Make the Most of this Holiday Season by Getting Strategic!

The holidays are right around the corner, and if you don’t want your busy holiday schedule getting the best of you and your family, we suggest you get strategic! As your NYC professional organizer, I’m here to share my suggestions on the best ways to get ahead of the hectic holiday season and make the most of them.

This professional home organizer in NYC has found that getting your home in order is the first step in strategic holiday planning. Getting your family on board with making the most of this fun season is another key factor. Here are some tips that can be the basis for creating your own plan for a happier, better organized holiday season.

Update your family command center for the holidays

• Communication stations are one of the favorite family organization tools of this professional home organizer in NYC, especially for the holiday season. Utilize an editable desk or wall calendar just for this busy time of the year.
  • Be sure to add any and all important dates, color coordinate per family member, if necessary, and keep in a spot your family is sure to see.
  • Set important reminders in your family’s smart phones and/or digital agendas to keep everyone on the same page.
  • Another top tip from our NYC professional organizer: add new files/baskets for holiday items when home organizing for holidays – a holding place for greeting cards, a place to organize your own holiday mailings and holiday shopping catalogs.

Minimize your holiday commitments

• Don’t be afraid to say no if you’re already beginning to feel overwhelmed by what the holidays bring.
• Be sure to make time for those events that have become traditions for your family – be it a simple night at home cookie decorating, walking around your neighborhood and checking out the holiday décor, or even planning your annual soiree – these are tasks you’ll need to prioritize and schedule in your calendar.

Create a gift & wrapping station in your home

• The holidays mean organizing paper clutter of a different kind. If the kids are out of school, turn their study corner into holiday gift central. Utilize an empty basket or shelf in a closet as a place to hold gifts before they’re wrapped. Stock up on tape, scissors, and have a variety of papers, bags and ribbons readily available.
• Keep a notebook and pen at your gift wrap station so you can keep notes of gifts you’ve purchased/wrapped, keep track of your gift budget, etc. Take it from this NYC professional organizer, you’ll be glad for this notebook in January when the holiday bills show up in your mailbox.
• Consider stocking up on things like bottles of wine, candles, tea towels, and other small, but thoughtful items that you can grab at a moment’s notice when heading to a party, visiting a friend, or someone stops by with an unexpected gift.

Clear the excess not needed for the holidays

• Your professional home organizer in NYC advises that you make time to de-clutter each room in your home – put away suitcases and souvenirs from your summer getaway, discard the last three months of unread magazines.
• Go through your closets and pack away all those warm weather clothes to make room for jackets and boots.
• In the kitchen, consider pulling all of your holiday cooking necessities together in one cabinet – this could include cookie sheets, roasting pans, special serving platters and anything you may need easy access to during this busy time of year.
• Think twice about bringing out ALL of that holiday decorations. Consider only utilizing what’s most special to you and your family. Displaying what’s most important will allow you to get the most enjoyment out of those items. And it will help to minimize the clutter and time spent cleaning after the holidays!

Happy (early) holidays and happy planning! I hope these strategies for getting ahead of this busy season resonate with you, and help you make the most of this special time of the year! If you are in need of additional assistance in planning for this holiday season or organizing the paper clutter it brings, contact our NYC professional organizer. We’ll help you get on track so you can focus on enjoying the holidays with your family.