Holiday Season is buying time and when it comes to decorating for the holidays, we all tend to overbuy. What if we told you that you don’t have to anymore? Getting organized for the holidays means being organized. What would it be like to stay organized after through the holidays and after?
The Holidays are a time for celebrating the season and family traditions. Stressing about being prepared should not be. “Knowing your holiday supply levels BEFORE the season begins is so important to truly be able to enjoy this time of year. No one wants to have to run out to the crowded shops to get another string of lights or additional napkins right before entertaining,” says Lili Pettit of Clutter Healing. Organizers often suggest using clear bins for organization to make seeing what is inside easier.
As organizers, we often go into homes that have all the right tools but the lack the right systems. When you edit your items first, it allows you take inventory of what you have which helps with the purging and planning process.
Taking everything out and sorting into categories is the best way to SEE what you have.
One way to track your items is using the app, Sortly. The app stores lists of your items creating visual folders for you to reference. On the app, you can create custom QR labels (see photo) and label all of your boxes.
When ready to use the items in the boxes, all you have to do is scan the labels and the app will tell you exactly what is in each box. Never open every box again to search for that “one” item.
Being unorganized often equals: Not knowing where things are which in turn equals: buying more.
Overbuying for the holidays is the most common frustration people have. How many times have you gone to the store to buy holiday napkins only to find they were hiding in a box in the garage? It adds up. Space and money are wasted on things you don’t need.
Jamie Hord, of Horderly Professional Organizing says, “no need to procrastinate and go buy duplicates ofwhat you already have.” After taking inventory of what you have,you then can store things by grouping them together. 
For example, store your holiday wrap separatefrom your other gift wrap. This will allow you to not only know how much you have, but what is needed for the following season.
When you see everything you have by sorting it and taking inventory of it, you will realize how much you actually have. Once taking visual inventory, you will see how easy it is to get organized and jumpstart the organizing process.
The team behind Practically Perfect, Joni and Kitt suggest editing your seasonal items as you take inventory. “If there are any items that you didn’t use or love in
the past season, it may be time to donate or recycle them. Any items that are damaged or broken should be fixed or eliminated.
Taking inventory helps track items that need to be replaced for the following season and lets you know which items will be in ready-to-use condition.”
These tips can and will help get you ready for the holidays. With the money and time you will save by getting organized and staying organized…go and treat yourself. You earned it.
*The app is only available on iOS (iPhone and iPad) in the Apple App Store but you can
also access on the Web. Android app will launch before the end of the year. Download the Sortly app.