fix it right now?" If it's no, "but I'll order the things to fix it right now" then 👏 do 👏 it 👏. Right now. If not and you don't have plans on ordering the things you need to fix said object, you know what you need to do. * This does not apply to sentimental items. I'm such a sucker for these. If it's broken and you don't have the things needed to fix it but still want to keep it, leave it out of the bins so you can chip away at it throughout the year until the holiday comes back around.
- Is it not your style anymore? Ouuuuu, this was my problem every single year. My biggest tip? Stop buying things that are "cool" and "the it thing" that year. Seriously. Once I stopped being what I was influenced to buy but wasn't really my style and started buying what I like, this issue stopped.
Throw out anything broken, falling apart or dirty. Anything that just isn't you anymore sell it, donate it or give it to a friend! Happy organizing! 💓
