“Why Didn’t I Think Of That?” – The 4th Annual Holiday Edition

Here on my blog, I strive to share simple, everyday tips and tricks that can help make your life a little bit easier. But sometimes, the tips that I want to share aren’t something I can write a whole blog post about!

Since I simply cannot waste a good idea, I tuck them away to use at a later date. Today I’ll be sharing some of those tips and tricks with you in the 4th annual Holiday Edition of my ongoing series “Why Didn’t I Think Of That?”

Revisit any of the previous editions of the “Why Didn’t I Think Of That?” series by checking out the link at the end of this post! :-)

1. Sticky Note Christmas Tree

Bring some Christmas cheer into your workspace or home office with a sticky note tree! Grab a stack of green sticky notes, along with a couple other colors to use as “ornaments,” and find an open stretch of wall to construct your tree.

Not only is it a fun activity, but it’s also a great way to decorate for the holidays using supplies that are readily available! (As an added bonus, it’ll be easy to take down once the holidays are over.)

Related:  10 Easy Ways To Solve Your Worst Holiday Clutter Problem

2. Double Duty Gifting

Most gifts are packaged in boxes or bags that end up getting thrown away. So why not have your gift do double duty by making the packaging part of the gift too?

Pack your gift into a reusable storage container instead. The recipient will appreciate the gesture and be able to put the container to good use!

3. Quick & Easy Garland

Whether you drape them over your tree or around a room, garlands make a festive decoration during the holidays! And you can make your own garland quickly and easily with just some cupcake liners, string, and a stapler.

Gather up cupcake liners in various colors, styles, and sizes, then fold the liners in half to form a semi-circle. Layer the liners onto a long length of string until you find an arrangement you like, then staple them in place and hang your finished garland!

4. Tangle-Free Light Storage

It’s hard to be excited about decorating for the holidays when you know your Christmas lights are a big, tangled mess. So do yourself a favor and set aside a few closet hangers to use when it’s time to pack away the decorations in a few weeks.

Before you put the lights back in the box, wrap each strand around one of the hangers. It only takes a few extra seconds to do, and it will save you loads of time when it’s time to decorate next year!

5. DIY Rustic Ornaments

Make your own wooden ornaments to bring a bit of rustic charm into your holiday decor! All you need to make them are a handful of popsicle sticks or craft sticks and your trusty hot glue gun. :-)

Glue the sticks together to make stars, circles, geometric designs, or whatever else you can dream up. Then just use a bit of string or twine to tie hang your rustic ornaments on your tree (or anywhere, really!)

6. Easy Christmas Chandelier

Want an easy way to bring some festive cheer into your dining area? All it takes is a few extra tree ornaments to turn your dining room light fixture into a Christmas “chandelier!”

Use string, twine, or even fishing line to hang ornaments from the light fixture. Hang them at varying heights to achieve nice chandelier effect (but keep them high enough that they won’t get in the way during dinner.)

7. Professional Gift Wrapping

Give your gifts a professional look this year by securing the wrapping paper with double-sided tape instead of standard scotch tape. This simple trick can make any gift look like it belongs on the cover of a holiday catalog!

8. Wrapping Paper Storage

Keep your wrapping paper organized and easy-to-find this year with the help of a hanging garment bag. Just slide the tubes into the bag, hang the bag in your closet, and they’ll stay neat and organized until you need them again!

9. Track Your Holiday Shopping

When it comes to shopping for holiday gifts, keeping everything organized can feel like a full-time job! But the Santa’s Bag app for iOS makes keeping track of your Christmas shopping so much easier.

You can use it to keep track of all sorts of useful information: gift ideas, budgets, gift wrap status, and even location (which is very handy for people like me who have been known to forget where we hid a gift!)

If you’re an Android user, the Christmas Gift List app in the Google Play store offers a lot of similar features!