I sat down with Lora Van Balen from California Closets to get a quick run down of the best ways to organize for the holidays!
You can also see my incredible garage and home office transformation in the video above.
She also gave me a more comprehensive list to share with you (BELOW):
In your clothes closet:
· Remove summer items, such as bathing suits, workout tanks and exercise shorts, then store them in a dark, dry place in your home.
· Hang winter shirts on the bottom bar of your closet and pants on the top one. Since shirts are bulkier than pants when hung, organizing your clothes this way gives the illusion of more space and makes each item easier to find when you need it.
· Fold your sweaters. When you hang sweaters, they can stretch and lose their shape. Instead, fold them, and then store them in short stacks on shelves. This will also keep your hanging space from getting too cramped.
In your garage:
· Whether you’re storing your holiday decorations in the garage or elsewhere in your home, plastic storage bins and containers make more sense than cardboard boxes. Plastic storage bins are sturdier, stack easier, are easier to move around, and provide superior moisture protection compared to cardboard boxes.
· Labelled containers eliminate the time-consuming guesswork that inevitably occurs when it’s time to unpack your decorations and find what you need when decorating your home next holiday season.
· One of the most commonly underutilized storage areas in garages are its walls. Reclaiming that valuable garage floor space to allow for parking.
· Utilize wall mounts for large winter sports items. This helps encourage your family, particularly children, to put these things in their designated places after use.
In your mudroom or entryway:
· Get shoes and winter boots off the ground by using shelves or wire baskets for storage. This helps you avoid losing items in the bottom of your closet and will keep your floors clean and dry.
· Designate hooks for wet raincoats so they won’t ruin other garments by hanging against them.
· Pair gloves and glove-scarf sets, then store them in bins or cubbies by family member instead of throwing everyone’s gloves and scarves into one big drawer. This will help kids and adults find the items they’re looking for more easily.
Pantry:
Set aside an hour, pull everything out of your pantry and do the following:
· 1. Check expiration dates. If you encounter food that has expired, dispose of the contents and recycle the can or jar. You may also find items that you bought with great intentions but never got around to using. Make an honest assessment. If you can see yourself using the food item or ingredient, then keep it. If you’re not sure, donate it to a local food bank before it expires.
· 2. Take stock of your gadgets. If you’re feeling ambitious, you may consider going through your utensil drawers to take stock of what you use and what’s just taking up space. Donate extra spatulas, ladles, potato ricers, coffee grinders or other pantry accessories that you no longer need.
3. Dust off your wine bottles. If you expect to serve wine at your holiday gatherings or plan to bring bottles as hostess gifts, take stock of the bottles you have in the pantry and aim to make use of them.
4. Wipe down your shelves. Once you’ve pared your stock down to usable items, wipe the shelves and restock, grouping things in a usable fashion. You can organize like items together or by entree, side dish or appetizer. If it’s possible, don’t fill the pantry to the maximum capacity to keep clutter and forgotten items at bay.
5. Give your pantry a full-on makeover. If, after doing your inventory, you’re just not satisfied with the functionality of your pantry, consider making a bigger change to create the kitchen pantry storage you need.
Photo Credit: Laura Diaz