Declutter your gift closet
As the holidays near, it’s vital for you to declutter your gift closet BEFORE you start shopping. An organized gift closet saves time and allows for thoughtful gift-giving without a last-minute rush. By sorting through potential gifts early, you identify (and label) exactly what you’re going to give and to whom and create space for new gifts. If you already have the perfect gift to give, you don’t need to add it to the list. A tidy gift closet encourages generosity and lowers stress, making the holiday season more enjoyable.
While it is great to purchase gifts ahead of time like when you’re traveling or when you see something special for a loved one, it is easy to forget what you already have when it comes time to give a gift.
And if you toss it into a disorganized and cluttered closet you may not find it in time. Because out of sight is out of mind which leads to over-buying and shoppers’ remorse.
Before you make the first gift season purchase, declutter your gift closet:
Pull everything out. You’d be amazed at the treasures that may be hidden under or behind another gift.
Check their physical condition. Is the paper torn or stained? Did the box get crushed? Is it still clean?
Make sure the gift matches the age. If anything is no longer age appropriate, give it away. Maybe that cute gift you bought a 3 year old is now in elementary school? Or the newly engaged has been married 5 years?
Group gifts together by category. Hostess gifts, stationery, food, books, beauty products or intended recipient are all potential categories you may have. Contain by category if you have a lot of small items.
Label, label, label. If you know who the gift is for right now, add a stickie note to the outside with the intended recipient’s name and occasion such as “Laura b-day.” Don't give your brain something else to remember--write it down!
Once your gift closet is decluttered, you should organize it so that it’s easy to to find the right gift at the right time.
You may want to put all of the hostess gifts on a shelf or in a bin. Or maybe you group all Christmas gifts together. Having some broad categories of gifts will make it easy for you to find them when the occasion arises.
There’s nothing worse than finding that perfect birthday gift you bought a week after their birthday. Or needing that cute hostess gift you picked only to find it in too poor of condition to use.
I would recommend putting some fine sharpie markers and gift tags nearby to use. Or you may want to keep those in your gift wrap station. To read more about that, please click over to my post on how to Organize Your Gift Wrap.