The Magic of the Holidays & Getting Ready for The New Year
For busy families, December is the most wonderful (and stressful) time of the year. A constant juggling act, your schedule is packed with kid’s recitals, holiday guests, and seasonal fun while somehow making sure your home is holiday ready. And just like that, your house is divided between beautifully decorated (and clean) rooms full of holiday magic and the rest of your house operating like one giant drop-off zone full of debris. If this sounds familiar, instead of struggling to find time to dig out once the holidays are over, it’s time to flip the script on getting ready for the New Year and create the organized home you need and want.
Sometimes the holidays are about doing what you have to do to keep everything and everyone moving. You’ve got spare wrapping paper everywhere, piles of clean but unfolded clothes that never make it out of the basket, and maybe even the crockpot has found a home in a random corner of your dining room. Yet the thought of New Year cleaning and digging out of that mess after surviving the busiest season of the year is beyond stressful, making it nearly impossible to stay present and truly enjoy time with family and friends. True story, there’s a very real mental shift when you change your focus from holiday bliss to the new year—you want to declutter for the new year, starting off fresh and organized. Remember, organization is like life. It happens in the small decisions you make, the everyday moments that are seemingly insignificant yet set you up for what comes next. And when you get back to the basics, you’ve given yourself a roadmap for an easy transition into New Year organization. Check out some of our favorite New Year preparation and hosting tips for your home and holidays!
Know When You’re Vulnerable
Start by identifying when you’re most prone to making decisions that lead to disorganization. As your weekends become dedicated to holiday fun, reschedule must-do weekend chores to available weekdays and consider outsourcing more time-consuming tasks like cleaning or yardwork. This will allow you to gradually stay on track and avoid any spontaneous pileups, enabling you to head into each weekend organized and able to be present with those who matter most instead of worrying about the mess that is waiting for you at home. And if it’s your turn to host family and friends for a gathering or weekend stay, you’ll already be ready when they finally arrive thanks to the extra time available to plan and prepare.
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Remember, organization is like life. It happens in the small decisions you make, the everyday moments that are seemingly insignificant yet set you up for what comes next.
Inspired Closets
Share with your friends
Wrap it Up!
There are two types of gift wrappers – those who wrap a little at a time and those who stay up all night to get it done just before it’s time to share. Tame gift-wrapping clutter by finishing your wrapping just as soon as you can, avoiding a hasty clean up where you just shove all your supplies in bags and stick them in the storage room. Instead, declutter for the new year now by creating a spot for your favorite holiday papers and bows like a wrapping station. Ideal for keeping you organized while making it easy to wrap whenever you have time, totes are a flexible solution if you don’t have space. Limit their use to storing wrapping supplies and store them in a place that’s easy to remember and access.
Don’t Toss and Go
This is a siren song and you have to be strong to not give into to this urge! As tempting as it is to just put things down in the name of dealing with it later, later eventually becomes now and you are struggling to find the time for New Year cleaning to organize your space. Because there is a place for everything and everything has its place, make a challenge to yourself – and your family – to spend the extra minute now to return things to their proper home and spare yourself spending twice as much time dealing with the clutter later.
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Use the rule of 1 and commit to handling things once.
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Touch it Once
Believe us when we say it’s tempting to leave things to be dealt with later. But every time that happens, you’ve just created more work for yourself when you have the least amount of energy to get it done. Instead, use the rule of 1 and commit to handling things once. When holidays cards come in, open them up and put them on display. When you get home from a holiday party, have hampers handy to keep laundry off the floor. And if you are hosting a new year’s party and it’s time to bake, follow the recipe and put ingredients away as you use them.
Put it Back Where You Found it
How many times a day do you hear yourself saying “Come put this away!” and wonder when you became your parents, especially when you are hosting family for the holidays? Putting things away at the end of the day can feel like the final 100 feet of a mile long run. But leaving things where they don’t belong is a slippery slope and during the holidays, this is compounded by seasonal items that take over your home. If you stretch the clutter out over weeks or months, you’re left with a disastrous mess. You might even buy things you don’t need because you can’t find things that are buried in bags or boxes you’ve long forgotten even exist. So, spend the time now to return things to their rightful home, making it simple to declutter for the new year.
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Big impacts are found through small actions, and you will be amazed at the effect it has not only on your home but your family too.
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Set Yourself Up for Success
Incorporate storage solutions that make sense for your space. By having systems in place, you can designate a home for literally anything you own, creating New Year organization that lasts all year long. Plan for incoming holiday gifts and seasonal items that come and go. Create a landing space by adding shelving or cubbies if those work best. Use out-of-the-way garage cabinets and shelves to store seasonal decorations. Give your entryway a boost with drawers and hooks to manage extra coats, scarves, and gloves. And remember that crockpot? Let’s get it out of the corner and back to the pantry with slide out drawers or shelves that can be used all year. And when you find items that seem better suited for another spot, feel empowered to relocate and rearrange as you see fit.
If the rollercoaster of December has you feeling stressed, simply recommit to getting the most out of everyday choices that lead to an organized home. Simple new year resolutions for your home are the key to simplifying your busy life. Big impacts are found through small actions, and you will be amazed at the effect it has not only on your home but your family too. We know you’ve got the skills to not just survive but thrive as you enjoy this holiday season. And if you need some support, our dedicated team of experts are here to provide you with custom organization solutions for you and your family. Complete this form and we’ll be happy to reach out.
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