As much as we love decorating for the holidays, there’s something majorly refreshing about undecorating, too. It’s the perfect time to clear out the excess clutter you’ve accumulated throughout the festive season and can help make things easier next season when you pull out all your decor to start all over again.
To be the most effective, though, you need to start planning ahead. We turned to two of our favorite pro organizers to find out their top tips for decluttering holiday decor as you organize post-seasonal celebrations, and here’s what they had to say.
Meet the Expert
- Carol Appelbaum is the founder of Luxury Pro Organizer in Houston, Texas.
- Barbar Brock is the founder and CEO of Barbara Brock Inc., a professional organizing and staging company.
Assess What You Didn’t Use This Year
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Before you touch any of your current decor, Carol Appelbaum, a professional organizer and founder of Luxury Pro Organizer, says now is the time to assess all the items you didn’t use. Most—if not all—of these items can be removed.
“Reflecting on why certain pieces were left untouched can provide valuable insights, helping you make more intentional choices moving forward,” Appelbaum explains.
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Treat Your Lights With Care
If you’ve ever dealt with the headache of unraveling Christmas lights, then you know the struggle. Barbara Brock, a professional organizer and CEO of Barbara Brock Inc., says this is something you can avoid by storing things properly now.
While you can wrap the string of lights around something, such as an empty paper towel tube or a wire hanger, Brock notes there are also dedicated light stringers and light storage boxes that can help.
Whichever method you use, you’ll thank yourself next year.
Consider Your Emotional Attachment
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The holidays can be an emotional time, in both good and bad ways. Because of this, Appelbaum says it might be worth considering the emotional weight of any decor you’re unsure about.
Much like in the KonMari Method of tidying up, some might bring you joy, but others might present more challenging memories. In that case, it’s okay to rid yourself of these pieces.
“If a decoration brings to mind a difficult time or reminds you of someone you’d rather not associate with anymore, it might be best to let it go,” Appelbaum says. “Once you let go, you create space for new possibilities.”
Be Honest With Yourself
It’s wonderful to reuse old items, but Appelbaum says it’s also important to be realistic. While gift bags in good condition are great for future use, other gift wrap items, such as used gift tissue, wrapping paper, or original packaging, might not be as useful as they seem.
“This practice can lead to clutter,” Appelbaum says. “Used gift tissue, [for example], typically becomes too wrinkled to reuse, and you likely have newer versions that are in better condition.”
The same goes for broken ornaments—something you might be surprised to know people often try to hold onto. Usually, this is out of guilt or obligation, but Appelbaum says it’s important to recognize you don’t have to keep something that no longer serves a purpose in your life.
Donate What You No Longer Love
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It can be hard to toss old decor items, even if you don’t set them out anymore. The holidays are a time for nostalgia, after all. But as Appelbaum points out, donating these items might be the perfect way to rid yourself of any guilt.
“Knowing that someone else will appreciate them next Christmas can be deeply rewarding,” she says.
Label Things Effectively
Once you’ve cleared everything out and tossed what you truly no longer need, Appelbaum says labeling everything effectively is critical. This will simplify your decorations storage system and make next year’s decorating much, much smoother.
For maximum effect, Appelbaum shared the following tips:
- Create easy-to-read labels using large, bold fonts.
- Be as specific as possible. Rather than writing “holiday decorations,” note things like “Hanukkah tableware” or “Christmas tree ornaments—glass.”
- Label multiple sides of the box in case you need to adjust its placement.
Make the Process Fun
Because decorating for the holidays is so much fun, people often schedule this as a family event. Brock says you can treat undecorating the same way.
“Set a time limit,” Brock recommends. “This will have a beginning and an end to your cleanup. Put music on, and have a healthy snack while working.”
