Wrapping Up the Holidays

It's hard to believe that the holidays are coming to a close. It's one of my favorite times of year as I get to spend quality time with family and friends and am reminded that it is time with loved ones that truly fills my life with joy. While I am reluctant to accept that this special time of year is winding down, I am looking forward to having a simple plan for how to wrap everything up so that getting ready for the holidays next year will be a breeze. I have come up with a list of things that can help you do the same. Check it out:

1.  When starting to repack your holiday decorations and wares, discard any items that are broken, worn out or otherwise in bad shape. There is no sense in hanging on to strands of lights that no longer shine or ornaments that are cracked. Ruthlessly declutter! It will help you feel better instantaneously. 

2.  Before packing up your ornaments and decorations, edit the stash of items that did not get used this year. If you did not choose to put out an old Christmas platter or a wreath that's lost its' shape this year, you won't change your mind when it comes time to decorate next year. Things in really bad shape should be tossed or recycled (if possible). And items that are still in good condition but no longer suit your taste or the theme of your decorations can be donated to friends or places like Goodwill or ARC Thrift Stores. Bonus: You'll brighten someone else's holiday spirit when they discover a new treasure. 

3.  Next, while putting everything away, create an inventory of your decorations and include it on the very top of the storage boxes. I recommend listing all items either by category (e.g. wreaths (2); table linens (3 rectangular table cloths: gold, red, green); lights (4 strands), etc.) and/or by location in your house (e.g. front entry way, living room mantle, etc.). Not only will this allow you to quickly identify what items you have on hand and where they can be placed in the future, you will also be able to identify any new items you'd like to add to your holiday decor for next year. Right now is a great time to purchase holiday items at a steep discount!

4.  One of the most important tasks is to store everything in appropriate storage containers. You want to contain your items in boxes or bins that will maximize storage space. While I typically prefer clear storage containers so that the contents can be easily seen, I choose to use red and green containers for my holiday decorations so that I can immediately differentiate those tubs from ones housing non-holiday items. But be sure to label the outside of containers with a list of what it is inside for easy retrieval. Click on the links below for a variety of storage options for typical holiday items:

• Ornaments
• Wreaths 
• Christmas lights

5.  Holiday lights can easily become a tangled mess making it almost easier to buy a new set every year. Rather than waste money, check out one of the options in the link above AND be sure to label each strand  of lights with the location where it was used this year. This will prevent you from getting halfway through wrapping your railing before running out of lights. 

6.  Use a Christmas tree disposal bag from Amazon to get rid of your trees without leaving pine needles throughout your house. And check out this link to find out where to recycle your Christmas tree. 

7.  Consolidate all of your wrapping supplies and integrate them into your wrapping station. Toss all small scraps of wrapping paper, torn tissue paper or bags that are beat up. Tattered wrapping takes away some of the joy of opening up an otherwise beautiful gift. If you are looking for a way to house all of the remaining wrapping supplies, check out these options from The Container Store:

• Gift Wrap Work Station
• Customized Gift Wrap Center
• Hanging Gift Wrap Organizer

8.  Review all of the holiday cards you received this year and use that to build or modify your holiday card list for next year. Be sure to update any new addresses in your address book or Christmas card list and labels. They'll be ready to go come next December!

9.  Construct a tentative gift list for next year based on whom you exchanged gifts with this year. Jot down any preliminary gift ideas that you have for each person on your list and carry it with you in your purse, phone or planner. Now when you are out shopping throughout the year, you can start to purchase gifts and avoid the holiday stress that comes with the tick-tock countdown of shopping days till Christmas!

10.  If you did a lot of entertaining this season, review all of the holiday recipes you used. Discard any that you didn't like or would not make again. On recipes you do plan to use again, make any notes about changes  you made or would do in the future and then place them in a special "Holiday" section of your recipe box or binder. When preparing your menu for next year's festivities, you will have a sample menu ready to go!

11.  Download all digital photos onto your computer and label them as Holiday or Christmas 2012 - whatever label that will be easy for you to remember when looking for these pictures in the future. Immediately delete any photos that are blurry, unattractive or poorly framed. Share or print any special photos now before the new year begins and this falls to the bottom of your To Do list. Websites like Shutterfly and Snapfish make sharing and ordering photos easy and efficient. I highly recommend backing up all photos on a flash drive, CD or external hard drive to prevent loss. 

12.  I think perhaps the most important thing to do in wrapping up the holidays is to spend some time reflecting on the most memorable parts of your festivities this year. Jot down what you consider to be the top moments of the holidays, for example, seeing The Nutcracker, ice-skating on Evergreen Lake with family or baking Christmas cookies with friends. When the holidays are approaching next year, refer to this list of memorable activities and be sure to schedule them in your calendar. Focus on setting aside time for these items and be willing to say no to other activities that crop up but won't be as enjoyable. By prioritizing your time, you will be sure to have another great holiday season.

Season's greetings from my family to yours!

The Gift of Order

During the holiday season, attention often turns to giving gifts to our friends and loved ones. But this fun task can turn into anything but if your wrapping supplies aren't well organized. Such was the case with this gift wrapping closet. It had turned into a big mess which made even the thought of wrapping presents in colorful papers and ribbons an absolute nightmare. In just a couple of hours, this seemingly unwieldy pile of all things paper became a manageable wrapping station. See below for the 3 simple steps to create this transformation!

Wrapping closet - BEFORE

1.) SORT - The first step in conquering the chaos was to remove everything from the closet and sort it into like piles. Ribbons and embellishments were grouped together as were other items such as tissue paper, gift bags, packing material, gift boxes and wrapping paper. This really helped in getting a sense of just how much stuff there was and then led to the next step of deciding what to keep and what to get rid of. The bonus was that we discovered many cute bags and papers that had long been hidden from view!

2.)  EDIT - The next step was to pare down the collection of wrapping supplies to only what was in good condition and may actually be needed for future use. In this case, there was an overabundance of boxes that were just taking up space and cluttering the closet. We really had to be very honest about actually how many boxes one needs at any given time. (Hint: Not as many as you think! Keep just one box in 3-5 different sizes. That's plenty!) The rest went straight to the recycle bin. 

3.) CONTAIN - After paring down the collection to a reasonable number and variety of gift boxes, we used the bigger boxes as containers to hold the ones we wanted to keep. We did the same with the gift bags. Due to limited space in the closet, the remaining shipping boxes were condensed into larger boxes and moved to storage in the basement since they are not used as often.

Tissue paper was folded neatly and corralled by the use of large binder clips.

Ribbons were sorted and then held together by paperclips. We repurposed a gift bag to hold them all in one place.

The end result is a gift wrapping closet that is not only much prettier to look at but also much more functional.    Rather than digging through an avalanche of bags and bows, we can immediately locate a suitable gift bag or box, tissue paper and tie it up with a bow which saves time and stress. How's that for a present this holiday season?!

Wrapping closet - AFTER

***This project was completed entirely with existing supplies. Keep an eye out for my next blog though where I will profile some great products that can create wonderful wrapping stations in any corner of your house!

Nursery Neatness

I apologize for my extended hiatus from blogging. I have a good excuse; I swear! I was busy getting ready for this little guy's arrival and then adjusting to being a new mom.

Rhett Sawyer Campbell

But now that we've had a chance to get to know each other quite a bit and fall madly in love with each other, I am beginning to re-enter the world. I have quickly learned that organization is key as a mom, so I spent some time recently sorting out Rhett's nursery. Check it out:

Good storage is a key component, so we purchased a six-drawer dresser that doubles as a changing table as well as a standing shelving unit that houses all of the little guy's toys and books. 

The top left drawer holds diapers, wipes and other necessities that make changing time a breeze...well, at least when Rhett doesn't decide to squirm around. All of the clothes that are in current rotation are housed in the dresser too. 

And to make getting dressed as easy as possible, everything is labeled by size and type. Currently Rhett is rocking the 3 month clothes, but when he moves up a size, it will be easy enough to replace the 3 month label with a 6 month one and swap out clothes that fit. 

 

Problem:   We were lucky enough to get lots of cute clothes as gifts for our little man and we want to be sure that he gets to wear them all before he grows out of them. 

Solution:   Create outfits from clothes at the top of the stacks. After doing laundry, place the freshly washed clothes at the bottom of the stack. This keeps everything in a regular rotation and ensures that your little one has lots of cure looks!

The closet houses blankets, linens, outerwear and special holiday outfits. Additionally, clothes that Rhett hasn't yet grown into are kept in this handy 6-slot organizer sorted by size. When he gets to the next size up, these clothes will be moved from the closet into the dresser. 

I am realizing already how quickly babies grow! At 2 months old, Rhett has grown out of his few newborn clothes. The clothes that he no longer fits into get washed, put in a Ziploc bag and then put in a storage container which is kept in longer term storage in the basement. It keeps his room from getting cluttered with things he no longer fits into but keeps everything fresh for future use. 

Admittedly, I still have A LOT to learn about being a mom! But trying to stay organized is helping me to devote as much time as possible to my precious little Rhett.

Table Time

Last weekend one of my wonderful clients and I worked on an area that is front and center in her home - her kitchen table. Because it is such a prominent piece of furniture, it has become a catch-all for many items en route to their "homes".  When we started, this is what the table looked like:

We immediately got to work tackling the contents of the table. There were lots of questions asked along the way:

• What would you ideally like to use this space for? 
• Do you really need to keep this item or that? 
• Is there a better place for this item? 
• What can we re-purpose or recycle?

My client thoughtfully replied to each question and together we were able to create a much more streamlined space for her office essentials as well as room for what she someday hopes to do...eat dinner with her husband at their kitchen table!

Great organizational tools

I took a recent trip to Ikea and was so inspired by many of the organizing products I saw there. We all have areas where we need to maximize space, and Ikea is filled with inventive ways to do just that. Not only do the products make staying organized much easier, they are also very visually appealing. Additionally, they would go great with many different types of decor.  Here is just a small sampling of the wonderful items I discovered...

Great utensil & spice holders that take up hardly any space!
And stainless steel goes with any decor.

Collapsible table can be stored out of the way when not needed but  also includes storage!
Why not keep  your fancy table linens in the drawers in between dinner parties?!

How nifty are these racks?
Great ways to store pots & lids  when cabinet space is limited.

Not sure how to keep the refrigerator from being overrun with your kids' artwork?
Try these wire hangers for a rotating art gallery.

Feeling Overwhelmed? Create Order

I recently came across a passage from a book called Simple Abundance: A Daybook of Comfort and Joy by Sarah Ban Breathnach that really resonated with me. Here is an excerpt:

"Whenever I am feeling overwhelmed by outside circumstances - worries about money, concern over a sick family member, or anxiety over prolonged business negotiations - instinctively I turn to homegrown rituals to restore my equilibrium. There is an immediate emotional and psychological payoff to getting our houses in order. We might not be able to control what's happening externally in our lives but we can learn to look for our own inner resources for a sense of comfort that nurtures and sustains...If you feel constantly adrift but don't know why, be willing to explore the role that order - of the lack of it - plays in your life. No woman can think clearly when constantly surrounded by clutter, chaos, and confusion, no matter who is responsible for it."

Just as Ms. Breathnach writes of, I notice a shift in my mood when my surroundings are chaotic. The good news is that working my way out of a funk can be as easy as picking up just one room in my house. If you ever find yourself feeling this way, know that relief can be found pretty quickly. Start small and in the place that provides the most sanctuary for you, be it your bedroom, bathroom or living room. (You know you've picked the right place if this is the place that you want to retreat to whenever you are feeling stressed.) Simply by putting a few things away (start with just one small corner), you can regain a sense of order and control. When your personal space feels more in order, so does your mind and soul. Then it's time to sit back, kick your feet up and enjoy a little well-deserved "you" time! The rest of the world can wait...

Creating Workable Space

I recently worked with a fabulous client on a really fun and impactful project. We transformed a desk that sits in her living area. The desk had become unusable, as it served as a repository for all sorts of miscellaneous stuff...bills, photos, candles and decorations, notepads, doggy toys, etc.

Work Area - Before

In a matter of just a few hours, we were able to get rid of many of the items in and on the desk and find homes for the things that she still needed. We were able to clear the top of the desk to allow for a convenient "inbox-style" filing system to keep track of current projects and to house her printer which had been hidden next to the couch. Now she has a place to pay bills, surf the internet and keep track of important documents. This transformation has also added a sense of order to her living room, allowing her to  really relax at the end of a long day!

Work Area - After

Wrapping Up the Holidays

On this, the first day of a new year, I must admit that I am somewhat ambivalent about bidding adieu to the holiday season. The holidays bring with them so many joys that I am always sad to see them go. However, I love the idea of starting a new year with a clean slate...which led me back down to the basement to pull out all of the boxes where I store my holiday decorations. Surprisingly, the process took me less than an hour thanks to some basic organizing tips.

If you are feeling a little overwhelmed by the process of putting away your holiday decorations, I recommend the following steps.

1.) Set aside enough time without any distractions so that you can focus on the task at hand. You will feel much better if you can complete the whole job and check it off your list!
2.) In order to most effectively store ornaments, I suggest using a plastic (great for moisture-resistance) or cardboard tote that has sectioned off areas.
3.) Wrap strands of lights individually and secure with twist ties to keep them from getting tangled.
4.) Before you put the boxes away, be sure to get rid of any broken decorations or things you no longer plan to use.
5.) Label the boxes and them store in one area so that you know exactly where to access all of the decorations when the time comes to put them back up next winter.

For more great tips, visit this helpful article on Real Simple's website: http://www.realsimple.com/holidays-entertaining/holidays/christmas/storing-holiday-decorations-10000001133623/index.html 

Happy New Year!