I'm sorry, but if you're not taking on the festive season with 'Christmas zones' in your home, you're doing it wrong. Call me type A, but this time of year can get especially chaotic, and this trick will help take some of that stress away.
Now's when we should rely on easy home organization ideas the most, and the concept of creating Christmas zones is one that you should not miss out on. It's all about sorting your home into task-dedicated spaces to keep clutter under control, and it really does work.
Don't believe me? Here's more on what Christmas zones are, how they help, and most importantly, some inspiration on what types of areas to consider when organizing through this expert approach.
What Are Christmas Zones?
These are simply dedicated spaces to organize your Christmas tasks in a planned manner.
Cathy Orr, professional organizer and KonMari consultant, explains that Christmas zones are areas in your home that you establish to keep your holiday tasks, supplies, and activities separate, sorted, and stress-free.
"Rather than lumping everything you have to do together, establish stations that divide areas into purposeful zones. Each zone has its own function," she says. "This helps you keep everything straight while you’re working through your space."
Considering this is the time of year when you have guests to entertain, dinners to host, and stockings of gifts to wrap, carving out Christmas zones will make the season and its busyness a breeze to handle. Not to mention, it'll make your Christmas decor stand out and take centre stage by helping your space stay organized.
Cathy Orr is a master consultant in the KonMari Method®, featured in Marie Kondo’s Netflix series 'Tidying Up with Marie Kondo' and 'Sparking Joy with Marie Kondo'. She also applies techniques from Marie Kondo’s books, including The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up, Spark Joy, and Joy At Work. Her training was completed with KonMari in Los Angeles in 2019, and she served as a panelist during KonMari’s November 2020 Virtual Certification Course, sharing her insights to assist others. While she holds the title of a certified master, she views it as just one element of her holistic and comprehensive approach to decluttering and organizing. To her, organization is a systematic method to simplify life, reduce waste, and save both time and money.
How Do Christmas Zones Keep Your Home Organized?
By making a space for your every seasonal chore, you're less likely to get jumbled up.
Cathy tells me that she sets up Christmas zones every year because it’s easy for things to get lost in the holiday shuffle. And while pre-Christmas decluttering rules can help, a little traffic mid-celebration is almost inevitable.
"It also allows me to work on several projects simultaneously. For example, I may be in the middle of purchasing gifts while working on my holiday cards at the same time, and deciding what to serve for Christmas dinner," she says.
"My Christmas zones allow me to move from project to project. I keep everything separate, in the state I left it until it’s completed, and can easily see where to pick back up again. It’s also a great visual to see how much I've accomplished and how much more needs to be done."
I recommend taking this approach, especially so, if your six-week organizing schedule for Christmas ended up being busier than expected, with some corners of your home feeling slightly busy.
What Christmas Zones Should You Create?
The options are personal to your space, but these basic ideas to follow will help.
Firstly, you can create a gifting zone. This is a crucial step in organizing your gift wrap, and it will also help you keep all of your presents and the accessories you need to spruce them up in one neat zone. Let it be where you store holiday cards, ribbons, gift bags, wrapping paper, and even a little stationery kit.
Next, you can establish a Christmas decor zone. Ideally, this should be arranged during the time leading up to your ultimate decorating day, and it can include internal zones, like one for your Christmas table collection, one for your stylish wreaths, and so on.
I also recommend including an entertaining zone in your home. Rather than a space carved out to host, this area will serve as a space for all things hosting. My favorite way to keep this zone covert is to transform it into a hosting closet with all the necessities to impress unexpected guests.
Cathy also recommends making space for an errands and returns zone. "When I am on my way, headed out the door, I grab my box of errands and returns and act on each one," she notes. "Doing this on a regular basis keeps things from getting missed or forgotten." So, this Christmas zone is a great connecting space for your gifting zone. Once you're done wrapping your presents and writing your cards, they can be transferred here. Plus, you can also pop any items that need to be returned here, too. My advice is to plan for this zone to be closer to your entryway for a strategic approach to organization.
Stylish Accessories for Home Organization
Capacity: 72 Baubles
This Christmas Bauble Storage Box from Balsam Hill is ideal for your decorating zone to keep your favorite kitsch ornaments and supersized baubles in one safe space.
Color: Red / Green
I recommend this Wrap Fabric Storage Bag from Christmas Corner for your gifting station, so you can have your pretty bows, dainty ribbons, and your wrapping paper of the season at arm's reach.
Color: Sandy Multi Mix
Pop this neat Kylian Storage Box from Liewood by your Christmas gifting zone for now and then retire it to your home office or your vanity post the festive season.
If you're still feeling overwhelmed by all of the seasonal chaos in your living space, our guide on how to deal with clutter ahead of Christmas will help you regain control of your home so you can host in merry peace.
