Five Tips for Holiday Cleanup

⭐ Holiday Cleanup Tips: How to Store, Protect, and Organize Your Seasonal Decor

(SEO-optimized rewrite for Karen Brothers)

As the holidays wind down, many San Diego families are ready to reset their homes and welcome the new year with a fresh start. Whether this season felt extra joyful, extra chaotic, or a little bit of both, now is the perfect time to organize your holiday items so they’re easy to find — and protected — for next year.

Here are five expert holiday cleanup and storage tips from a professional home organizer serving all of San Diego County.

1. Create a Dedicated Holiday Storage Zone

One of the biggest mistakes homeowners make is storing holiday decor in random corners of the house. Instead, choose a spot that’s out of your main living areas — such as a garage, attic, or storage closet — and turn it into your Holiday Zone.

Adding a simple shelving unit keeps bins off the floor, prevents damage, and makes it easy to grab exactly what you need next season. Clear labels + shelves = instant peace of mind.

2. Store Holiday Gift Wrap Separately From Everyday Wrap

Holiday gift wrap deserves a home of its own. To avoid hunting for the right paper next December, store seasonal wrap in its own container — separate from everyday wrapping supplies used for birthdays, graduations, and celebrations.

A simple trick:

• Use one color container for holiday wrap

• Use another color for year-round wrap

This keeps your storage visually organized and makes wrap easy to find when you need it.

3. Protect Holiday Dishware With Proper Containers

Holiday plates, mugs, and serving pieces add so much joy — but because they’re used only once a year, they need to be stored safely and out of the way.

Keep your dishware in original boxes or in protective storage containers designed for glassware. Using divided totes or dish storage cases keeps everything clean, padded, and chip-free until next season.

4. Organize and Repurpose Holiday Greeting Cards

Holiday cards hold so many sweet memories — but they can pile up quickly. Here are a few meaningful ways to organize them:

• Save the most personal cards in a memorabilia box

• Repurpose the prettiest card fronts as next year’s gift tags

• Keep photo cards displayed year-round, especially from friends or family you don’t see often

This gives your cards purpose, reduces clutter, and preserves your favorite moments.

5. Sort Holiday Decor and Store Like With Like

When it’s time to take down lights, ornaments, stockings, and nativity sets, sort everything by category so next year’s decorating is quick and stress-free.

Some simple guidelines:

• Use dedicated ornament storage for fragile keepsakes

• Store lights in containers that prevent tangling

• Use large totes for oversized decor

• Choose weathertight containers for fabric items — they protect against dust, moisture, bugs, and mold

Storing items by type (instead of by room) makes next year’s setup beautifully efficient.

A Note From Karen

Holiday organizing doesn’t have to feel overwhelming. With the right systems — and the right storage solutions — you can pack away the season with confidence and start the new year in a home that feels clear, calm, and clutter-free.

If you need help creating long-term organizing systems for your home, I’d love to support you.

Serving San Diego, Tierrasanta, La Mesa, Clairemont, Del Cerro, Scripps Ranch, Mission Valley, and surrounding areas.