Manage Holiday Clutter with These Steps

A merry Christmas can turn into a nightmare for a busy mom who is juggling too many things at once. One way to reduce stress is to manage holiday clutter before it starts. By targeting the areas that tend to spin out of control most frequently, you can bring order to your holiday gift-giving, card sharing and Christmas Eve festivities. Here are a few ideas to inspire you.

Gift wrapping rolls

To have a merry Christmas you'll want to wrap your gifts in different wrapping papers. But wrapping paper rolls are bulky, and always seem to fall and roll out, which ruins the paper. To tame this holiday clutter problem, visit a container store and buy a cheap umbrella stand. Then stick all your wrapping papers inside and display your festive umbrella stand by your tree as part of your holiday ambiance.

Holiday receipts

Including gift receipts with your gifts may be practical but it seems materialistic. Instead, why not store your holiday receipts somewhere safe. Just buy a small message board at an office store. Stack each person's receipts together then pin them to the board with a Christmas greeting card on top. Then write the person's name in the card, to help you sort through the receipts easily. It's a beautiful way to manage your holiday clutter and decorate your home office or kitchen.

Holiday cards

As wonderful as holiday cards may be, they can turn holiday clutter into chaos. To organize the different cards you'll be mailing to different people, buy cheap decorative baskets at a craft store and store the cards inside. On top of the cards in each basket keep a list of the people you need to send this card to. Place a check-mark by each name once the card was sent, and add names to the list of you receive a holiday card and wish to reciprocate. Finally, why not display the Christmas cards you receive in the mail? Simply string a holiday ribbon over your mantelpiece and use colorful laundry pegs to hang the cards.

Christmas Eve treats

Without holiday treats Christmas Eve just wouldn't be magical. But the more treats you buy or make, the more holiday clutter you'll have to deal with. To store all your non-perishable snacks, which you buy ahead of time, simply place them on a large serving tray atop your fridge. To ornament your kitchen counters buy holiday jars (which are cheaper in sets of three), and store your holiday candy inside. Hide your home baked cookies in your bread box. And for last-minute baking, display your creations on Christmas serving plates, which are cheapest at party store.

With a little forethought you can stop the holiday madness before it starts, so you and your family can enjoy a stress-free, merry Christmas.

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