The holidays have a magical way of sneaking up on families. One minute you are shutting the windows for the first chilly night and the next minute you are hanging stockings, tripping over boots, and whispering to yourself about the avalanche of toys headed your way. Preparing your home for the season does not have to feel overwhelming. A few smart organizing projects completed before the holidays can create more space, reduce stress, and set your home up for those warm family moments everyone looks forward to.
Here are three projects we have recently completed to help families get ahead of the holiday rush. Each story offers ideas and inspiration you can borrow for your own home.
One of our clients recently called us in a moment of pure seasonal honesty. “We have too many coats. Too many boots. Too many backpacks. And every time someone walks in the door, it looks like a gear explosion.” If that sounds familiar, you are not alone. The mudroom or entry way often becomes the first casualty of winter. Jackets pile up, mismatched gloves appear out of nowhere, and wet boots seem to multiply.
For this project, we started with a simple question. What actually belongs in this space and what has landed here because it is the easiest place to dump things The family had three children under ten, each with school gear, sports gear, and winter gear. The adults also had coats for work, weekends, and winter activities. Everything was living together in the same corner, which meant nothing had its own defined home.
We began by pulling everything out. This is usually the part that makes people nervous, but it is the most important step. Seeing the total volume of coats and accessories in one place helps you recognize how much is being stored in a small space. Once everything was visible, we sorted by person and by category. Outgrown coats went into a donation pile. Extra umbrellas and random accessories that no one had used in years were set aside. The family immediately felt lighter.
Next came the redesign. We added dedicated hooks for each family member, a shallow shelving unit for boots, and matching labeled baskets for hats, gloves, and scarves. The children each received a personal winter bin that held only what they needed for the season. For the adults, we selected only the coats and accessories they would actually use between Thanksgiving and March. Everything else was moved to a secondary closet in the basement.
The final result looked calm and intentional. More importantly, it functioned beautifully. The family reported back that mornings were easier, entrances were cleaner, and everyone felt a little more relaxed. A winter ready mudroom does more than store gear. It sets the tone for the whole day.
We all know what is coming. Grandparents, aunts, uncles, and well meaning friends who cannot resist sending gifts. The playroom is already full. December will add more. This is why pre holiday playroom editing is one of the smartest things a parent can do.
One of our favorite recent projects came from a family with two young children who loved everything from puzzles to craft projects to plastic dinosaurs. The room was overflowing. The parents were already anxious because they knew more toys were on the way, which meant more mess, more cleanup battles, and less room to actually play.
We started with a conversation about how the children used the space. What did they still love. What had they outgrown. What were the toys that stayed on the floor no matter how many times they were picked up. Understanding a child’s real play style is crucial when making decisions about what to keep.
Next we worked alongside the parents to do a quick sort. Items the kids used daily stayed. Items that were missing pieces, broken, or long forgotten were removed. Toys that were sentimental but no longer age appropriate were moved to a memory bin. Then we did one more pass with the parents to make sure every toy that remained had a purpose.
With the excess removed, we reorganized the room. Low shelves for frequently used toys. Labeled bins for categories like blocks, vehicles, craft supplies, and games. A dedicated art corner with only the essentials. A soft play zone with a limited selection of stuffed animals. Everything had a place and everything was reachable for small hands.
The experience had a bonus benefit. Thinning out toys before the holidays creates a perfect opportunity to donate gently used items to local families in need. Kids often love the idea that their toys will be enjoyed by another child, and it gives them ownership in the process. This family decided to let the children choose a few items to give away and the result was sweet. The kids proudly filled a donation box, which turned a simple decluttering project into a teaching moment about generosity and gratitude.
The third project is one many adults secretly need. The primary closet. The holiday season often means new sweaters, boots, coats, or a special outfit for a party. If your closet is already packed to the edges, adding new items can turn a manageable space into a stressful one.
For this client, the closet was full of both current favorites and long forgotten pieces. Clothes from several sizes were mixed together. Shoes were buried under winter accessories. A shelf meant for sweaters was holding everything from old shopping bags to expired sunscreen. The client told us she could never find what she needed when she needed it and she often felt frustrated when getting dressed.
We started with a full closet pullout. This step creates clarity. When everything is out, you can see what you have been living with and what you no longer need. We created piles for keep, donate, tailor, and try on. Anything stained, worn, or outdated was removed. Anything that did not fit comfortably went to the tailor or donation pile depending on its condition. Only pieces the client truly loved made it back in.
An unexpected but rewarding part of this process was the donation pile. Many of the client’s gently worn sweaters, coats, and scarves were perfect for local clothing drives. Knowing that someone else could use them made the editing process easier and far more meaningful. For families with children, this is also a great way to model generosity and involve kids in choosing items that could make someone else’s holiday warmer.
Next came the rebuild. We grouped clothing by type and season and then by color. We added matching slim hangers to create a clean, uniform look. Sweaters were folded and arranged on shelves. Shoes were lined up neatly using simple shoe risers to double the space. Accessories were given their own bins and hooks. The closet instantly looked lighter, more open, and far easier to maintain.
These three projects share a common theme. Getting ahead of the clutter makes everything about the holiday season more enjoyable. An added benefit is the chance to donate toys, clothing, and winter gear to families who truly need them. This makes the organizing process feel purposeful and it gives kids a chance to learn the joy of giving.
Whether you start with your mudroom, your playroom, or your own closet, small improvements today create big relief when the pace picks up. If you would like help preparing your home for the holidays, we would love to support you. A little organizing goes a long way, especially this time of year.
At The Organized You, we offer personalized home organization services throughout the Greater Boston Area, including Wellesley, Dover, Needham, Newton, Medfield, Walpole, and beyond. Whether you need help decluttering, optimizing your closets, or creating a functional home office, we’re here to design systems that work for you. Learn more about our services in Wellesley, Dover, Needham, Newton, Medfield, and Walpole, and schedule your free consultation today!