Organizing for the Holidays: How to Prepare
We're midway through October and for many New Yorkers, the rest of the year is going to be a mad dash. It's so important to get organized before the holiday rush, to ensure you can enjoy your family time fully. By hiring a professional organizer, you'll minimize your clutter, organize your most treasured belongings and maximize your space. With houseguests heading into town - no time is better to finally work with an organizer!
Here are a few of my expert organization tips you can implement at home before the holidays:
CLEAR THE CLUTTER
First - you'll need to remove each item in your guest bedroom or guest bathroom. Take inventory of what you have, what you use, and what you could donate or recycle. Often, these spaces become a dumping ground for belongings we don't need anymore. Preparing for the holidays is the perfect time to minimize that clutter to create a more comfortable guest environment.
But what types of things should you get rid of?
Clothing that doesn't fit
Decor or clothing that is no longer your style
Anything you wouldn't purchase again today
Duplicate items - More than one set of guest sheets? No need! When your guests leave, wash the linens immediately and save on storage space.
Items that don't serve more than one purpose
Anything broken or unable to be repaired
Items that need to be updated - Are you holding onto phone chargers from 5 years ago? Donate them. Does your guest bathroom have expired vitamins or medications that should be tossed and replaced?
Gifted items you haven't used
Items you're holding onto, because they were expensive. If you don't love it - donate it! Someone else will.
FILL IN THE NECESSITIES
Stock your guest bathroom with travel sized necessities, so they can be used up and recycled. This eliminates unnecessary clutter the rest of the year in your bathroom and prevents items from going bad.
Roll clean guest towels in a pretty laundry hamper in their room, so they have a space to leave anything to be laundered after their visit.
TAKE INVENTORY AND PLAN
Now that you've created space for your guests to stay, make sure your entertaining pieces are prepared for the holidays. Getting organized and preparing to entertain ahead of time will maximize your time, allow you to enjoy yourself, and make your guests feel more relaxed.
Get out your linens and send them to be cleaned now - instead of later. You'll save yourself hours of ironing later, and allow yourself more time to enjoy your guests while they're with you. When they come back from the cleaners, label them appropriately and leave them on the hanger for easy storage.
Inspect your flatware and polish if necessary. Make sure you have enough place settings for everyone and replace any that may have chipped during their last use.
Consider your menu, and pull out enough platters for each item. Don't forget serving utensils. Use post-it notes to label what will be served on each piece. It makes it so much easier for guests to help if they know what to do!
LABEL, LABEL, LABEL
The #1 time saving trick during a busy holiday season? Label everything. Guests don't like to be a bother, and your hands are so full entertaining, cooking and cleaning, handy labels can save everyone a headache.
Create a handy "How-To" guide for the kitchen counter, that includes your Wifi password, instructions on how to use the TV, adjust the thermostat, or start the dishwasher. This will save HOURS of explanation and will be a go-to resource for your house year-round.
Keep everyday items like silverware in beautiful ceramic cups on the counter while guests are in town so they can help themselves.
Label shelves in the fridge for what guests can snack on and what is saved for formal dinners.
Label any chargers you have for phones, tablets, laptops, so guests can help themselves.
Feeling overwhelmed? Let me assist! I work with busy New Yorkers to aesthetically organize their homes so they can focus their time on what is most important to them. Any questions? Leave them in the comments below!
The Aesthetic Organizer is a professional, personalized service that helps New York City residents organize their homes, simplify their lives and maximize their precious space. You deserve a beautiful, well-thought out home. Curated closets, organized bathrooms, cheerful children’s play areas and functionally spaced kitchens are only the beginning. Contact me here to experience the benefits that come with Aesthetic Organization.
