Wednesday, October 22, 2014

Holiday Decor Organization

Good news! I've come to the conclusion my mind rebels against the "work" side of doing what I love.  I truly believe as soon as I said I'm going to blog everyday in October, my blogging stopped.  I had no desire to blog... and for no other reason than I said I would... UGH.  Well, at least I admit the problem (hence the good news), right?!

Just so you know, I have organized a little somethin' here-n-there but I just didn't WANT to blog about it; I'm certain my fingers subconsciously willed against blogging about it.  Sorry for the neglect and, not to worry, I'm kicking my own hind parts so you can cut me some slack.

If that's the good news, what's the bad news?  Well, we haven't been e-chatting nearly as often.  DUH!  O and I'm sorry.

WAIT. There's more good news?  Yes, yes there is.



This chick pulled out her fall decor.

Taken before Scandal... hence the wine glass and bottle on the table.

Halloween haunted house votive holder on the coffee table.

Thrifty fall centerpiece in the dining room ($4.45 on a half-off day at The Village Thrift Store).

Islanders, you all know I have decor for just-about every season and holiday.  What you may not know is the requirement to organize these items in such a way that I can access them when I need them is quite a challenge.  I have a closet in the basement designated to hold all holiday decor.  I also store a few items in the family room.  Now, I'm no expert but I know what works for me and I've thought of my three TOP tips.

Think about it, the basement is big and has the occasional jumping gigantic spider-cricket spider. I need to be able to run down there grab what I need and run back upstairs...  I can't afford to DIG for items - uh uh, no way.  AND HAVE A SPIDER GET ME?!

O... *gulp* O NO.  I would pass out from lack of oxygen after screaming until my face turns blue.


Tips for Storing and Organizing Holiday Decor

1.  Store holiday decor in a specific area.

I've been one to have decor scattered all over our house - some stuff in my craft room, some re-purposed as party decor in a closet or trunk, some tucked away in the garage... It's so annoying to hunt for decor items when you're in the mood to finally put them up!  Storing all holiday decor in designated areas makes set-up much quicker.  Place your outdoor decor in the garage while other items can be placed in boxes that are labeled for the specific holiday.  When the time comes, you can grab the box without the hassle of searching for each item.

2.  Hang on to the original packaging!

In most cases, it's easy to place decor back in its original package when you're ready to pack it up for the season. Just set the boxes back in your designated area until it's time to pack-up.  OMG!  Doing this will kill two birds with one stone - you save money by NOT having to purchase a storage container AND you save time by quickly packing them into boxes... not to mention the boxes are specifically designed to protect your items from damage.

3.  Clean decor before you pack.

Give your decor a quick cleaning before you pack it away.  I have been guilty of throwing Halloween decor in a box in order to hurry up and put out Christmas decor (yes, I've had haunted houses up through Thanksgiving - don't judge, lol).  Nothing worse than UNpacking decor with crusty candle wax or remnants of its time outdoors from the year prior.  Dust before you pack... your future self will thank you!

These are some quick tips that, when I follow them, make the task of decorating easy each year.  Would you like to get in the holiday spirit but don't have the budget to visit large chain stores for decor?  Check your area thrift and Dollar Tree stores!  They always have great deals and amazing decor priced at a MAJOR discount!  Everything photographed above came from my local thrift/discount stores.

I hope you are inspired to decorate AND to organize your decor.  Take care of your decor and it will give you years of fabulous celebrations!

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