Friday, November 03, 2006

Christmas Wrapping Inventory

*Blogger wouldn't let me post pictures of my organizing venture on this post for whatever reason, so you can view them below in the following post!

I tackled and organized my gift wrap box on Wednesday.It was actually a great time to do this with Christmas right around the corner. I could take inventory of my stock while I was already going through everything!

I had been keeping everything together in one gigantic Rubbermaid box, leftover from moving 2 years ago. I probably used it because it was long enough for rolls of gift wrap to lay flat. It was also big enough to keep my all-occasion and Christmas wrapping supplies together, resulting in a constant huge mess as it was very hard to keep organized. This box also takes up a lot of space!

In easy steps, here is how I went about organizing all of this.

1)Took everything out of box. This is especially fun if you have a toddler close by to help!

2)Sorted Christmas stuff into one pile and all-occasion wrappings into another.

3)One pile at a time, I sorted things by category. Such as ribbons and bows, tissue paper, gift bags, gift boxes, wrapping paper.

4) Determined I had way too much all-occasion supplies, so took a moment to declutter. I came up with a big gift bag full of gift bags and a gallon ziploc bag full of misc. bows and ribbons that I never use. What helped me to decide what I didn't need here was to think back to the types of gifts I normally give through-out the year. I realized that I mostly give container gifts, so that minimizes the use of gift wrap and gift bags.

5)Re-organized my all-occasion supplies. Wow! They all fit in one small box. What a concept!

6)Next, I tackled the Christmas pile. I know I will use most of this stuff, so I didn't declutter. I just organized! I have plenty of gift wrap, gift boxes and bags and ribbon to easily get me through this holiday season as well as the next, probably!

7)Put items I needed on my shopping list. All I need to buy is scotch tape and white tissue paper.

8)Put organized groups into containers for storage. Found a tall and narrow box for rolls of gift wrap to stand in and used a small square box for gift bags and boxes, as well as folded gift wrap and sheets of sticky tags. I took out an old Christmas bag to use for storing tissue paper and ribbons and bows. I'm going for functionality here and not aesthetics! This will work well to have out during the Christmas season.

9)Write reminder on shopping list to look at Rubbermaid gift wrap storage boxes. I've seen some tall ones that may work better than what I had been using. It would be nice at some point to have it all in containers with lids. Readers-feel free to let me know in the comments what works for you!

10)Sit back and enjoy! By doing this, I am putting myself in the mood to start wrapping my gifts. But of course, that will mess everything back up...:-)

4 comments:

Monica Wilkinson said...

Doesn't it feel good to purge what isn't needed and organize what's left?! I limit myself to one box for everything except bows - and I just keep it all in the box (the one my stand mixer came in). It fits perfectly behind my closet door and works great! Great job! Now I'm in the mood to wrap! :)

Mary Ann said...

Most of my gift bags and even bows are from gifts that were given to us. I've sold most of the wedding gift bags(we will probably never even attend that many weddings!)As far as gift wrap goes(Christmas and otherwise), I am trying to use what I have and then get one or two basic colors and one or 2 basic colors of ribbon and do a signature gift wrap. I just think it would be so much easier to deal with!

Kathryn said...

I have everything in an armoire. I added a 3 drawer Rubbermaid thingy and separated everything out. The rolls stand up along the side. And my gift bags are all in a big gift bag on top. Although, I probably won't be able to use gift bags anymore at my house....your nephew seems to take after his auntie in one respect.... LOL

Mary Ann said...

I forgot about the 3 drawer cabinet you have, Kathryn. And I'm very glad for you that Knox is taking after me with my "gift curiosity". It is a very special talent to have. :-)