Published: December 01, 2024

Holiday Home Organization: Tips to Get Ready

As the holiday season approaches, preparing your home for the festivities can be both exciting and overwhelming. Hosting guests, cooking meals, and decorating all require a well-organized space. By taking a few key steps now, you can avoid stress later and ensure your home is ready for the holidays. Here’s a guide to help you organize your house in time for the season.

1. Declutter High-Traffic Areas in Your Home

Start by focusing on high-traffic areas like the living room, kitchen, and entryway. These spaces tend to gather clutter throughout the year, and during the holidays, they’ll be used even more frequently. Sort through items and create three piles: keep, donate, and throw away. Be ruthless when deciding what to discard or donate, as the goal is to create a functional and welcoming environment. Set up donation boxes in these rooms and designate a specific day for drop-offs.

2. Maximize Kitchen Storage

The kitchen will likely be the busiest room during the holidays. Organize your pantry, cabinets, and refrigerator to ensure you have ample space for holiday cooking. Group similar items together (e.g., baking ingredients, snacks, canned goods) and use clear containers to store smaller items. Don’t forget to clean out the fridge to make space for holiday dishes and leftovers. Label containers and shelves to maintain organization throughout the season.

3. Create a Guest-Ready Space

Whether you’re expecting overnight guests or hosting a holiday party, having a guest-ready space is essential. Freshen up the guest bedroom by decluttering, washing linens, and making sure it’s stocked with essentials like towels, toiletries, and extra blankets. If you don’t have a guest room, consider creating a comfortable area in the living room or den with a pull-out couch or air mattress. Use baskets or bins in common areas to store extra blankets or pillows for guests.

4. Organize Holiday Decorations

Holiday decorations bring a festive touch to your home, but they can also create chaos if not stored properly. Before you begin decorating, go through your existing decorations and discard any that are broken or no longer used. Use storage bins to categorize decorations by holiday and label each bin clearly. Once the season is over, you’ll be able to easily store everything back in place. Keep hooks, nails, and other hanging tools in a small container inside each decoration bin for easy access next year.

5. Tidy up Common Areas

As holiday parties and gatherings increase, keeping common areas like the living room, dining room, and bathrooms clean and tidy is crucial. Wipe down surfaces, dust shelves, and vacuum or sweep floors regularly. In the bathroom, ensure there are enough clean towels, toiletries, and a full supply of soap for guests. Set up a small cleaning caddy with essential supplies in each bathroom for quick touch-ups before guests arrive.

6. Create a Holiday to-do List

Lastly, create a holiday organization to-do list. Prioritize tasks based on what needs to be done first, such as deep cleaning certain rooms, shopping for holiday essentials, or setting up decorations. Break tasks into manageable steps and set deadlines to avoid last-minute rushes. Hang your list in a visible place, like the fridge, so that the whole family can contribute to holiday preparations.

Organizing your home ahead of the holidays is the best way to ensure a stress-free and enjoyable season. By decluttering, optimizing storage, and prepping guest spaces, you can focus on what truly matters—spending quality time with loved ones. Start early, and you’ll be ready to welcome the holidays with a well-organized home.

For extra storage space in your home during the holidays, visit UNITS® Moving and Portable Storage of San Antonio or give us a call at (210) 591-7437.