The holidays are coming — and so are the guests, the gravy, and the gift wrap! Whether you’re hosting Thanksgiving dinner, decorating for Christmas, or simply trying to stay one step ahead this season, holiday home organization is the key to less stress and more joy. With a little planning (and maybe a little help from Here For You Concierge), you can enjoy a warm, welcoming home and a smoother path into the new year.
Step One: Declutter Before the Holidays
Before you bring anything new into your home — whether it’s groceries, gifts, or garlands — it’s time to make space. Decluttering is the foundation of effective holiday home organization.
Start with your most visible spaces: entryways, guest rooms, and living areas. Clear surfaces, put away everyday clutter, and create a calm environment where decorations can shine. Not only will your home look more inviting for guests, but you’ll also find it easier to manage holiday chaos when everything has its place.
If you need an extra hand, Here For You Concierge can help with pre-holiday decluttering, organizing donation drop-offs, and even handling errands so you can focus on what matters most — spending time with family.
Step Two: Kitchen Organizing for the Holidays
Your kitchen will be the hub of the holidays — but is it ready for it? Before the cooking marathon begins, take time to reset your refrigerator and pantry.
It’s so important to clean out the old yucky condiments, lingering unknown leftovers, and those “we’re never going to eat this” items before you start stocking up on stock, butter, and gravy. Why? Because unless you rotate those old items to the front, they’ll get pushed to the back and become New Year’s Problem.
Clean out now and make room for the good stuff — the ingredients, desserts, and dishes that bring everyone together. You’ll save space, cut waste, and have a much easier time navigating the fridge when you’re prepping your big meal.
If you’d like, Here For You Concierge can help you restock your pantry, organize your kitchen, or even prepare for grocery deliveries ahead of your Thanksgiving cooking.
Step Three: Make the Guest Room Guest-Ready
For many people, the “guest room” is actually a catch-all space — a multipurpose room that ends up holding craft supplies, old toys, or projects that never quite got finished.
Before the holidays, take time to transform that space back into a true guest room. Clean out half-finished craft projects, donate kids’ toys that have been long outgrown, and gather up unfinished photo projects (we can even finish those for you at our office!).
The goal is simple: to make space for comfort. Your guests should have room to unpack, rest, and actually use the space — not tiptoe around piles of clutter. A clear, cozy guest room is one of the kindest ways to say “welcome.”
Step Four: Plan Your Parties Early
When it comes to holiday home organization, timing is everything. People’s calendars fill up fast, so now’s the time to decide what kind of gatherings you’ll host and send those invitations.
If the thought of addressing envelopes or designing invites makes your head spin, Here For You Concierge can help with contact lists, holiday cards, and even mail merges — or take care of handwritten invitations for that personal touch.
And don’t forget about decorations! Follow the “first in, first out” rule — use your older decor before buying new. If you do buy new pieces, consider donating what you no longer use to keep clutter from building up again.
Step Five: Start Christmas Shopping Early
There’s nothing like avoiding the last-minute shopping rush. A key part of holiday home organization is getting ahead on gift buying and wrapping.
Keep a running list of gift ideas on your phone, and don’t be afraid to pick up presents as you spot them. Use an envelope or small file to store all your gift receipts together so returns are easy later.
Coming soon: Keep an eye on our social media for The Photo Managers Gift Guide 2025, curated with meaningful gift ideas that celebrate memories and moments.
And if you really want to feel ahead of the game, we can handle all your Christmas shopping — and even your birthday shopping for the whole year. Imagine opening your closet to find every gift for every occasion already wrapped and ready to go. That’s next-level organization.
Step Six: Organize and Share Your Holiday Memories
The holidays aren’t just about food and festivities — they’re about connection and shared memories. While you’re focusing on holiday home organization, it’s also the perfect time to organize your digital and printed photos.
Pull together favorite photos from the year to create a slideshow or digital album you can play during Thanksgiving or Christmas gatherings. It’s a wonderful way to relive special moments and spark conversations around the table.
If your family has boxes of older prints, bring them out while everyone’s together. Ask relatives — especially grandparents or great-aunts — to help identify faces and stories before they’re lost to time.
Pro Tip: Always use cloth gloves when handling old photos to protect them from oils on your hands, and use a soft-tip pencil for labeling. The Photo Managers recommend having the oldest family member label each photo with the person’s full name and date of birth — especially if there are multiple generations with the same name (think John, John Jr., and John III!).
You can even create a family sharing album as a meaningful holiday gift. Set up a shared folder where everyone can upload favorite photos, recipes, and moments from the season — a beautiful way to keep family connected all year long.
Join Us: DIY Photo Organizing Night – Get Your Photos in Order!
Want to finally get your photo collection organized? Join us for our upcoming event:
DIY Photo Organizing Night — Get Your Photos in Order!
November 20th at 6 PM
Here For You Concierge, 6081 Hamilton Blvd Suite 600, Allentown, PA 18106
We’ll be offering the DIG YOUR PHOTOS! DIY Print Photo Organizing Kit as an optional add-on with registration. This kit includes all the tools, step-by-step instructions, and “recipe cards” you’ll need to complete your project in four easy stages. Each step includes a QR code linking to a short instructional video, so you can learn at your own pace and feel confident as you organize. It’s designed to bring you across the finish line — helping you finally achieve an organized, accessible, and meaningful photo collection.
Preserving Your Family Legacy — Meaningful Gifts & Memories to Share
Preserving family photos and home movies isn’t just about storage — it makes for thoughtful, personal gifts and becomes a beautiful way to bring people together during the holidays. Instead of another generic present, consider giving something that reconnects relatives with shared stories and memories.
If you’re inspired to go beyond this season’s organizing and think about your family legacy, we’ve written more about how preserving photos and home movies can protect your family’s story for generations to come:
Saving a Family Legacy: How to Preserve Family Photos for Generations
A deep dive into how one family’s fragile 1800s photo albums were saved through careful restoration and digitizing — and why preservation matters before it’s too late.
How to Back Up Home Movies and Preserve a Family Legacy
Learn how we helped one client convert DVDs into a searchable, streamable family video library — so his children and grandchildren can relive memories anytime, anywhere.
Digital Photo Recovery Service for a Family Memory Preservation Project
See how a simple photo recovery project became the most heartfelt gift of all — rediscovering memories from old cameras and turning them into timeless framed keepsakes.
Enjoy a Stress-Free Season
When your home is organized and your memories are in order, you can actually enjoy the holidays — not just survive them. From holiday home organization to photo preservation, Here For You Concierge can handle the details so you can focus on what really matters: connection, celebration, and peace of mind.
About Here For You Concierge
Here For You Concierge is your go-to resource for simplifying life’s to-do list. Whether you need help planning the perfect date, finding a thoughtful gift, or managing day-to-day errands, we’re here to make your life easier. We specialize in personal concierge services, holiday planning, event coordination, and more.
