By Lillia Callum-Pens
The Greenville News

December 30, 2006

  Christmas has come and gone, the relatives are on their way back home, and after three weeks the tree is beginning to lose its needles in bundles.

      It’s about time to take the lights down, put the ornaments away and stow the red and green wrapping paper.  How exactly did you acquire 200 ornaments, three trees and 10 strands of lights?  Where, oh, where are you going to put it all?

      If you don’t know, you’re not alone.

      “People are accruing a lot more,” says Adriel McIntyre, owner of An Orderly Manor, a professional organizing service in Greenville.  “And I think decorating seasonally has become a lot more popular, so I think (storage) is something that a lot of people have to consider.”

      Consumers were expected to spend more than $16 billion on holiday decorations in 2006, according to a study by Unity Marketing, which tracks consumer spending.

      With new ways to decorate each year, McIntyre says it’s easy to get overwhelmed by stuff.  But professional organizers say you can make it easier on yourself next holiday season by getting your things in order as this one draws to a close.

      “You pack these things up nice and neat and they’ve got their own little spot, and it’s easy to pull out (next year) and you’re not stressed out about decorating,” says Terie Michael, a professional organizer with Organize It Inc. in Greenville.  “It lowers the stress level tremendously to be organized.”

      But, if like many people, you still don’t know where you’re going to put it all, no need to panic.  This year, there are an infinite number of ways to organize and store your holiday cheer.

      Organize It carries wreath boxes, ornament chests and even tree bags, all of which offer a way to group and pack away your holiday stuff so that a) it lasts until next year; and b) you can find it next year.  Most of the storage pieces are clear plastic with festive red or green tops, allowing you to see the contents inside and easily peg the box as holding holiday décor.

      “There are some really good products now that are out specifically for seasonal decoration,” McIntyre says.  “But the biggest thing I tell people is to make sure that whatever organizing system you decide to go with, make sure they’re all uniform.”

      That means using the same brand or kind of box so they are easily stackable, she says.

      According to Michael, some of the most popular items are the bins for ornaments, which come with a cardboard grid inside to separate delicate pieces.  Another popular piece is a larger bin for things like garlands and other bigger decorations.

      But the newest item is the tree box, which easily stores an artificial tree.  It comes with handles and is moisture and mildew resistant.

      “Christmas is not a cheap thing to decorate for,” Michael says. “If you’re gonna spend that kind of money to decorate, you want to have something nice to keep the things in so that they aren’t damaged.”

      But before you go to pack things away, both McIntyre and Michael say there are some considerations.  The most important is what you want to keep and what you no longer need.

      McIntyre suggests deciding ahead of time how much storage you will devote to holiday decorations, including wrapping paper, wreaths, ornaments, candles and bows.  It might be three bins or a whole closet, she says, but the most important thing is to stick within the storage parameters you have set for yourself.

      “Say, ‘I’ve got three boxes of Christmas decorations and it’s going to stay at three boxes,’” McIntyre suggests.  “So if new decorations are coming in, something old needs to go out.”

      The same goes for toys and clothes.

      “As far as gifts coming into the house, I always tell people the end of the year is a great time to donate,” McIntyre says.  “It’s right before tax season and you can get a tax break.”

      She sticks to this mantra: “One thing in, one thing out.”

      It’s almost like winter cleaning.

      “No, it’s like winter purging,” McIntyre says.  “And it’s worth your time to do it right one year because then, forever after that, you’ve got it done.” 

GET ORGANIZED

      January is National Get Organized Month, and it’s the perfect time to get things in order for the year ahead.  Here, Adriel McIntyre and Terie Michael, both professional organizers, offer some tips. 

• Use plastic containers.  They are more durable and resilient than cardboard boxes.  Make sure the containers are sealable so they keep moisture out.
• Look for clear containers so you can see exactly what is in each box.  If you don’t use a clear bin, label exactly what is in each before you store it.
• Store holiday wrapping paper with other holiday items.  That way it won’t get lost in the shuffle of your year-round wrapping paper and you’ll be able to find it next year.
• Store all of your holiday stuff in one location.  If you don’t you might forget what you have and double buy or you could lose what you have.
• If you absolutely cannot think of throwing anything away, put it aside and wait until springtime.  Because the holidays can be a very emotional time of the year, it’s sometimes easier to make decisions about what should stay and what should go when it’s not actually the Christmas season.  In May you may have  a clearer head.