Organization expert Patty Kreamer gets ready to decorate

Between shopping and wrapping, mailing and visiting, baking and decorating, it’s no wonder the Christmas holidays are viewed as the busiest time of year. Yet the confusion, the frustration and the sheer fatigue of organizing all the activities surrounding the holiday can be avoided. The best way is to listen to the wisdom about systemizing the process from those who do it all the year round: the Personal Organizers. Here’s a few of their helpful holiday hints:

Decking the Halls
“The holidays add a layer or two to our normally busy lives. It’s a whole new thing to worry about,” contends organizer Patty Kreamer, president of Kreamer Connect.

So, when it comes to creating an ode to the season, organizers agree: planning is the best policy. Jill Revitsky of Discover Organizing advises people to pull out their calendars as early as possible and schedule a day when the whole family will be home so they can attack décor projects together. “When you make a plan, it gets done. And it doesn’t have to be a chore,” says Kreamer.

Simplifying decorations inside the home starts with the first step. Revitsky tells her clients to avoid dragging out every box labeled “Christmas.” If you have six decoration bins, she suggests, only pull out two.

Rotating decorations from year-to-year helps make the task easier and more interesting. For example, mementos take on a special meaning when they’re only brought out every few years. Nancy Scott, president of Your Personal Organizer, urges clients to avoid putting holiday decorations in the same spot each year.

“Don't think, ‘I put the Christmas tree in the same place for the past 20 years,’” she says.

“[Changing locations] makes decorating more fun and you’re not looking at the same stuff every year. There are a lot of different ways to decorate without spending an exorbitant amount of money.”

Our Top 10 Holiday Hints

Personal organizer Patty Kreamer offers the following tips for a stress-free holiday: 1. Try to ignore holiday commercialism and all the hype. 2. Ask for gifts that take up no space, such as gift certificates or movie passes. 3. Give gift certificates. Save time by purchasing them by phone or online. 4. Remember the meaning of the holiday. 5. Make a list (and check it twice). Rather than letting all the tasks swirl around in your head, write them down. 6. Plan your holiday season. Limit yourself to so many parties (hosting and attending) to avoid over-commitment. And enjoy them. 7. Plan your decorating time and involve the whole family. 8. Consider holiday e-cards. 9. Use containers made especially for the holidays and be sure to label them. Enjoy!

Another issue is storage. Storing decorations is all about finding festive containers in reasonable sizes. Kreamer suggests avoiding buying big boxes or too many containers. The reason is that people tend to buy more decorations to fill them or hang onto old things they no longer want. Each year, it helps to weed out the stock and keep only the truly special items. Scott’s clients learn to pack away all their non-holiday decorations in the Christmas containers as they pull them out.

“Once you set up a system, it’s so much less stressful to keep it going,” she says.

“Remember, it’s your home,” says Revitsky. “The decorations are for you. Only put up things that make you feel good.”

Rocking Around the Christmas Tree
Just like decorating, it helps to rotate holiday parties. Organizers encourage families to decide ahead of time which annual events they will attend and understand that missing one event isn’t the end of the world. “People will miss you but they won’t hate you,” says Kreamer. “You should go because you want to, not out of obligation.”

It’s also important to avoid spending so much time at social events that family time gets pushed aside. “Don't fill your schedule up every weekend,” Scott says. “People get so caught up in the moment, they forget that the people who love them more than anything are at home.”

For those who host their own get-togethers, Scott suggests hiring a concierge service to help clean the house, prepare the party and serve the guests.

“That way you can actually enjoy it and almost be a guest at your own party,” she says.

Another option is to follow Revitsky’s advice and ask each guest to bring an entree, side dish or dessert. Then the host only has to provide drinks.

“Everyone needs help,” Scott says. “That’s OK. One person can’t do everything.”

Giving Great Gifts
To prevent buyer’s guilt and avoid giving things that will end up in the recipient’s re-gifting pile, it helps to really think about what people want rather than heading to the stores without any ideas.

“People try to out-do the year before. They keep setting the bar higher and higher and they want to spend more and more. But this results in more debt and giving a lot of things people don't want,” Kreamer says.

For a great way to give gifts that are sure to please, organizers endorse giving gift certificates, tickets and the ever-popular gas card. Most people would rather have something they can use than something that will take up more space in their home.

“As a person with kids, I hope I don't get any more toys,” Revitsky says.

For presents that do require packaging, organizers suggest setting up a wrapping station in an easily accessible area. And wrap the purchases right away to avoid the dreaded Christmas Eve wrapping frenzy.

While all their tips for holiday happiness can make any season smoother, organizers agree on the most important advice they can give clients. All encourage people to avoid getting overwhelmed so they can enjoy the holidays for what they are meant to be: a joyous, relaxing time to spend with family and friends.