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[MathisFan]

My husband built me shelves in our basement for all my holiday items. I keep most things in their original boxes inside clear storage totes. I do have a lot of things I've purchased at rummage sales that don't have boxes, etc. I wrap those items in tissue paper and store them in totes also.

[AuntG]

Basement shelving works best for my stuff.

[Sooner]

I'm taking more and more to the Salvation Army. That has been the most effective ""storage"" solution I've found.

[White Picket Fence]

Sooner, that would be the easiest way to go. But I have things that are just too nice and I love. I don't want to give these things away. I also have to let go of the items I kept when my parents died. I just couldn't bear to part with them. Now time has passed so I may be able to donate them or something.

You can only put out so many Jim Shore items. Then there are other collectibles I have. I have a Teddy Bear collection some being Steiff bears. I do not want to give them up. I can part with some things, but not all. Some of you have given me some good ideas. I also have my glass and other collectibles marked on the box exactly what they are. I never can pass up an animal (just about never) figurine to do with dogs and bunnies and some others. I guess I feel I need to de clutter but don't want to get rid of new and unused items I love. So I will need to do the shelf thing some have mentioned. I also have a big handbag collection and love them. I could sell some, but I love so many I own.

We are suppose to be moving as soon as this home is packed up. My husband does not want all my things to have to move to another home. I understand not wanting to drag a lot of things to another house, but these things have meaning to me and I can't just dump them. When I see shows like a Valerie one, I think to myself "How many Christmas items can people own" "And where the heck do they put it all". Heck, I'd be buying everything if I didn't stop myself, and then I'd end up on Hoarders!!! Don't need that. I will need to give up some things, then put shelving up down the basement. You know how many of these houses we look at have finished basements? Ugh, I hate that. To me, a basement is a storage area. I don't want to hang out in the basement. And when the basement is finished I think "Don't these people have stuff?" Oh well, I'll figure out some way to keep my treasures. Thanks for your ideas.

[goodstuff]

The kind of shopping habits you describe are exactly the way some people find themselves living in disorganization and clutter, sometimes moving on to real pathological hoarding! Yes, it's fun to look and shop and find nice things. However, no one has infinite space for display and storage, and no one really needs to be constantly spending money on pointless stuff, stuff, and more stuff! Why buy more and more holiday things if I already can't see, use, or store what I already have? How many bed and table linens do I really need and use? Commercial "collectibles" are mostly overpriced marketing ploys that influence people to pay significant money for collectible plates, plaques, dolls, spoons, figurines, and heaven-knows-what, only to learn later that in most cases they are nearly worthless. Thrift stores are piled high with "collectibles" being liquidated for next to nothing. The Mom to Mom Forum currently has a thread on the quandary of having to get rid of a family member's huge amount of stuff when it's left behind. I don't want to leave that kind of mess to my kids.

OP, this might be a good time to re-assess, do some cleaning out and donating, and get a grip on the cycle of compulsive shopping and acquisition. It's a very wasteful and counterproductive "sport". I'm working on organizing and clearing things out, and it feels good. Very freeing.

[Sooner]

Aside from everything else, there is the matter of how much time and energy and MONEY you spend packing up and moving things you will never see because it is and always will be packed away.

[misspammie]

Having moved last October, MY FIRST Christmas here, I really tried to organize as I 'put away'. I got quite a few red and green bins from Lowes. I made a list for each bin,,name of room, where I put what, etc. and taped it on the inside of the lid. It's SO organized and lovely Now, let's see if it helps me with decorating this year?! There's always room for improvment, but this should help a lot. I used to keep a folder and pics of each room. Had a lot more rooms then, so I'm trying this method. Good luck all. It's a lot of work, but oh so well worth the effort. real sideline here,,,,what's with YHJ Martin? don't watch much and would love to know what's with 'Martin'? thank you for any response. Merry Christmas! matter of fact, having a Christmas in July tomorrow with family,,,,just a small tado,,French Onion Soup, Salad, Peach Cream Pie desssert. Christmas table set. Just a nice thing to do in all this heat.

[brii]

I think a lot of people buy so much because they don't feel like looking through what they already have - LOL

[ive been framed]

I was thinking, ask your kids or grandkids to go through anything first when you are ready to let go of Christmas stuff! My Grandma got rid of very old ornaments and things that I would have LOVED to have, things I grew up with every year.

One thing was an little plastic Santa on his sleigh with eight little reindeer we set on the tree. Yes, the paint was peeling a bit and a deer was missing his antler, but I remember sneaking it off the tree to play with! We also had a white wreath made of tissue, really simple but pretty. What is old junk to you may be happy mementos to the kids!

[Hooty]

I love to seasonal decorate, but I have run out of room to store things! I store my outside décor & Christmas décor in my storage bldg. outside, and inside décor, in closets in my house! I still have Boyd's Bears I need to get rid of to have more space, but I just seem to hate to part with them. My 2 GD's have so many toys and stuffed animals, they don't need them, and only want the latest craze, which now is Frozen! I wish I had a larger house where I had a spare bedroom that I could use as storage! We don't have a basement, sure wish we did, because it would be perfect to store things!

Anyway, I store my items in storage bins by Rubbermaid, and write in black marker what season they are, to help keep track.