Every year, the months fly by, and it is suddenly time to start thinking about preparing and organizing your home for the holidays and the colder winter season. That means you’ll want to start putting away the summer stuff, bringing out your winter clothes and decorations, and maintaining your house so you can stay warm and cozy throughout the holidays.
At first, it may be daunting to realize how much is on your plate, but you just need to take it one space at a time. We’ll tell you how to prepare now so you can relax during the holiday season.
Remove the Spring and Summer Items
The first step to an interior redesign for winter is to go room by room and clear the clutter by picking up and storing all of the summer and fall items that you don’t need lying around. That will typically include the light blankets, mobile fans, the BBQ grill, and any other items that you won’t be using at all during this colder season.
You will also want to go outside and store all of your outdoor furniture and all the cushions that go with them. If you don’t have a shed or garage, then at least put a cover over them so they aren’t exposed to the elements. You can put the cushions and pillows into plastic bags in a dry area to prevent them from getting ruined. Disconnect garden hoses and exterior faucets so they don’t crack and potentially damage your house.
There are likely many items in your closet that you no longer need, including your shorts, skirts, flip-flops, and anything else that you won’t be wearing again any time soon. You can store those items away and bring out your pants, sweaters, coats, and boots. If you want your closet to be more functional, then you should completely switch out the winter and summer stuff so you only have what you need. Plus, it will be easier to pick what to wear each day.
Smart Storage
When you are putting away summer and spring items, resist the urge to just throw them into a closet or an extra bedroom. Instead, you should think strategically about your storage items so you can keep your home free of clutter.
One smart way to store your items is to think multifunctionally and invest in storage furniture, like ottomans and play tables, that will add a nice touch to the space and keep the stuff you don’t need out of the way. If you don’t have space for more furniture and you can only store items in totes, then make sure that they are stackable so you can pack more in a tight space.
This is also a good time to start thinking about your holiday decorations. Find your twinkling lights and your garland, and begin decorating the space. Also, consider your heavier holiday decor, including yule logs, Christmas trees, and menorahs. You don’t have to go crazy with your decorations just yet, but you can start to think about what might look good in which space so it will be easier to decorate when the time comes.
If you always seem to struggle with storing your holiday decorations after the season ends, then this is a good time to think about that as well. One idea is to create a holiday storage section in your attic or garage where you group similar decorations and label them, so you know where to find what you need. If there isn’t enough room on the floor of your closet, then consider a hanging door unit to keep everything safe.
Of course, if you live in a small home or apartment with little room to store your stuff, but you don’t want to get rid of anything, then remember that you always have the option to rent a storage locker.
Seasonal Home Decor as Self-Care
No matter what time of year, self-care can keep you going through rough times. There are many types of self-care, all of which are important to practice, and decluttering, cleaning, and organizing fall in line with tenets of emotional, mental, and even physical self-care. In many ways, these activities give you the room to breathe to prep your mental health for the holiday season. It simply feels good to have a clean room and walk around without tripping over laundry. Meanwhile, a uniquely decorated space sparks joy even in cold weather.
No matter how pleasant a decluttered but decorated home can be, it’s overwhelming to get started. Here’s how to do it:
- Declutter for clarity:Organizing your home before decorating helps reduce stress and creates a calm, welcoming environment.
- Foster emotional connections: Incorporate decorations with sentimental value, like family heirlooms or handmade ornaments, to evoke feelings of joy and nostalgia.
- Boost your mood with creativity: Engaging in decorating allows you to express your style, enhancing your sense of accomplishment and happiness.
- Enhance your environment:A refreshed and festive home can provide a comforting retreat during the busy holiday season.
- Create mindful moments:The process of decorating and organizing invites mindfulness, helping you stay present and grounded amidst holiday activities.
Transforming your home into a festive sanctuary not only gets you holiday-ready but also nurtures your emotional and mental well-being.
Prepare the House for Colder Months
Now that you have your holiday preparations in order, you need to start thinking about how you can secure your home for the colder months ahead. Start by having a technician visit your home to inspect your HVAC systems and perform a necessary furnace repair. This ensures your system is working properly, provides reliable heat during the winter, and helps you avoid wasting energy. Most modern furnaces require electricity to at least light the burners, so if your system is not working right, then you could be wasting electricity.
The creation of electricity requires the burning of fossil fuels, so if your heater is working overtime, then your utility bills will be higher and you’ll be hurting the environment more than necessary. There are other ways that you can avoid energy leakage and practice sustainability at home during the holidays, and the most important thing you can do is to properly seal your windows and doors so air cannot leak outside. You can take that a step further by replacing your older windows with new energy-efficient models.
It’s also a great idea to make your house a smart home, as an internet-connected thermostat can optimize your home temperature throughout the day. When you are out of the house, you can reduce the heat output, and when you are home on weekends, you can set it to the perfect cozy temperature. This is a good way to prevent your heating system from working overtime seven days a week, and you’ll also pay less every month. Other high-tech home additions — such as voice assistants and automatic lighting systems — can make life a little more convenient, which is essential if you don’t feel like getting out from under a blanket. And who knows what the smart home technology of the future will bring.
So there you have it — great tips for how to organize your items, prepare for the holidays, and get your home ready for the cold season!
