It’s time to declutter and start your holiday organizing today with Me In Order.

With Thanksgiving right around the corner, and the other holidays not too far behind, we know you may be experiencing some internal stress. 

Maybe this is the year that you are in charge of hosting Thanksgiving dinner; or maybe you volunteered your home as the “Holiday Inn” for the month of December. Whatever your stress may be, we are here to help you declutter your home space-by-space for the holidays. Instead of waiting until the last minute to prep your home, here are some tips to get you started on your holiday organizing now so you can sit back, relax, and enjoy some hot cocoa by the fire later: 

1.) Declutter Your Living Room Space 

The first place to start your holiday organizing will be the space in your home where your family will be gathering the most. This includes the living room, family room, game room, or sitting room. You will want to make sure that this space is a top priority, especially if this is the main area your family will be aggregating during this time. 

Start by going through your prime gathering area by cleaning out anything unnecessary; this includes old books, magazines, boxes, toys, and anything else that is taking up much-needed space. The goal is to clear the room as much as possible so you can make space for your guests to sit and relax. Pack up everything you deem unnecessary into boxes and place in your garage, spare bedroom, or hallway closet. 

Just as well, you will want to clean up this space for your holiday decorations such as your Christmas tree. If you are hosting Christmas this year, make sure there is plenty of space underneath and around the Christmas tree for the copious amounts of gifts everyone will be receiving from Santa. 

Make this space extra cozy by adding a basket of blankets and pillows for your guests. Include a spot to stack games and photo albums so you can play and reminisce together. Still need extra space? Put away anything that you will not be using during this time, including furniture. You can move unused chairs or tables into your garage or spare bedroom, or even restructure the current furniture within the room itself to create more space for your guests to roam around. 

2.) Declutter Your Kitchen

Take the time to go through your kitchen and make sure you have what you need to prepare and serve holiday meals. You can start with your fridge and freezer by tossing out any old, expired food items to make room for turkey, appetizers, pie and more. Designate a drawer or shelf within your fridge and pantry to place your holiday food so that everything is in one space and easily accessible. 

If you use special dish ware or china for your holiday dinners, set aside these items, but before doing so, take the time to re-wash or re-polish your items. Think about it; your dish ware has probably been sitting unused in your china cabinet for a year now…who wants to eat off of old, dusty plates?

Strategize on seating arrangements within your dining room, kitchen and patio. You can even use your kids as helpful little elves during this process by assigning them the task of creating name tags for the table settings. This will alleviate the time it will take you to come up with something creative, and will give your children a spot in helping put on the perfect holiday feast. 

Lastly, prepare for the big day by planning out your oven, microwave and stove schedule. Time out what items need the most time to cook, and plan out from there when you will be making each dish. Take the stress of yourself with cooking the entire dinner by asking your guests to bring appetizers, desserts and more. Remember: it’s okay to ask for help while holiday organizing! Especially during the holidays!

3.) Declutter The Kid’s Rooms

Take the time before the holiday madness to go through your kids’ toy box. By donating those items they no longer play with, you will not only clean up their rooms, but you will also make room for the new toys that are going to be coming into your home throughout the season. 

A good way to do this is to instill a “give one, get one” incentive with the kids; every time they give away a toy, they will be assured that Santa will be replacing that old toy with a new one. This is also a good opportunity to teach gratefulness for the season as well as helping those less fortunate. This humbling experience is not only great for the children to learn, but helpful in appreciating the holiday season together as a family as well. 

You can even turn this into a project for the household; going through each room and donating what you no longer use will not only help you enter the new year with a clutter-free home, but will also help you bond together as a family to help those who truly need it this holiday season. 

We hope these room-by-room decluttering tips help you during the craziness of the holidays. We wish you good luck with holiday organizing and getting your home together and as always, Me In Order is here to help you if you need it!

Me In Order is here to help you in any way you need to start your organizing project. If you are interested in learning more about how to hire an expert organizer, check out our Ultimate Guide To Hiring An Expert Organizer or contact us today!

Happy Holidays!

– The Team At Me In Order