So many decorations, so little space! If you think outside the box, then you won’t need to store as many things inside a box! Here are some ideas to keep all your holiday trimmings under control.

Decide Before You Buy

When buying decorations, ask yourself this question: “Where am I going to put this when the holidays are over?” Decide where you will store the items before you buy them.

Sneaky Swaps

What everyday items can you make a few tweaks to and use for the next holiday? For example, instead of buying Christmas-themed pillows, cover your regular pillows with holiday slipcovers.

Be Transparent

While storage containers come in a variety of cool colors, it is best to stick with transparent containers. This way you can easily see what is inside each box without having to open them. It will save you time and a potential mess.

Name that Item

If you can’t afford to buy new see-through storage boxes, buy inexpensive label stickers to attach to your containers. Instead of simply marking a box “Christmas” include details as to what is in the box that you might want to use for other holidays, such as “tree ornaments or Christmas lights.” This way, the next time you go to decorate, you’ll be able to easily see what items you are looking for.

Decoration Donation

When you pull out your decorations for the season, go through them and get rid of what you no longer want. You can donate them to a thrift store. There’s no use continuing to store things you never use!

Other Fun Decoration Storage Ideas:

• Wrap string lights around a hanger to keep them from getting tangled.
• Hang artificial wreaths in drawstring garbage bags.
• Store fragile ornaments in plastic cups to keep them from getting crushed.
• Make use of used tissue paper from gift wrappings to wrap up decorations
• Place small ornaments in egg cartons.
• Put bead garland in a water bottle to keep it under control.
• Place wrapping paper rolls in a garment bag and hang it in a closet.

Gift of Organization

The above tips can help a bit, but to truly keep your holiday decor under control, consider giving yourself the gift of custom organization from Closets by Design – whether it’s in a closet, a garage, or a utility room. Custom shelves give you a spot to keep boxes and bins. Drawers can be ideal for small decorations. We can even customize drawers with clear drawer fronts so you can see what’s inside from the outside.

Click here to schedule your free in-home consultation. We can look at the items you want to store, talk with you about your objectives, and assess your existing space and create storage for your holiday decorations and heirlooms.

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Wondering About Wallbeds?

Wallbeds are the ultimate space savers when it comes to making room for guests. Hidden one minute and on display the next, wallbeds mean you can have your media room/office/craft room and sleep in it, too! Closets by Design’s foldaway designbed™ system allows homeowners to turn any spot in their house into a guest room. You can customize the design so that it suits the needs of your family even when visitors aren’t around. Turn a spare room into a den by wrapping a media center around a wallbed. With a couch on the other side, you’ll have a cozy spot to rest once your guests leave.

Organize Your Office Space

If you need a home office but don’t want to waste a spare room just on work, make it a multi-purpose guest room. Installing a wallbed in this space allows you to tuck away any thoughts of guests and get to work when you need to focus. Closets by Design’s designbed with desk system includes drawers, cabinets and a nightstand —which creates a sleek and organized, yet comfortable and inviting, look.

Mixing with Knick-Knacks

Another perfect purpose for a guest room can be to use it as a space to keep your collectibles. Perhaps you have trophies from your high school days, a set of porcelain dolls, or plaques that make you proud. There’s no need to hide these things in your attic, but you may not want them out in the open in your living room either. Allow your visitors to marvel at your marble figurines(or your collectibles of choice) by putting them on display in your guest room. If you have items that don’t need to be on display, but you don’t want them hiding in the faraway attic (maybe your winter coat collection), you could design a wall storage system. Closets by Design experts can create a customized wall unit that allows you to show off these items in an orderly fashion and still have room for a guest bed.

Make it Fit for Your Family

It’s easy to turn any spare room in your home into a guest room if you consider the specific needs of your family and visitors. Choose furniture that can serve a dual purpose. Grandparents with small grandchildren in the family may want to design a guest room that doubles as a nursery. Create a serene atmosphere with a comfortable daybed or fold-out couch alongside a crib with drawers. Homes with teenagers might have a game room where they hang out with their friends. So, add a media center with a wallbed and it’s instantly the perfect place for sleepovers and overnight guests.

Schedule your consultation to learn more about creating custom storage solutions in your guest rooms and Closets by Design’s other organizational systems. One of our design professionals can give you a free in-home consultation!

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The solution could be right in your own pantry — or at least inspired by it! You may already have many of the items needed to make your own gifts, and if not, you can take a quick trip to the grocery store. Read on for gift ideas to suit everyone from your child’s piano teacher to your neighborhood postal carrier.

Mason Jar Gifts
Mason jar gifts are always a hit among anyone who likes to cook. Recipients will enjoy not only making the recipes, but also saving the jars for reuse.

Here are a few ideas for fun mason jar gifts you can make. Simply layer the ingredients in the jar, attach a printed recipe on a nice card, add a bow, and voila! You’ve got a simple, inexpensive gift that needs no gift bag or box. The jar itself is presentation enough!

• Hot chocolate mix with cocoa, mini marshmallows, chocolate chips and peppermint (tutorial here)
• Quick bread, cookie or brownie ingredients (here’s one for chocolate chip oatmeal quick bread)
• Sauce, dip or soup ingredients (bean soup mix, anyone?)
• And of course, for the foodie who works with her hands so often, how about a manicure kit with polish, nail art and manicure tools?

Lunchbox Kits
Similar to mason jar gifts, lunchbox kits allow you to include the ingredients for all kinds of recipes and DIY projects. The larger size of a lunchbox lets you squeeze in more items than you could fit in a jar. A few ideas for lunchbox kits include:

• Cupcake kit for friends who love to bake, with baking cups, sprinkles, icing, a frosting spatula and a small recipe booklet
• S’mores kit for outdoorsy types
• Martini kit for your bartender friends, with mini alcohol bottles, olives and a martini class
• Set of homemade seasonings for foodies

You’ll find more food-themed gift ideas here.

Homemade Anything
Whether it’s cookies, jam, sauces or preserves, you can’t go wrong with anything delicious you prepare in the kitchen yourself. This one is great in a pinch, too, when you think you’ve checked off every person on your list and suddenly remember your neighbor three doors down.

Whip up your favorite recipe, and present it in a nice bag, jar, bottle, gift box, basket or tin dressed up with a ribbon and a homemade card. If you want to get fancy, you can make your own label using chalkboard stickers, or simply print one from your computer.

And remember, next time you’re canning peaches or making your famous spaghetti sauce, store away a few extra jars. You’ll be glad you did the next time you need to give a gift! For even more pantry-inspired gift ideas, click here.

Pantry Prep
Once you’ve decided which gifts you’d like to make, take a peek inside your pantry. Can you easily find the ingredients you need? Now is a good time to get organized so your gift-making process goes smoothly. From there, make a grocery list with any items you need.

If you find yourself in need of a custom solution to organize your pantry, please contact us to schedule a free in-home design consultation. We’ll be happy to recommend the best systems to help you ring in the new year with an orderly kitchen.

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Surprisingly, the holidays are a great time to de-clutter! With the promise of new clothing and toys, it’s easier for the whole family to get rid of old stuff. The holidays also bring toy, food and clothing drives, so you can pass along your extras to a family who really needs them. So let’s get started.

Step 1: Adopt a Clutter-Free Mindset

Your holiday de-clutter goal is to create an open, comfortable space for you and your family. This is going to make your daily life feel less stressful, and you’ll certainly save time on house cleaning after this.

For de-cluttering to be a success, it needs to be a family affair. If whining is a problem, remind kids that they need to make space for the new toys that are coming or make a game to see who can give away the most. Keep your focus on giving away items instead of trashing them. This is an opportunity to teach kids about the joy of generosity, as they choose to give away their possessions to someone else.

Step 2: Pick a Space

Starting small will keep you and your family from getting overwhelmed and giving up. Try beginning with a bathroom or the downstairs closet. As you build up your de-cluttering stamina, you will find yourself itching to get to those larger rooms, like the kitchen or your kids’ bedrooms.

Step 3: Jettison Junk

Systematically go through your space and get rid everything that you don’t need. Watch out for common excuses to keep things, like “I might need that someday” or “I really loved that four years ago.” If you haven’t used it in the last year, odds are you won’t in this next year either. Get rid of it. Remember, you are making space to enjoy the holidays!

As you go, divide the things you are getting rid of into a “Donate” bin and a “Trash” bin. Donate anything that is in good condition. Throw away the rest. This can be painful, but you’ll love the result of a clutter-free home.

Step 4: Organize The Rest

Now that you have pared down to what you actually need, the fun can begin. Look for creative and exciting ways to organize your newly cleared space. Pinterest has some excellent organizational ideas for DIY projects. If you want to dream a bit bigger, take a look at Closets By Design’s custom closets, pantries, garages and laundry rooms!

With a home free from clutter, you and your family can relax and enjoy the holidays. And when your parents stop over for an unexpected visit, your mad-dash house cleaning spree will be a piece of cake.

Looking for a more serious de-clutter challenge? Give the 30-day-minimalist game a try. Be warned though: It’s not for the faint of heart!

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Even if you’re a “one-box-per-holiday” decorating diva, unless you have a plan, seasonal items can be a hassle and get misplaced or buried behind other storage making them inconvenient to use. Have you ever passed over decorating for a special holiday because you couldn’t remember where you stored the decorations?

Here are some tips to help with keeping your seasonal decorations available and ready without using up the space you need for everyday use.

If possible, have one place for seasonal storage

One central location for seasonal storage is the ideal—everything your need for the holidays in one place! This could be a section of the garage, basement or outdoor shed fitted with shelving to accommodate bins or boxes of decorations. If you cannot consolidate holiday storage, by getting creative you can find the space you need. And even though you may not need to access seasonal decorations very often, you do want places that are not difficult to reach.

• Under-bed storage
• Closet or empty space under a staircase
• Top shelves in closets, laundry room, kitchen, pantry or home office
• Guest room closet can provide lots of storage as well as space for a guest to use

Another option is furniture designed to provide additional storage:

• Ottomans and coffee tables are serviceable pieces that provide storage
• Dressers or chests of drawers can provide storage space for smaller items
• Hutches or credenzas can provide out-of-sight storage as well as display surfaces
• Storage benches provide seating and storage space

If you do have multiple storage locations throughout your home and garage, make a list of where everything is so you’ll be able to find “Valentine’s Day” quickly when you need it. The more scattered your seasonal and holiday storage, the greater the possibility of losing or forgetting what you have.

User-friendly storage

Whether you’ve spent years collecting things to brighten your holidays or you’re a newbie, you want to protect your stored treasures. How you pack things away can make the difference between enjoying them year after year or having to continually buy replacement pieces.

• • Breakables should be carefully wrapped
  • Plastic, see-through bins let you see what’s inside
  • Plastic containers with lids repel moisture, rodents and insects, the nemeses of any storage
  • One bin per holiday or season or you can double up
  • Accurately label each container
  • Group storage bins or boxes together by season
  • Purge no longer needed or wanted decorations each year
  • Use as many same-size, stackable containers as possible to maximize space
  • Largest and heaviest containers on the bottom; lightest on top
  • Don’t overload bins; dropping a heavy box of dishes or glassware can spoil your day

Swapping out storage space

When bringing out special holiday decorations, put away the everyday items to avoid a cluttered look. Rather than needing additional space to store the removed items, they can go into the emptied seasonal containers. Simply swap out the existing with the new things you want to display or use. For example, if you have a spring/summer comforter set and a fall/winter comforter set, an under-bed storage bag holds whichever set is not in use. You don’t need storage for both sets.

Or the Christmas dishes; they can be stored in the (extremely unhandy) cabinet above the refrigerator and swapped out with the everyday dishes at Christmas time. The rest of the year you don’t have to consider that unhandy cabinet, it’s dedicated to Christmas dishes and it’s not wasted space.

Holiday and seasonal decorating should not be a chore; its purpose is to enhance the enjoyment of the season for you, your family and friends.

If you need help with seasonal/holiday storage or just maximizing everyday storage in your home, Closets by Design can provide custom designs to get your home organized. Our talented designers can help with closets, kitchens, pantries, garages, laundry/utility rooms and more to find the space you need that you didn’t know you had!

Visit our virtual showrooms at www.closetsbydesign.com or call us at 1-888-500-9215 for a free, in-home consultation with a designer near you.

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And you want to enjoy the time as well, so trying for a complete home renovation is probably not the way to go. However, there are a few things you can do that will enhance the experience of being the “hostess with the mostess” without breaking the bank.

Planning Ahead

With scheduled visits you have the luxury of time to plan ahead. Map out a schedule of tasks that will bring you to the day of guest arrival without going crazy. Don’t put everything off until the last minute; do as much as you can in advance.

• Tackle any deep cleaning like a Swiffer sweep of walls to catch dust or cobwebs
• De-clutter your porch and entryway; replace any burned out lights
• Get out any holiday dishes you’ll need and have them washed and ready
• Do your holiday/seasonal decorating early and pack away the storage boxes
• Do some menu planning and be sure you stock your kitchen with what you’ll need
• Have snacks and drinks to accommodate your guests’ tastes—coffee or tea, sweetener or sugar?
• Add a night-lite or two for safe trips to the bathroom at midnight
• Inventory bed linens and towels to ensure you have enough to accommodate everyone
• Figure out sleeping arrangements if the visit requires some shifting (i.e., grandparents in the kids’ rooms, get air mattresses for the cousins)
• If you have pets, bathe them and clean their sleeping areas
• Clear your yard of any unnecessary items or dead plants
• If the season permits, clean patio furniture and have it ready for use

The more you can do in advance, the less stress you’ll have when your guests actually arrive. You want to be able to spend the time with them, not spend time continually fussing and worrying.

Creating a Gracious Guest Room

The guest room is the designated space for your visitor’s use and comfort. Making that space as inviting as possible will add to the enjoyment of their visit. Whether you have a specific guest room or a room that doubles as an office or other-use room, here are some things you can do to make the guest room (or area) comfortable and welcoming.

De-clutter the area.

• If this room is generally used as a catch-all, clear it out for the visit. If it’s a dual-purpose room, store away the everyday “stuff” that fills the space, freeing up furniture surfaces and the floor so your guest will have usable space.

Have sufficient closet and drawer space.

• Make sure there is enough closet and drawer space so your guest doesn’t have to live out of their suitcase, and show them the space that is available for their use. A dozen assorted hangers in the closet should take care of any hanging needs, and dresser drawers or closet hanging cubbies can hold folded items. Free up closet space for their empty suitcase and shoes.

Provide a seating/reading area.

• Many people travel with their laptops, notebooks or kindles, so a comfortable reading space will be appreciated. A chair, desk and a strong reading light invite leisurely relaxation for time alone or winding down before bed. You may want to place books or magazines that you know your guest will enjoy on the night stand, along with some reading glasses—just in case.

Ensure adequate lighting.

• Along with a reading lamp, a bedside table lamp that can be turned off from bed is a good idea so your guest won’t have to maneuver in the dark after turning off a light switch. A night light in the room or bathroom is helpful in unfamiliar surroundings, especially if the bathroom is down the hall. Supplement natural light with enough lamps to brighten the room, one overhead light is usually not enough.

Use nice linens.

• To help your guests get a good night’s sleep, clean, fresh bed linens and pillows are essential. Providing both soft and firm pillows allows your guest to choose which they prefer. Make the bed up just before the visit; don’t have sheets that have been on the bed for months. Provide extra blankets for layering and a lap robe or throw to wrap up in when reading.

Have extra toiletries.

• Be sure the bathroom is stocked with extra toilet paper and tissues. You can also create a welcome basket with toiletries like shampoo, soap, new toothbrush, toothpaste, feminine products, shaving cream, a razor—things they might have forgotten. If they’re sharing a bathroom, this welcome basket can be in the guest room along with their towels and wash cloths so there’s no question that these items are for their use.

Additional thoughtful touches.

• Reflect on what you like in your own room, and add that little something extra to make your guest room feel like home.
  • • Holiday/seasonal decoration in the room
    • Fresh flowers
    • Scented candle
    • Alarm clock
    • Small TV, radio or CD player and selection of music
    • Standing mirror and/or makeup (magnifying) mirror

Extra special touches. Goodie basket with bottled water and favorite snacks in the room.

If you need help getting ready for the holidays, Closets by Design can help you get the most out of your space by maximizing utility and storage. Our talented designers are expert at planning dual-purpose rooms, custom closets, highly functional kitchens, pantries and utility/laundry rooms to make your life easier.

Just go online to www.closetsbydesign.com to visit our virtual showrooms, or call 1-888-500-9215 to find the designer nearest you and schedule a free, in-home consultation. Plan now to make the holidays more enjoyable and stress free for you, your family and invited (or surprise) guests.

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