The holidays have come and gone for this year, so now is the time to tackle the mess left behind. You want to set up your home for success and put your holiday items away with intention and structure so that you will be ready to take on next year with ease.

The first thing you want to handle is the TRASH- get a black trash bag, walk around your home and start collecting any garbage. Break down boxes, collect packaging, and recycle any materials that you can.

Next, look at the items that you did not put out this year and ask yourself why? Maybe they do not match your current home, maybe you do not like them anymore or they aren’t in good shape or maybe you just have too much and no more room to put anything out. Whatever the reason, there is probably a good reason why you chose not to use them, and this is a good time to declutter those items. Drop them off at your local donation center or post them on your local buy-nothing page.

Before you take down your decor from this year, why not take a photo of each room so you can recreate the space next year? When taking down décor, I like to bring a storage container to that room and pack things away by space. For fragile items, you can certainly use bubble wrap but if you don’t have any on hand, you can wrap the items in softer décor like stockings, throw blankets, tree skirts, and Santa hats. Put your heaviest items on the bottom and the most fragile on top. Label the bin according to the room- Like Holiday Living Room OR Holiday Kitchen. This will help you decorate faster next year.

When taking down the tree, I like to have two containers on hand and a large storage bag. The artificial tree should go in the tree bag and be stored in a temperature-controlled space. Ornament boxes are great for those fragile items, they usually have dividers but if they don’t you can’t go wrong adding in a little bubble wrap or using some of your leftover tissue paper to cushion the items. In the other container, I like to put the lights, extension cords, tree toppers, and tree skirts and label that Tree Items. – again, it makes it so much easier next year to recreate your setup. I have seen the viral trend of wrapping your entire tree in saran wrap, ornaments and all, and storing it standing upright, the following year just cut the saran wrap and you’re good to go, I’ve never tried it but it seems like it could be worth a try.

Holiday lights are hard to store so before I put them away, I like to make sure they are working and then I wrap them around my arm to create a bundle and then secure them with a rubber band. I keep indoor lights in the tree box and outdoor lights in their own bin. In that bin, you can keep other outdoor items, like extension cords, spotlights, lights, timers, etc.… Wreath bags are great but if you do not have them, I like to cover my wreaths with black trash bags to keep them dust free and hang them on a command hook on a spare wall in my basement.

Wrapping paper, bags, bows, and other gift-giving items should all be stored together. Before you pack it away, go through your inventory and remove any bags that are in bad shape or ones you wouldn’t use again. You can store the items in an upright wrapping paper box, or an under-the-bed box or if your storage space has a door, you can use an over-the-door hanger to keep the wrapping items organized.

Consider your storage space – indoor holiday décor should be stored in a temperature-controlled space – avoid places like the attic or garage if you can- ornaments, candles, and other items could get damaged if stored in a space where it is too hot or cold. The best place to store holiday décor is in a spare closet or on a shelf in your basement. Consider how much space you have and choose storage containers that fit that space. I like to limit myself to the number of containers I store, this helps me keep my décor to a minimum. Choose containers that fit your space and make sure to always put a label on them, so you know exactly what you have and where it is.

Use vertical storage- if you have high ceilings in your garage, getting a rack or shelves that go to ceiling height is great for storing those outside seasonal décor items. You only need them once a year so keeping them up and off the floor will keep them safe until next year.

When organizing your storage space, empty it out completely and put your Xmas décor towards the very back and then arrange in holiday order by having the next holiday closer to the front. And make sure to label those bins so when you need Easter or Spring décor that would be in the front and then Summer, Fall, and Winter behind that.

By taking a little time this year to clean up, declutter and organize your holiday decor, you are setting yourself up for success next year. Help take the stress out of the holidays by simplifying now. If you have any clever storage ideas or tips, share them below!

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Post-Holiday Cleanup and Declutter