Prepare for the Holidays Using a Few Organizing Pointers

As you go about the business of preparing for the holidays, remember a few of the “rules of organizing.” They can be particularly helpful at this time of year.

1) One-in one-out. To keep your home from looking cluttered, put away most of your knick knacks and accessories. Then pull out the decorations. As Robert Browning says, “Less is more.”

2) A place for everything, and everything in its place. Gather all of your holiday decorations in one place. Sort them and decide if they are still important to you. Discard anything that is cracked, broken or doesn’t work. Then treat yourself to a few clear storage boxes. It’s so nice to see what’s inside before you drag it down from the shelf. If you store all of your Christmas stuff together you won’t have to hunt for the tree stand or the Christmas platter.

3) Take baby steps. Who says you have to do all of the decorating in one day? If the thought of transforming your house overnight seems overwhelming, break it down. Put up the tree one day and the outdoor decorations on another.

4) Put it down on paper. Write yourself a list of everything that needs to be done. Having a written plan makes it easier to delegate tasks to others. It also helps you work more efficiently. If you list all of your errands and the things that you need to pick up, you can get what you need on the first trip.

5) Reward yourself. When the decorations are up and the presents are wrapped sit down with a cup of hot chocolate with extra marshmallows, and enjoy the fruits of your labor.

Posted November 30, 2007, filed in It's That Time, Clutter Control Products, Living Simply, Less is More