Tips for a Stress-Free Holiday Season: My Top Organizing Hacks
The holidays. They’re supposed to be the most wonderful time of the year, right? So why do so many of us feel stressed, overwhelmed, and exhausted by the time we ring in the new year?
As a professional organizer and holiday enthusiast, I get it. Between shopping, baking, decorating, parties, and family gatherings, it’s easy to lose sight of what really matters. This year, give yourself the gift of organization so you can truly enjoy the holidays.
Calendar is King
The first step to holiday organization is getting all your plans, responsibilities, and deadlines in one place with a calendar. Grab your planner, phone calendar, or desktop calendar and start logging everything from holiday parties to school concerts. Don’t forget to include religious services if you plan to attend. You’ll also want to block out time (see my article on time-blocking for more on how to do this) for tasks like decorating, gift shopping, baking, and wrapping presents. Seeing it all in one place will help you identify any scheduling conflicts and make a realistic plan.
Set Deadlines for Everything
Once your calendar is set, go through and set deadlines for any items or tasks you need to complete. Make your deadlines at least 1 week in advance to account for the unexpected. This includes:
- Sending holiday cards
- Ordering gifts online to ensure timely delivery
- RSVPing to any party invites
- Completing holiday baking and meals
- Retrieving any items from storage like the artificial tree
- Planning your holiday travel if applicable
Lists Will Save Your Sanity
Lists, lists, and more lists. I swear by my lists for staying on top of everything during the holidays. Here are some essential lists to create:
- Master gift list. Include who you need to buy for, gift ideas, and checkboxes to track purchased items.
- Gifts to make. Are you planning any homemade gifts like baked goods or DIY crafts? Make a list with needed supplies.
- Baking list. Inventory what you need to make holiday treats and meals. Check ingredients off as you buy them.
- Guest list. Track names, contact info, and RSVPs for any parties or meals you are hosting.
- Travel packing list. Ensure you don’t forget anything if traveling for the holidays.
- Decorating list. Note indoor and outdoor decor and supplies needed to create a festive space.
Getting Organized for Gift Giving and Receiving
Let’s talk gifts! Here are my top tips for keeping gifts under control:
- Wrap as you go. Don’t save it all for the night before! Wrap a few gifts each night or every couple of days.
- Use gift bags. They make wrapping a breeze, can be reused, and are better for the environment.
- Assign each family member a gift wrap style. Then you don’t have to label gifts or play guessing games.
- Keep a list of gift card balances. Note the amount and retailer for each so you can easily check balances later.
- Open gifts over a tarp to immediately contain all gift wrap debris. Clean up will be a cinch!
- Display or store cards received with gifts. Put them on the fridge or in a holiday memory box.
- Donate items you don’t need/want to charity. No need to let gifts collect dust!
Overhaul Your Holiday Linen Closet
Let’s not forget about prepping for overnight guests and festive holiday meals! Give your linen closet a quick makeover by:
- Taking inventory of what you have for place settings, napkins, towels
- Donating, repurposing or disposing of stained, torn, or mismatching items
- Filling in gaps by purchasing affordable matching sets
- Folding and organizing neatly by type – napkins, towels, sheets
- Adding a holiday tablecloth, cloth napkins and runners if desired
Get Gift Wrap Organized
Want to save time, money, and frustration this season? Get your gift wrap station in order. Here are my tips:
- Invest in quality wrap, tissue, ribbon, and bags. They reuse better than cheap supplies.
- Store by color and style in clearly marked bins for easy grabbing.
- Keep tools like tape, tags, and scissors in one place. I use a caddy so it’s ready and portable.
- Maintain a recycling bin for bows, ribbons, and other reuseable items.
- Label your storage containers for easy resetting after the holidays.
Holiday Meals Made Simple
Cooking elaborate holiday meals can be daunting. Simplify by:
- Using an online meal planner to organize recipes, courses, cook times etc.
- Creating a detailed grocery list of every ingredient needed. Check them off as you shop.
- Chopping vegetables and prepping ingredients like pie dough ahead of time.
- Assigning dishes to share with guests and asking them to drop them off ready-to-serve.
- Setting the table the night before so it’s ready for the big day.
Keep Your Home Guest Ready
With overnight guests, you’ll want your home welcoming. Do a quick home refresh by:
- Swapping out hand towels, soap, linens, etc for holiday versions.
- Clearing bathroom counters and removing personal items.
- Setting out holiday decor and scented candles for ambiance.
- Ensuring guest beds are made with fresh sheets.
- Displaying snacks, drinks, and baked goods for guests to enjoy.
- Providing a basket of toiletries like toothbrushes if needed.
Plan a Post-Holiday Reset
As the holidays wind down, take time to organize and reset for the new year.
- Clear away holiday decorations promptly and store properly.
- Donate unused food items and gift wrap supplies to charity.
- Toss the Christmas tree at its peak freshness to reduce needle cleanup.
- Swap holiday linens back to basics and refresh guest rooms.
- Review and update your holiday checklists while tasks are still fresh.
- Take inventory of holiday gifts and supplies and make a budget for next year.
The holidays can be a magical time of year by bringing friends and family together to celebrate traditions and make lasting memories. But the extra tasks and activities this season brings can also run us ragged if we aren’t prepared. By rolling up your sleeves and getting organized ahead of time, you can minimize stress and truly enjoy the most wonderful time of the year.
What tips do you have for staying organized during the holidays? Share in the comments below!
Holiday Organization Checklist
🗓 Create a calendar with all events, obligations, parties
📆 Set deadlines for sending cards, online ordering, RSVPs
📝 Make a master gift list with ideas and to-buy items
🎁 Wrap gifts as you buy them
📦 Use gift bags to make wrapping easy
🏷️ Assign gift wrap styles to each family member
🎄 Make lists for homemade gifts, baking, travel, decorating
🥘 Meal plan, grocery shop and prep ahead of time
🧺 Give linen closets a makeover with holiday items
🎀 Organize gift wrap supplies by color in bins
💪 Do a quick home refresh for guests
🙏 Plan for post-holiday reset and storage
*Save this for later! Download the checklist by clicking HERE
Get Organized for the Holidays with My Free Printable Pack!
The holidays can get hectic, but being organized makes all the difference! That’s why I put together this free printable Holiday Organizer Pack just for you. It includes:
- A blank holiday to-do checklist to track everything you need to get done. Customize it for your specific tasks and deadlines.
- A December calendar to map out parties, obligations, travel and more.
- A thoughtful Christmas gift planning worksheet to track gift recipients, ideas, purchases and budget.
With these helpful printables, you’ll be ready to hit the ground running. You can grab your free printable download (and more free printables!) right here by signing up for the Nicole & Co newsletter below.
Have a holly jolly holiday season!
Make Organization a Breeze with These Christmas Essentials
The secret to a stress-free holiday season? Organization! Stay organized with these affordable holiday organizing products on Amazon.
Disclosure: There may be some affiliate links in the post below which means I may receive commission for purchases made through links in this post. These are all products I highly recommend. I won’t put anything on this page that I haven’t verified and/or personally used.
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