Simplifying the season

Organizing
Before your home is overrun with decorations, wrapping, ribbons and bows, Brenda Borenstein of Organized Zone shares her ideas for replacing chaos with order.

Edit, edit, edit
Throw out anything that’s broken or that no longer works. Wading through cracked and unusable decorations to get to what you need wastes time and causes frustration. Lights especially need to be checked to see what works and what can be tossed. Post-holiday, wrap lights around a piece of cardboard to avoid pulling out a tangled mess next season.

Store so you can see
Your best option for seasonal storage is clear containers in uniform size boxes so they are easy to store. Half the battle is seeing what you’re looking for without having to open every box in the basement.

Separate
Though it’s tempting to throw all holiday items together, regardless of specifics, separating the tree ornaments from the outdoor decorations from the kitschy kitchen items will save your sanity. For example, use a clear box for wrapping only. Store scissors, bows, tape etc. in with your wrapping paper for easy access and less stress.

Trade everyday items for festive ones
Instead of trying to fit your festive linens, dishes and decorations amongst your everyday items, box up the everyday dishes, etc. and put out all festive things, then switch back after the new year arrives. This takes some time but it’s worth having the extra space.

Make space
Chances are you’ll be entertaining a lot over the holidays, so think about clearing out space in the front hall closet for anyone who might be coming over. Get rid of anything you don’t wear and aim for one-third empty space for guests.