How to Get Your Home Ready for Winter and The Holidays
Winter is coming, and with it comes the need for a cozy, organized home that accommodates colder weather and holiday cheer. From bulky clothing to holiday china, preparing for the holidays can feel overwhelming—but with a bit of planning, it’s doable! Here’s how to streamline and organize your spaces as part of your holiday prep, ensuring you’re ready for everything winter and the festivities bring.
1
Clothing: Move Winter Wear Front and Center
Winter clothes are bulkier and take up more space, so give them prime closet real estate as part of your holiday prep and seasonal organizing routine. By rotating summer and winter clothing, you’ll keep the closet functional without getting cluttered.
How to Organize Winter Clothes
- Sort your wardrobe, moving heavier sweaters, scarves, and coats to easy-to-access areas.
- Use vacuum-sealed bags for off-season clothes, freeing up space for what you’ll wear this season.
- Add extra hooks or over-the-door hanging racks to hang scarves, hats, or other accessories.
Products to Organize Winter Clothes
- Vacuum storage bags
- Shelf dividers for stacking sweaters
- Over-the-door hanging racks
Pro tip
Group winter clothing by type and color. This simple change makes it easy to spot what you need and creates a more visually appealing closet.
2
Shoes: Ready Your Winter Footwear
Snow and rain can be harsh on shoes, so this is an excellent time to inspect and prep your boots and winter footwear. As part of your holiday routines, check that your soles are sturdy and your shoes are waterproofed. Plus, finding a good storage solution keeps these bulkier items from taking over your closet.
How to Organize Winter Shoes
- Take inventory of your winter shoes, checking if any need cleaning or repairs.
- Store frequently worn boots on a boot rack or tray by the door to remove dirt and moisture from the main areas.
- Use shoe organizers for pairs you use less frequently.
Products to Organize Winter Shoes
- Waterproof boot trays
- Boot racks or stands
- Shoe cleaner kits for winter maintenance
Winter Organizing Shoes
Pro tip
Store a few small towels or microfiber cloths near the entryway to quickly wipe down wet shoes before putting them on the rack. This keeps mud and water in check.
3
Winter Essential: Organize The Entryways
Winter gear like coats, gloves, and hats can overwhelm any entryway, especially if you have limited space. As part of your holiday prep routine, organize entry points such as the garage, mudroom, or front door to avoid clutter while ensuring that winter essentials are easy to grab on the way out.
How to Organize the entryway for winter weather
- Use wall-mounted racks or hooks for coats and jackets to maximize vertical space.
- Add bins or baskets for gloves, hats, and scarves, ideally labeled or divided by family members.
- A tray for wet boots keeps floors dry and makes cleanup a breeze.
Products to try
- Wall-mounted hooks or coat racks in enough numbers for all coats you use regularly
- Labeled bins for small winter accessories like beanies, gloves, and scarves.
- Draining boot tray for wet shoes
- High traffic or heavy-duty rug. Helps reduce water, salt, and mud
Pro tip
Keep boot shapers also in the space you use daily and where you’ll leave your wet boots to dry. This will protect them from marks and folds as they dry.
4
Declutter Now to Make Room For the Season
Holiday routines often mean festive decorations, which need their own space. Decluttering now makes it easier to prepare for the holidays and frees up room for seasonal items you’ll use daily. Aim to streamline areas like living rooms and entryways that get extra busy during the holidays.
How to Declutter
- Sort through decor items from previous years and donate or dispose of anything broken or unused.
- Pack away some everyday decor items to make room for holiday pieces without overcrowding surfaces.
- Designate a “holiday decor” space in a closet or storage room for easy access and organizing.
Helpful products when Decluttering
- Clear plastic storage bins for holiday decor
- Space-saving ornament containers
- Shelf organizers for any year-round items that need to be put away temporarily
Pro tip
Keep a “Donate” box handy during this process to quickly remove the items you no longer need, making the season feel lighter and more intentional.
5
Ready Your Dining Essentials
If you entertain during the holidays, now is a great time to check that you have everything you need for festive meals. This holiday prep step ensures your china and holiday-specific glassware, silverware, and serving platters are in good shape and easy to access.
How to Organize Your Holiday Essentials
- Inspect each piece, checking for chips or cracks. If something is damaged or missing, now’s the time to replace it.
- Arrange the items you’ll use frequently at the front of your cabinets or on accessible shelves.
- Consider dividers for drawers if you need more space or want to separate silverware and specialty items.
Products to Organize Your China
- Protective storage cases for delicate china
- Drawer dividers for silverware and glassware
- Shelf risers to maximize cabinet space
Pro tip
If you’re low on space, try storing holiday china in a separate, labeled bin that you can place in a storage closet. This frees up regular cabinet space but keeps the essentials close at hand.
Organizing Planners
Decluttering & Cleaning Planner
Kick overwhelm to the curb with all checklists and forms to organize your home from top to bottom and the cleaning printables to plan a cleaning routine unique to your family’s needs and schedules.