http://www.bin-store.com/blog

How many gifts will you be purchasing this year for friends and family members? If you have a long holiday shopping list, one of the best holiday organizing tips is to set up a gift station. Usually a closet works best for this purpose, though you can use any storage area (under a bed, inside a set of drawers, etc.). A closet gives you plenty of space for larger items, however, and helps you keep everything out of sight. Here are a few steps for setting up a gift station:

1. Start by clearing out the closet or other gift station storage. Get everything non-gift related out of the way and put it somewhere else. That way you have all the space available for gift wrapping and storage.

2. Head to the store and purchase a set of large plastic bins. You may want a couple small plastic bins as well. You will be able to use these to organize your entire gift wrapping supplies.

3. Purchase and gather all the supplies you need for gift wrapping. This includes scissors, a tape dispenser and refills, gift wrap, gift bags, tissue paper, bubble wrap, bows, ribbons and other package décor, gift tags, pens and markers, and gift boxes.

4. Organize your packing supplies neatly in the clear plastic containers you have purchased. You may want to label the outsides of the bins so it is even easier to tell which supplies are stored in which containers. You can stack these bins inside the closet or nearby, depending on how much room you have. The bins will definitely help you save space!

5. Gather the gifts you have already purchased and store them inside the gift closet. As you do, make an inventory of gifts you have purchased and stored, as well as the names of recipients. Make a list of gifts you still need, and be sure to cross them off as you add them to the closet and pack them. The list will ensure you do not lose track of a gift or a recipient and that you get around to everyone.

You should actually consider keeping your gift wrapping station as a year-round addition to your household. Why? It does take up space, but it also saves you time. If you shop for gifts throughout the year and tackle wrapping as you go, you will get around to the holiday season next year with half of your work already taken care of. This is a great way to handle holiday shopping since you will often find the best gifts for recipients at random times in random places. If you do not have a gift wrapping station ready, you may misplace gifts you have purchased. Having a gift wrapping station will ensure that you do not run into un-gifted presents five years later that you intended to give and misplaced. All of your presents will reach their intended recipients the year you purchase them!