As the last few months of the year near, I enter what I lovingly call my seasonal decor era.
As soon as Sept. 1st rolls in, I know that it’s time to transition my home from summer to fall, which then slowly turns from fall to holiday. It’s truly the most wonderful time of year in my opinion, but admittedly, I cringe a bit once it’s time to sift through my seasonal decor.
It resides in big plastic tubs, which works just fine, but it makes finding specific items challenging. Not to mention the seasonal decor I know I’ve outgrown but am not sure what to do with, gets all mixed in with the ones I want to keep.
Just like any other space, decluttering and organizing seasonal decor will make your life at home so much easier. I chatted with Natalie Ron of Swoon Spaces, who shared all of her seasonal decor organizing tips and hacks, so you can declutter just in time for fall.
Before you organize, do a thorough edit.
Organizing your decor is only helpful when you have items that you use and love. When Ron works with clients, the first step for any organizational project is to do a thorough edit. Take the time to assess what you have and create piles for items to keep, donate, and discard. “Think about what you want to manage moving forward,” Ron says. “Anything you keep needs a place to be stored.”
Keep in mind many thrift stores are happy to take seasonal decor donations, especially during this time of year. Once you have all of the items you’d like to keep, you can decide how you’d like to store them, depending on your space. “Definitely organize by holiday if you can,” Ron says. “You can organize by shelf, like one shelf for Halloween, next shelf for Christmas or Hanukkah, or you can organize by container.”
Find storage solutions that are unique to your space.
As someone who lives in a small space with limited storage, seasonal decor is sprinkled everywhere from the linen closet, the coat closet, and even the bedroom closet. It’s not that we have a ton of it, it’s just that some of it is large and oddly shaped — specifically our faux Christmas tree, the tree collar, and Easter baskets. Ron assured me that every space is unique, and making it work in your home is the most important thing. “Fit decor where it fits! Organizing these items is not a perfect science, so we do our best with the space we have,” she shares.
With that said, decide where you’d like to store your decor. A garage or an attic is ideal if you have them, but don’t worry if you live in a smaller space — you just need to be a bit more creative. “For smaller homes like apartments with minimal storage, utilize behind the door or under the bed for seasonal decor so they don’t take up ‘prime real estate’ for items you need more readily,” Ron recommends. If you’re really short on space, Ron suggests putting all of your decor in one bin, instead of separating holidays into different bins. “Just make sure to label all your holiday decor within each bin so you don’t waste time looking for things later,” she says.
Consider specialty storage solutions.
Most of my seasonal decor resides in big plastic tubs, which is a great choice according to Ron, as long as the bins are clearly labeled. “Labeling everything is key!” she exclaims. If you can, label the contents with your bin as well, to make finding decor easy. If you’re in the market for new storage bins, Ron recommends grabbing your tape measurer before purchasing.
“Make sure the container is close to the exact measurements needed to fit the shelf or closet you’re placing it in so you’re maximizing your space utility,” she shares. It’s a great note, as one of my extra large bins does have some dead space within it. Getting a smaller plastic tub to replace it is on my list!
Certain decor pieces may require their specialty storage, like ornaments or string lights. I have string lights that are stuffed into a reusable grocery bag which is a low-key nightmare, and Ron suggested a holiday light storage organizer instead.
Other specialty storage solutions she recommends are ornament organizers, gift-wrapping stations, wreath protectors, and Christmas tree bags. Assess your space and your items, then decide accordingly. Once everything is organized and clearly labeled, the joy of bringing out your seasonal decor will simply grow. Happy organizing!
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