My Favorite Christmas Organizing Ideas

The holidays come with so many things.  Things to buy.  Things to make.  Things to decorate.  Things to give.  Things to cherish.  I could go on and on right?

So staying even somewhat organized through the busiest time of the year, will be a huge stress reducer. Here are some of my favorite tips for super simple and time saving organizing during the holiday season:

Track Your Giving!
It is the giving season, that is for sure!  And it can get out of control, expensive and overwhelming, so I like to use a gift tracking checklist.

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The checklist helps me jot down ideas for each individual I will be purchasing for, keeps me on budget and lets me check things off when I am done, so I always know who is left.


Create a Card Display!
As holiday cards roll in...

It's nice to keep them out on display!  Not only does the display let me see the smiling mugs of my friends and family each day, it also adds a nice festive flair to our home!


Organize Christmas Cards.
If you are a little bit of a sentimental peep like me, then you hold onto those photo greeting cards and look back on the memories and changes from year to year.

I like to organize them by year in an album...

But you can also quickly make your own as well!

Make Wrapping Easy!
Of course, an entire wrap station year round would be ultra dreamy....

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However, realistically, most of us don't have an entire closet, room or area in our home to dedicate to a single function.  But, wrapping supplies can definitely accumulate, especially if you use different papers for each occasion, keep gift bags, tissue, bows and ribbon...

Slim totes that fit under a bed are a really great option...

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Adding some additional trays for scissors, tape, ribbon, tags and trimmings keeps everything separate and orderly for a quickly wrap job!

Another great way to store wrapping gear is with an over the door organizer.

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They take advantage of typically unused door space,  yet still offer year round access to your wrapping goodies.

Since a lot of quick and smaller gifts are given during the holidays, keeping a small box with a few ready-to-go essentials ensures that you will never be late to a party or show up without a gift in hand.

Decor Storage!
But what about all of those ornaments?  And lights?  Decorating a tree takes all sorts of beautiful bulbs and glittering strands of lights, but no need to invest in super expensive containers to keep them safe and organized year after year.

If you eat eggs as often as we do, it wouldn't take long to stock up on a few of those cartons, which are the perfect solution for the smaller glass bulbs.

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And for larger bulbs, plastic cups make perfect dividers!  Hot glue them onto some cardboard and you can even stack!

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Or save up on tomato and apple containers throughout the year.  They also make incredible divided storage, and it won't cost you a thing!

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For the really fragile pieces, adding a small layer of felt padding will ensure your favorite ornaments grace the branches of your tree year after year!

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When storing lights, we love to use the classic trick of wrapping them around some cardboard strips.

I love the idea of using tension rods too!  Decor below, lights above!  So smart!

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The same method could be used for beads and ribbons as well!

I like to use a small storage container to hold off our our smaller bits and pieces, such as tree hooks and spare lights.

And of course, label, label label!

Keeping bins labeled will make it easy to quickly find contents from year to year.  You can use clear business card holders or make your own pockets out of cardstock.  Another tip is to use a specific color for your Christmas bins so they are easy to spot, and to load them up either by category, or by putting the first out items on top to prevent digging.


It is OK to Buy!
Knowing when it is OK to invest in good storage vs. DIYing it is a good thing.  For me, I will be purchasing a good tree bag to ensure our prelit tree stays preserved for the long haul.  And a hard sided wreath bin will keep those beautiful hand made wreaths lasting longer than those soft sided ones will.

So there you have it!  A round up of my favorite tips to keep us smiling though the Christmas season craziness.  What other things do you do to keep your sanity through the holiday season?  What is your number one Christmas organizing tip?

Pssst!  I recently blogged about more gift wrap storage ideas over at Better Homes & Gardens Style Spotters blog here!