• Cover: May 21, 2013
  • The 17 absolute best concealers
  • 10 budget-friendly bridal gowns
  • Maker's Faire 2013: Get your geek on
  • Plant this: 9 ways to liven up your windows
  • Transgender Journey: My first year as a woman
  • What's your summer entertaining style?
  • Glo's Latest Obsession: Bedtime Finds

10 quick post-holiday organization tips

  • 10 quick post-holiday organization tips
    By Elizabeth JenkinsBefore you start stuffing bows, ribbons, ornaments and more into storage bins and boxes, find out how you can simplify the post-holiday cleanup process and make next year's decorating stress-free. To help, Tori Springer, founder of the organizing firm Simply Simplify, shares her secrets—plus we've included some of our favorite DIY organizing tricks.
    http://static1.glo.com/photos/Original/131708_Original.jpg
  • 10 quick post-holiday organization tips
    The key to making room for new items is getting rid of the old, says Springer, who helps everyone from soccer moms to high-powered executives get—and stay—organized. It's a new year, so clean out and donate the things your kids have outgrown, she says. If you're saving items for a younger sibling or friend, Springer suggests editing the items that are worn or too soiled to pass along and pick your favorite pieces. Group them by age and place them in breathable zippered bags (to allow air-flow while keeping out pests) with labels on the outside.
    http://static1.glo.com/photos/Original/131843_Original.jpg
  • 10 quick post-holiday organization tips
    Have old toys and clothes that you're not ready to part with? Store them in unused garment bags that came with suits and cocktail dresses. You can hang them in the garage or attic to keep them up and out-of-the-way.
    http://static1.glo.com/photos/Original/131706_Original.jpg
  • 10 quick post-holiday organization tips
    You can save and reuse pieces of ribbon and scraps of wrapping and tissue paper that are in good shape. I personally love to keep my gift wrap, tags, cards and ribbon all in one place, says Springer. This moveable gift wrap station is ideal, and kids love it because it's easy to access and it gets them involved, she says. If you're short on space, Springer recommends a zippered storage bin that fits under the bed, like this one by Real Simple. It has room for wrapping paper, a dispenser for ribbon and interior pockets for other odds and ends.
    http://static2.glo.com/photos/Original/131906_Original.jpg
  • 10 quick post-holiday organization tips
    Stick rolls of wrapping paper in a tall bucket to keep them contained and upright. Toss some rolls of ribbon and tape inside and attach a pair of scissors with ribbon to the handle so a pair of shears is always close-by.
    http://static1.glo.com/photos/Original/131707_Original.jpg
  • 10 quick post-holiday organization tips
    Chances are you received a batch of homemade cookies, peppermint bark or—dare we say—a fruitcake during the holidays, and now you may be wondering what to do with the uneaten portions. To store anything worth saving, Springer recommends this set of clear containers by Oxo. They seal well, keep food fresh and are long and lean, which is rare in the storage world, she says.
    http://static1.glo.com/photos/Original/131839_Original.jpg
  • 10 quick post-holiday organization tips
    If you plan to keep some items out on the countertops for nibbling, Springer suggest filling canning jars and tying on a tag with twine or ribbon with the date and the contents so you know exactly what is inside.
    http://static.glo.com/photos/Original/131705_Original.jpg
  • 10 quick post-holiday organization tips
    In many households, the holidays are an excuse to dine on fine china or drink from elegant crystal goblets—items which may only make one or two appearances each year. These valuables are always fragile and require a little extra attention. You should clearly label your stemware so that other members of the household will know to handle them with extra care, says Springer. Plates can be individually wrapped in foam envelopes or padding paper and then stacked, and glassware can be placed into cases with dividers so they don't clink or chip.
    http://static2.glo.com/photos/Original/131704_Original.jpg
  • 10 quick post-holiday organization tips
    Wrapping paper and tissue, too crinkly to reuse for a future gift, can be saved. Recycle as great packing materials for fine dining. Shoe boxes are perfect for housing pairs of wine glasses.
    http://static2.glo.com/photos/Original/131836_Original.jpg
  • 10 quick post-holiday organization tips
    You're ready to decorate your tree only to discover that your tree lights are in a tangled mess, again (grrrr!). If you like to use lights both indoors and out, a storage case makes sense—it fits four reels, which is the equivalent of 1,200 mini icicle lights. Products specifically designed for holding ornaments are also a worthwhile investment—especially if you're worried about keeping all those holiday heirlooms safe from harm.
    http://static1.glo.com/photos/Original/131830_Original.jpg
  • 10 quick post-holiday organization tips
    Egg cartons make perfect go-to holders for delicate ornaments, while coffee containers or other large round cans are perfect for wrapping strings of lights. Cut a slit into the top and tuck the plug in so the whole thing stays secure.
    http://static.glo.com/photos/Original/131703_Original.jpg
  • Comments
    * When using Facebook Connect your image and name may display on Glo. All privacy settings are controlled by Facebook.
  • Comments
    * When using Facebook Connect your image and name may display on Glo. All privacy settings are controlled by Facebook.
  • Comments
    * When using Facebook Connect your image and name may display on Glo. All privacy settings are controlled by Facebook.
  • Comments
    * When using Facebook Connect your image and name may display on Glo. All privacy settings are controlled by Facebook.
  • Comments
    * When using Facebook Connect your image and name may display on Glo. All privacy settings are controlled by Facebook.
  • Comments
    * When using Facebook Connect your image and name may display on Glo. All privacy settings are controlled by Facebook.
  • Comments
    * When using Facebook Connect your image and name may display on Glo. All privacy settings are controlled by Facebook.
  • Comments
    * When using Facebook Connect your image and name may display on Glo. All privacy settings are controlled by Facebook.
  • Comments
    * When using Facebook Connect your image and name may display on Glo. All privacy settings are controlled by Facebook.
  • Comments
    * When using Facebook Connect your image and name may display on Glo. All privacy settings are controlled by Facebook.
  • Comments
    * When using Facebook Connect your image and name may display on Glo. All privacy settings are controlled by Facebook.

  • That's a Wrap

    1 of 11

    By Elizabeth Jenkins

    Before you start stuffing bows, ribbons, ornaments and more into storage bins and boxes, find out how you can simplify the post-holiday cleanup process and make next year's decorating stress-free. To help, Tori Springer, founder of the organizing firm Simply Simplify, shares her secrets—plus we've included some of our favorite DIY organizing tricks.

  • In the Bag

    2 of 11

    "The key to making room for new items is getting rid of the old," says Springer, who helps everyone from soccer moms to high-powered executives get—and stay—organized. "It's a new year, so clean out and donate the things your kids have outgrown," she says. If you're saving items for a younger sibling or friend, Springer suggests editing the items that are worn or too soiled to pass along and pick your favorite pieces. Group them by age and place them in breathable zippered bags (to allow air-flow while keeping out pests) with labels on the outside.

  • DIY Idea

    3 of 11

    Have old toys and clothes that you're not ready to part with? Store them in unused garment bags that came with suits and cocktail dresses. You can hang them in the garage or attic to keep them up and out-of-the-way.

  • On a Roll

    4 of 11

    You can save and reuse pieces of ribbon and scraps of wrapping and tissue paper that are in good shape. "I personally love to keep my gift wrap, tags, cards and ribbon all in one place," says Springer. "This moveable gift wrap station is ideal, and kids love it because it's easy to access and it gets them involved," she says. If you're short on space, Springer recommends a zippered storage bin that fits under the bed, like this one by Real Simple. It has room for wrapping paper, a dispenser for ribbon and interior pockets for other odds and ends.

  • DIY Idea

    5 of 11

    Stick rolls of wrapping paper in a tall bucket to keep them contained and upright. Toss some rolls of ribbon and tape inside and attach a pair of scissors with ribbon to the handle so a pair of shears is always close-by.

  • Seal the Deal

    6 of 11

    Chances are you received a batch of homemade cookies, peppermint bark or—dare we say—a fruitcake during the holidays, and now you may be wondering what to do with the uneaten portions. To store anything worth saving, Springer recommends this set of clear containers by Oxo. "They seal well, keep food fresh and are long and lean, which is rare in the storage world," she says.

  • DIY Idea

    7 of 11

    If you plan to keep some items out on the countertops for nibbling, Springer suggest filling canning jars and tying on a tag with twine or ribbon with the date and the contents so you know exactly what is inside.

  • Handle With Care

    8 of 11

    In many households, the holidays are an excuse to dine on fine china or drink from elegant crystal goblets—items which may only make one or two appearances each year. These valuables are always fragile and require a little extra attention. "You should clearly label your stemware so that other members of the household will know to handle them with extra care," says Springer. Plates can be individually wrapped in foam envelopes or padding paper and then stacked, and glassware can be placed into cases with dividers so they don't clink or chip.

  • DIY Idea

    9 of 11

    Wrapping paper and tissue, too crinkly to reuse for a future gift, can be saved. Recycle as great packing materials for fine dining. Shoe boxes are perfect for housing pairs of wine glasses.

  • See the Light

    10 of 11

    You're ready to decorate your tree only to discover that your tree lights are in a tangled mess, again (grrrr!). If you like to use lights both indoors and out, a storage case makes sense—it fits four reels, which is the equivalent of 1,200 mini icicle lights. Products specifically designed for holding ornaments are also a worthwhile investment—especially if you're worried about keeping all those holiday heirlooms safe from harm.

  • DIY Idea

    11 of 11

    Egg cartons make perfect go-to holders for delicate ornaments, while coffee containers or other large round cans are perfect for wrapping strings of lights. Cut a slit into the top and tuck the plug in so the whole thing stays secure.

More on Glo: Living
More To Love
AdChoices

contact us

AdChoices