How To: Organize Your Home In Time For The Holidays
Happy Holidays!
It’s hard to believe Christmas is just 2 weeks away! I don't know about you all but I love Christmas. My family has a whole bunch of Christmas traditions we do together every year, from cutting down the Christmas tree in the backyard to gingerbread house decorating contests between the cousins, to dressing all the family dogs in Santa and reindeer costumes. It’s also become a tradition in my family to “prepare the house” for the holidays. Unfortunately, I don’t mean putting up the lights and decorations, I mean decluttering and organizing the house to prepare space for the influx of gifts, people, and parties. In this blog post, you'll find 5 quick tips on how to declutter your kid's toys before Christmas as well as an additional 5 kitchen hacks to prepare for holiday hosting success.
5 Tips for Decluttering Toys Before Christmas
With the holiday season approaching, now is a great time to take a good look at what your kids have and to think about what they really need.
STEP 1 - Go through the space ALONE:
The first thing I like to do in any decluttering project is to walk through the area alone, without any distractions or kids. This allows you to visualize the space as is, and see what problem areas are jumping out. So, while your kids are at school, walk around the playroom or designated play area by yourself and get rid of any true junk and garbage, such as broken toys, wrinkled paper, instruction books, boxes, etc.
I also recommend creating a pile of “suggested subtractions” of things you know your kids have outgrown or are no longer interested in. It’s advised to keep this box hidden and out of sight from your kids during the decluttering process, so they don't see it and deem it “precious cargo” that would normally go unnoticed if not for the suggestion of giving it away.
At the end of the decluttering session ask your kids “Can you think of any other toys that you didn't see here that you want to keep?” Depending on the answer, you can either show them the toys and let them decide what they want to keep and give away or just go ahead and get rid of the toys.
STEP 2 - Have a Positive Mindset:
Next, you need to have a positive mindset. I know it may seem like your kid's current toys somehow multiply overnight and there is no end in sight, but I’m here to tell you there is! You can involve your kids in this process by getting them excited to clear up space for new toys.
For example; by shifting the tone from “Hey, we need to get rid of a bunch of your toys,” to “Let's make room for all of the new toys you’re going to get at Christmas!”, your kids will have a much more positive attitude towards giving away their older toys to make room for new toys!
STEP 3 - Eliminate Paper Clutter:
While it's important to display your children's artwork to promote creativity and a sense of self, the amount of artwork that comes home is destined to contribute to clutter. That's why it's important to have a system in place so that no artwork gets lost or destroyed and can be easily accessed.
My suggestion here is to give each child their own storage bin where they can place all artwork, projects, tests, etc, to keep it all in one place. If space is what you're lacking, I recommend taking photographs of all your children's artwork and make a photo album to display everything in an organized and compact way.
STEP 4 - Re-work the Layout:
It’s important to assess the space you're decluttering and reorganizing to make sure it suits the needs of the space. As kids get older and their interests and toy preferences change, systems and room arrangements that used to work perfectly may need to be changed and moved around.
It's also much easier to visualize different layouts for the space with all of the clutter and old toys removed.
STEP 5 - Put Everything Back in a Way That's Accessible to the Kids:
Grouping similar items together and creating zones will make clean-up time so much easier.
For example, if your kids have a large lego collection, create a zone specifically for all the lego pieces and projects.
Or, If your kids also have lots of art supplies, create another zone just for arts & crafts. I personally love using 3-tier utility carts to store art supplies, as it's mobile and can be organized very effectively.
With these 5 simple steps, your play area will be decluttered, organized and ready to go for the upcoming holidays.
5 Steps to Set Up Your Kitchen for Holiday Success
Whether you’re hosting a Christmas party this year, the big day is being held at your house, or you just need to create some order during this busy season, getting your kitchen organized will provide you with that sweet sense of calm.
STEP 1 - Clear the Countertops:
There is nothing more frustrating than having clutter on your countertops. One of my least favourite things is to constantly clear things out of the way in order to prepare food or lay out dishes.
In order to prepare your countertops for the holidays, it’s important to find a home for all items that find themselves lingering, that’s both out of sight and easily accessible. Because if it always ends up finding a spot on the countertop, it means your using it frequently, so it's important these items can be accessed easily.
STEP 2 - Prepare Your Entertainment Supplies:
During the holiday season, you’re going to need quick access to your entertaining supplies, rather than having to rummage through cupboards and cabinets at the last minute. My advice here is to have platters, large bowls, cutlery, tablecloths, napkins and decorative table items within easy reach.
This is also where having clear countertops plays off! If you have the space, place the entertainment supplies out on the countertops before the guests arrive, so they're ready to go and your not rushing around searching for things in the middle of a party.
STEP 3 - Re-organize Your Fridge:
I know it sounds like a daunting task but it's incredibly important to make room in your fridge for all the Christmas dinner leftovers or all the party food.
My advice would be to start by taking everything out and throwing away everything that's expired or empty. Wipe clean the shelves and drawers and then start putting everything back.
Once everything is back in, you'll be able to see how much space you have for leftovers or party snacks.
STEP 4 - Organize Your Tupperware:
It’s very likely there’s going to be a lot of leftover food from your Christmas celebrations, so it is essential to get your food storage containers organized now so they're ready to be used. If you’re going to give guests leftovers to take home, stock up on some cheap containers from the dollar store that you won’t need back.
With your own container collection, do a big declutter and get rid of any containers that are missing their lids, chipped or cracked, misshapen, an inconvenient size or ones that you rarely use. Be as ruthless as you can with this decluttering, as food storage containers can often be taking up more space in your kitchen than you realize!
With the keepers, stack them by shape and/or size in a drawer or cabinet, and keep the lids separate in a labelled box or basket so you can easily find a matching set when you're packing up leftovers.
STEP 5 - Prepare Your Cleaning Supplies:
There’s no doubt that celebrations of any kind create a mess, that's why it’s important to have a clean-up kit ready to go before the mess is even made. I recommend having a stack of clean tea towels ready to go, and stock up on dishwasher tablets, washing-up gloves, dishwashing liquid, sponges and trash bags.
PRO TIP: Make sure the dishwasher has been emptied before guests arrive so that dirty dishes can go straight into the dishwasher after eating.
Just a few simple adjustments in your playroom and kitchen can really make the holidays run more smoothly and minimize your stress so you can actually enjoy the celebrations. I hope you enjoyed the post!
Happy Holidays & Happy Organizing,
Nikki