Click pic to get the list
If you’re like me, I keep holding onto Christmas decor year after year, thinking I will use it again someday, only to store it away for the next year. But, this year, I am making a small investment in time to go through all of my decor and purge what I no longer want or that doesn’t meet my aesthetic. I’ve even put together a free checklist to help you. You can access it from my digital store here.
Here are my tips:
Sort Decor into Zones
As you gather all your holiday decor from this year, sort it into zones. These zones are the spaces you decorate. For example, anything you use to decorate the mantel, like stockings, stocking holders, decor, greenery, etc, should be zoned as “Mantel.” Continue to do this for all of this year’s decor.
Label Bins
You’ve got to label your bins or storage boxes; otherwise, you are creating chaos for yourself. I prefer clear bins, so I can easily see the contents. I also like stackable bins. These from Target have red tops, making them perfect for Christmas decor (and right now, they are 20% off). I like these labels from the Container Store. The labels are self-adhesive inside a plastic sleeve.
Go Through Your Unused Decor
Now, here’s where you will need to set aside the time to go through every piece of decoration you have – from tiny ornaments to wreaths and everything in between. To do this properly so you know what you have (and don’t have) is to touch every piece of decor you already have in boxes and bins. If it doesn’t spark joy or doesn’t suit your style, make a pile of all the items you plan to donate. Someone else will love what you no longer want. Bag up everything for donation and put it in your car for donation this week! Do not pass go until you have completed this step.
Sort Remaining Decor into Zones
The decor you want to keep can now be sorted into zones. You may need to add new zones to your categories. Now, return everything you’ve sorted into the labeled bins. Next year, when you start decorating, the zones will make it much more manageable. Let’s say you only have 30 minutes one morning to decorate; pick out a zone bin and decorate that space. For example, all my kitchen decor goes into a box labeled “kitchen.” It takes me about 45 minutes to put everything out, and I use the bins to pack up my regular non-holiday decor and store it until I am ready to swap it back into the kitchen after Christmas.
One last thing I do – I sit down to write myself a letter to open in 2025. I give myself a blessing and encouragement for an intention I plan to work on. I put the letter into an envelope addressed to me and tuck it inside a bin. When I opened one of the bins this year, my letter was waiting for me to read. Reading a letter you lovingly wrote to your future self is a special sentiment.
Let me know if you try my tips, and be sure to tag me @homewithatwist when you post your results. Please hop over to my Instagram for daily inspiration.
Hospitality is in my DNA. I founded Home with a Twist, a daughter’s twist on her mother’s traditions, in memory of my mother to celebrate her life and the gifts she shared with me. Mother loved to celebrate life’s occasions – big and small.
