When to Decorate & Declutter Your Holiday Decor This Season

10 hours ago

11 min read

The holidays come one right after another, so it's hard to know when to decorate and when to declutter. Let's make a plan together, so your decor stays organized and out of the way when it's not in use!

Below are 4 calendars for 4 different ways to celebrate, based on what kind of holiday decorator you are.

The Traditionalist

This is the calendar for you if you like to decorate for the holidays around the beginning of each month. You love celebrating every season and want your home decorated for each occasion on time.

Last Days of August: Clean the house before the holidays. Sweep, dust, and wipe down things so you feel prepared for the season ahead.
Sept 1: Declutter & Put Up Fall Decor. Pull out your fall decor. Put up your decor starting with your favorite items, then fill in the gaps with other decor you love. Donate what you don't love and didn't put up or doesn't fit. Then toss what is broken or not donatable. Store empty totes (or any totes with items that are not fall decor) back in your storage area.
Oct 1: Declutter & Put Up Halloween Decor. Pull out your Halloween decor. Put up your decor starting with your favorite items, then fill in the gaps with other decor you love. Put away any fall decor that doesn't fit. Donate Halloween decor you don't love and didn't put up or doesn't fit. Then toss what is broken or not donatable. Store empty totes and any fall decor you took down back in your storage area.
Nov 1: Store Halloween. Take down Halloween Decor and store in totes (get new ones if your old ones didn't work well). Label totes "Halloween Decor". Put Totes in storage area all together. Leave up fall decor and get any out you stored away Oct 1 if needed.
Days Before Thanksgiving: Thanksgiving Decor & Clean. Put up your Thanksgiving decor starting with your favorite items, then fill in the gaps with other decor you love. Ideally you don't have much Thanksgiving decor that isn't general fall, maybe just a few dining table centerpiece items and turkey decor. Donate any Thanksgiving decor you don't love and didn't put up or doesn't fit. Then toss what is broken or not donatable. Store empty totes in your storage area. Get out any hosting items you need if you are hosting a big dinner. This is also a good time to clean the house again especially if you are hosting.
After Thanksgiving Weekend: Store Thanksgiving & Fall Decor. Once the weekend wraps up or your guests leave, store your Thanksgiving decor in labeled bins in your storage area all together and your Fall decor in labeled bins all together. If you have very little Thanksgiving specific items, maybe you can store them in a fall bin. Just be sure to label it "Thanksgiving and Fall Decor" and the rest of the fall bins "Fall Decor".
Dec 1 (or Black Friday): Declutter & Put Up Christmas. Pull out your Christmas decor. Put up your decor starting with your favorite items, then fill in the gaps with other decor you love. Donate what you don't love and didn't put up or doesn't fit. Then toss what is broken or not donatable. Store empty totes back in your storage area.
Dec 26-31: Declutter & Store Christmas. Take down Christmas Decor and store in totes (get new ones if your old ones didn't work well). Label totes "Christmas Decor". Put Totes in storage area all together. This is also the time to declutter and put up any New Years Decor you have.
Jan 1: Set New Year Goals. If you have a lot of clutter in your home, use this post to help you set declutter goals for the new year!
Jan 2: Start on Goals!

Declutter & Organizing Tips for the Traditionalist:

1. Don't Feel Obligated to Keep Everything.

Just because you own 30 nice fall decorations doesn't mean you need to display all 30. Choose your favorites and let the rest go. Your home doesn't need to look like a seasonal decor store.

2. Be Strategic About Seasonal Decor.

Look for decorations that can serve multiple purposes. For example, pumpkins, leaves, and warm-colored accents can work for both fall, Halloween, and Thanksgiving. The less fall stiff you have to take down when it is time for Halloween decor, the less work for you.

3. Make Storage Just as Important as Decorating.

When putting decorations away, make sure everything has a designated home. Avoid stacking random holiday bins wherever you can find space. A little organization and labeling now will save you a lot of frustration next season.

The Procrastinator

This is the calendar for you if you tend to procrastinate and decorate at the very last minute. You love the holidays, but decorating and putting things away tend to fall to the bottom of your to-do list. However, I challenge you to stick to this calendar if you want to be a bit more on top of things than last year.

Last Days of August: Clean the house before the holidays. Sweep, dust, and wipe down things. You don't have to do a full spring cleaning, just do the dirtiest areas so you feel a little better moving into fall.
Oct 1: Declutter & Put Up Fall or Halloween Decor. Pull out all your fall and Halloween decor. Decide which you like better, general fall vibes or spooky Halloween, then declutter the stuff that doesn't fit that! Yes, I mean all of it. As a procrastinator, you don't have the energy to do both seasons. Pick one and stick to it. I bet you'll be happier. Put up your keep decor starting with your favorite items, then fill in the gaps with other decor you love. Donate what you don't love and didn't put up or doesn't fit. Then toss what is broken or not donatable. Store empty totes back in your storage area.
Days Before Thanksgiving: Store Halloween, Get Out Thanksgiving Decor, & Clean. Take down Halloween decor if you put it up and store in totes (get new ones if your old ones didn't work well). Label totes "Halloween Decor". Put totes in storage area all together. Next, put up your Thanksgiving decor if you have any. Ideally you don't have much Thanksgiving decor, maybe just a few dining table centerpiece items and turkey decor. Donate any Thanksgiving decor you don't love and didn't put up or doesn't fit. Then toss what is broken or not donatable. Store empty totes in your storage area. Get out any hosting items you need if you are hosting a big dinner. This is also a good time to clean the house again especially if you are hosting. As a procrastinator, these few days are a bit of a lot, but once it's Thanksgiving day, you'll be done with this big step until next year.
1st or 2nd Week of December: Store Thanksgiving and Declutter & Put Up Christmas. Store your Thanksgiving decor in labeled bins in your storage area all together. Label the bins "Thanksgiving Decor". Then pull out your Christmas decor. Put up your decor starting with your favorite items, then fill in the gaps with other decor you love. Donate what you don't love and didn't put up or doesn't fit. Then toss what is broken or not donatable. Store empty totes back in your storage area.
1st or 2nd week of January: Declutter & Store Christmas. Take down Christmas decor and store in totes (get new ones if your old ones didn't work well). Label totes "Christmas Decor". Put totes in storage area all together. This is also the time to declutter any New Years Decor if you have any. You are not the type of person to decorate for New Years, admit it, then let it go.
3rd Week of January: Set New Year Goals. If you have a lot of clutter in your home, use this post to help you set declutter goals for the new year!
February 1: Start on Goals! You don't have to start January 1st to be more effective this year than last year. I promise. Treat February 1 like New Years Day and thank me
later.

Declutter & Organizing Tips for the Procrastinator:

1. Give Yourself Permission to Skip a Season.

You don't need to decorate for every single holiday. Pick the seasons that matter most to you and skip the rest. You might discover that less decorating actually makes the holidays more enjoyable. And if you skip decorating for a season 2 years in a row, consider donating all decor for that season. If it's not your thing, make space for something else you care about more.

2. Set a Timer.

Give yourself 30 minutes to 3 hours to decorate. When the timer goes off, you're done! This prevents decorating from turning into an all-day project that you keep putting off. And if you start by putting up your favorite decor first, consider donating any decor you haven't put up in that timed period, especially if you are happy with how your home looks.

3. Make Putting Things Away Easier.

Get matching bins that are big enough that you don't have to play Tetris to get your decor to fit inside. Then just toss the decor in, throw the bins on a shelf with a big handwritten label, and be done with it.

The Holiday Decor Fanatic

This is the calendar for you if you LOVE all things seasonal decor! You want your home to feel festive from the first signs of fall through the New Year.

1st Week of August: Clean the house before the holidays. Sweep, dust, and wipe down things so you feel prepared for the season ahead.
2nd Week of August: Declutter & Put Up Fall Decor. Pull out your fall decor. Put up your decor starting with your favorite items, then fill in the gaps with other decor you love. Donate what you don't love and didn't put up or doesn't fit. Then toss what is broken or not donatable. Store empty totes (or any totes with items that are not general fall decor) back in your storage area.
Sept 1st: Declutter & Put Up Halloween Decor. Pull out your Halloween decor. Put up your decor starting with your favorite items, then fill in the gaps with other decor you love. Put away any fall decor that doesn't fit. Donate Halloween decor you don't love and didn't put up or doesn't fit. Then toss what is broken or not donatable. Store empty totes and any fall decor you took down back in your storage area.
Nov 1: Store Halloween, Declutter & Put Up Christmas. Take down Halloween decor and store in totes (get new ones if your old ones didn't work well). Label totes "Halloween Decor". Put totes in storage area all together. Then pull out your Christmas decor. Put up your decor starting with your favorite items, then fill in the gaps with other decor you love. Donate what you don't love and didn't put up or doesn't fit. Then toss what is broken or not donatable. Store empty totes back in your storage area.
Days Before Thanksgiving: Thanksgiving Decor & Clean. Put up your Thanksgiving decor starting with your favorite items, then fill in the gaps with other decor you love. Ideally you don't have much Thanksgiving decor, maybe just a few dining table centerpiece items and turkey decor. Donate any Thanksgiving decor you don't love and didn't put up or doesn't fit. Then toss what is broken or not donatable. Store empty totes in your storage area. Get out any hosting items you need if you are hosting a big dinner. This is also a good time to clean the house again especially if you are hosting.
After Thanksgiving Weekend: Store Thanksgiving. Once the weekend wraps up or your guests leave, store your Thanksgiving decor in labeled bins in your storage area all together. Label the bins "Thanksgiving Decor".
Dec 26-31: Declutter & Store Christmas. Take down Christmas decor and store in totes (get new ones if your old ones didn't work well). Label totes "Christmas Decor". Put totes in storage area all together.
Dec 31: Declutter & Put Up New Years Decor. Pull out your New Years decor. Put up your decor starting with your favorite items, then fill in the gaps with other decor you love. Donate what you don't love and didn't put up or doesn't fit. Then toss what is broken or not donatable. Store empty totes back in your storage area.
Jan 1: Set New Year Goals. If you have a lot of clutter in your home, use this post to help you set declutter goals for the new year!
Jan 2: Start on Goals!
2nd week of Jan: Declutter & Store New Years Decor. Take down decor and store in totes (get new ones if your old ones didn't work well). Label totes "New Years Decor". Put totes in storage area all together.

Declutter & Organizing Tips for the Holiday Decor Fanatic:

1. Keep What Fits in Your Storage, Not What You Wish You Could Put Up.

If you love decorating for every season, you probably have a lot of decor! But remember, your garage, closets, and storage areas deserve some breathing room, too. Don't sacrifice your mental peace and everyday living space just to store decorations you'll only use for a few weeks each year.

2. Give Each Season Its Own Space.

Keep general fall, Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas decor in separate, clearly labeled bins, maybe even on separate shelving units (see tip 3). This makes switching between holidays much easier and prevents you from digging through everything to find what you need.

3. Invest in a Good Storage System.

With so many decorating seasons, your storage system matters! Use sturdy, appropriately sized shelving units that fit in your storage room or garage. Then get sturdy bins that fit nicely on those shelves. Label your bins based on season and keep the seasons together. BONUS TIP: If needed, get specialty bins for weird shaped items like wreaths, your Christmas tree, wrapping paper, etc. However I recommend hard plastic bins over cloth bags as soft containers are harder to store stacked on a shelf or against the wall than hard ones.

4. Shop Your Storage Before Shopping the Stores.

Before buying this year's new seasonal decor, take inventory of what you already own. You might find something you forgot about! If you do buy something new, consider donating something you no longer love to keep your collection manageable.

The Halloween Enthusiast

This is the calendar for you if you LOVE Halloween! You want your spooky decor up for as long as possible and don't care as much about the other holidays.

Last Days of August: Clean the house before the holidays. Sweep, dust, and wipe down things so you feel prepared for the season ahead.
Sept 1: Declutter & Put Up Halloween Decor. Pull out your Halloween decor. Put up your decor starting with your favorite items, then fill in the gaps with other decor you love. Donate Halloween decor you don't love and didn't put up or doesn't fit. Then toss what is broken or not donatable. Store empty totes back in your storage area.
Days Before Thanksgiving: Clean. Get out any hosting items you need if you are hosting a big dinner. This is also a good time to clean the house again especially if you are hosting.
Nov 30: Store Halloween. Take down Halloween decor and store in totes (get new ones if your old ones didn't work well). Label totes "Halloween Decor". Put totes in storage area all together.
2nd Week of Dec: Declutter & Put Up Christmas. Pull out your Christmas decor. Put up your decor starting with your favorite items, then fill in the gaps with other decor you love. Donate what you don't love and didn't put up or doesn't fit. Then toss what is broken or not donatable. Store empty totes back in your storage area.
Dec 26-31: Declutter & Store Christmas. Take down Christmas decor and store in totes (get new ones if your old ones didn't work well). Label totes "Christmas Decor". Put totes in storage area all together. This is also the time to declutter and put up any New Years Decor you have.
Jan 1: Set New Year Goals. If you have a lot of clutter in your home, use this post to help you set declutter goals for the new year!
Jan 2: Start on Goals!

Declutter & Organizing Tips for the Halloween Enthusiast:

1. Make Halloween Your Main Event.

If Halloween is your favorite holiday, don't feel pressured to decorate for every other occasion. You can skip general fall decor and go straight to spooky! And if you don't care much about Thanksgiving, New Years, and/or Christmas, feel free to skip decorating for them entirely and donate any related decor you have.

2. Don't Let Halloween Take Over Your Garage.

It's easy to accumulate decorations when you love a particular holiday. But ask yourself: Is the amount of space you're dedicating to Halloween decor worth it? Can I function well the rest of the year? Keep your favorite pieces and let go of the decorations you no longer get excited about.

3. Make Your Decorations Work Harder.

Look for pieces that can be used beyond Halloween. Black candleholders, neutral pumpkins, and warm lighting can transition between Halloween, fall, Thanksgiving and even be used all year round if spooky is your personality. You'll get more use out of fewer items!