Simple Christmas Gift Organization

Online shopping. In store shopping. Packages in the car, shipments in the mail, receipts everywhere… it can be a lot to keep track of if you’re buying a lot of gifts!

I wrote about simplifying the gift list (and other holiday simplification) here and I talked about how to never lose receipts again in this post, so make sure to read those if you haven’t yet.

Today, I want to focus on the actual gift part of Christmas. Here’s how to keep gifts, supplies, and wrapping organized and simplified:

1) Keep all of your gifts in one place.

If your gifts aren’t all in one place, then get them into one place! A tote under your bed, a box in the top of your closet, a shelf in a storage closet… wherever you can find room.

Some people are secretive about where they hide their gifts, but in my family, we all know where everyone else’s gift stash is. That way, we know where not to look when we’re cleaning or searching for a misplaced item.

2) Take inventory.

Now that you have all of your gifts in one place, spread all of them out and make one pile for each recipient. Write down or take a photo of each pile so you won’t forget who has what when you’re shopping for the remaining gifts.

{Note: If you need some last-minute gift ideas, check out this post with 22 fabulous and frugal themed gift ideas that won’t clutter up your house.}

3) Gather gift wrap supplies into one place.

Whether you’re using gift bags with tissue paper or wrapping paper and bows (or wrapping paper without bows), make sure you have all of the gift-wrap supplies you need. Here’s a basic list:

• Wrapping paper
• Scissors
• Tape
• Gift tags or cards
• Pen
• A few boxes of various sizes (optional)
• Ribbons and bows (optional)
• Gift bags
• Tissue Paper

4) Wrap the gifts you’ve purchased.

I’m the worst at waiting until the day before Christmas Eve to start wrapping gifts, but this year I’ve committed to wrapping early. And guess what – wrapping gifts isn’t too bad when you don’t have to wrap every single present for every single person on the same day!

It’s gotta be done eventually, so we might as well do it now! Make a cup of hot chocolate, dim the lights, gather your gift wrap supplies, turn on some Christmas music (or a Christmas movie) and start wrapping!

5) Leave your gift wrap supplies in one easily accessible place.

I hated the thought of dragging gift-wrap supplies out, wrapping presents, and putting supplies away. Then dragging supplies out, wrapping, and putting supplies away again. And again.

But this year, all of our supplies (see list above) are sitting right next to our Christmas tree. In the living room. Where I wrap gifts and immediately place them directly under the tree. All without even needing to get up. Fabulous.

6) Wrap gifts as they arrive (and label everything).

This is another one of those, “Why didn’t I think of this until this year?!” ideas. After I wrapped our first batch of gifts, I now wrap gifts as they come in the mail and slap a to/from gift tag on it. SO much easier and less stressful than waiting until December 23rd!

7) Teach your kids how to wrap presents.

Lily (9) has been wrapping presents for years. Nathan and I each spent about 20 minutes teaching Grace (5) how to wrap gifts earlier this month and it is absolutely fantastic.

They think it’s fun and it saves me some work. Who cares if the wrapping isn’t perfect?! It’s done in love and that’s really the most important thing!

What would you add to this list? How to you keep your Christmas gifts organized?

{Read more Christmas articles here.}