In winding down 2013, our family keeps our Christmas tree up through the New Year. We enjoy sitting by the lights in the evening as our nights are later without the early morning school schedule. Though our tree is still up, most of the gifts have found a home and our Christmas wrapping organization continues.

After the unwrapping and opening of gifts, we usually have a pile of bags, boxes, and containers. In stretching our dollars, we reuse most of these items. As I check for tears and names written on the gift bags, I toss any unusable items and organize the ones I can use again.

Keeping our Christmas wrapping organized into 2 totes and 1 container, I choose to purge, sort, and take inventory before storing them away.

Purging our Christmas Wrapping

Any items that are ripped, broken, or crunched get trashed. As multiple family members add and remove items from these containers, some of the items get crammed or ripped in the process. Ridding the containers of these items leaves room for other items that will get used again.

Sorting our Christmas Wrapping

Though I keep one tote for baby, birthday, and all occasion wrapping, sometimes the Christmas wrapping gets placed in the wrong tote.

By sorting the bags and boxes, I can accurately keep all Christmas items together while separate from the birthday and baby boxes and bags.

Taking Inventory of our Christmas Wrapping

With all the items purged and sorted, I can see where I need to replenish our supply. As I am out shopping, I can snag some more gift sacks and gift tags at low prices knowing I will need a few more for next year. Knowing that I need these items removes any doubt when I see a great sale. I know that I need them, so I can pick them up to replenish our supply without wondering if I will have too many next year.

As the Christmas wrapping only comes out during the month of December, I find the best time to organize these supplies is before putting them back into storage. My time is best spent after the hustle and bustle of the gift giving, and I have gathered all the items for storage.

This organizational system holds our items for next year’s celebration. With our Christmas wrapping purged, sorted, and inventory taken, we can refill with the after-Christmas sales or wait until next season. The totes keep out bugs and water to protect our investments for years to come while keeping our Christmas wrapping organized.

Before packing all the items away to deal with next year, take a few moments to purge, sort, and take inventory. This way, you can keep an eye out for items you need and bypass items you already have organized. Happy storing!

Question: Do you organize your Christmas wrapping before, after, or not at all during the season?