More than a White Christmas

If you’re anything like me, the holidays are a great opportunity to express your creativity through wrapping gifts. The problem is, as usual, too much stuff. Too much paper, too many ribbons and bows, too many accessories and really no efficient way to store everything.

More than a white Christmas, we may dream of a big expansive hobby room, but chances are Santa won’t be bringing that this year. So how do we make it fit with what we have? How do we enjoy a smooth stress-free wrapping experience? How can we delight and impress our friends at parties with our wiz-bang packages? Here are 3 quick and easy ideas for smooth sailing, saving space and looking cool.

1) Buy metallic paper. Not only is it a “blank slate” for your own personal spin, it’s versatile for other times of year. After Christmas, you can use it again with different accessories. No waste. And only one roll to store in your closet. Design your closet with this in mind.

2) Use a clear “slide-out” container to store accessories like bows and ribbons. The Container Store has choices in acrylic and rubber. You can see what’s inside without labels and if you place it on a shelf, the slide-out access is much easier than a box where you must remove the whole thing to get the cover off. Keep only your favorite trimmings in there and limit inventory to the size of the container. Plan this before designing your closet.

3) Recycle great materials. I’ve used everything from an orphan earring (where I lost the other), to loose feathers (don’t even ask where they came from!) to great fabric from a shirt that doesn’t fit well. Let your imagination run wild! Place them in your “slide-out” accessory container. Save not only closet space but money too.

Most important, have fun. The holidays are a celebration of life. Enjoy each day and have a happy!

Guest Blogger: Janet Valenza is President & Design Director of Closet Revolution, a New York City based company.