Tips & Tricks For Storing Festive Holiday Napkins Without Collecting Clutter

If you're usually the go-to holiday host, you likely have a stash of disposable party goods for planned and impromptu celebrations. Unfortunately, a year's worth of supplies could be quite the party pooper if it's not properly organized.

The key to storing your collection of holiday napkins is to keep them visible and accessible, because "out of sight, out of mind" applies here. In an interview with marthastewart.com, certified professional organizer Darla DeMorrow recommended storing themed sets of holiday napkins and paper plates together in a clear bin, which will keep them from getting wrinkled or dirty. 

She also suggested that if you have space, store the bin in your kitchen or pantry for accessibility. "Once you send them to the party supply section of the basement, you forget what you have, and are prone to accidental re-buying," DeMorrow said.

Another option is to organize your napkins in a file box, like this Office Depot Large Mobile File Box. Remember that visibility is key, so a transparent file box will be a constant reminder of its contents. Rather than tucking loose napkins into the hanging files, store them by holiday in gallon-sized zip-top plastic bags before filing them away. The box's letter-size hanging files work perfectly for sorting the napkins by occasion — and in chronological order, for bonus points. Once the holiday has passed, move the file folder to the back of the box.

Are you short on space in your pantry? Consider an over-the-door shoe organizer that can solve many storage problems. Not only is it the perfect storage hack for cluttered wrapping paper, but it also can organize and store napkins. If you can narrow your list of holidays down to your top eight, Dollar Tree's Closet Essentials 8 Pocket Shoe Organizers is an ideal option. Label each pocket so you simply glance and see what's inside. 

Depending on how many holidays you have napkins for, storing your paper goods in a three-ring 2-inch binder is another space-saving option. Slide each holiday's worth of napkins into plastic protective sheets before putting them in the binder. 

To reduce the likelihood of overbuying napkins for a particular holiday, add them to your shopping list immediately after you've used them up. That way, they'll be on your radar the next time you go to the store. If they're not on your list, don't buy them, no matter how tempting the deal or design is. Not sure when to snag the best post-holiday deals? Read up on when you can find the best holiday decor clearance sales at Target, and you'll be guaranteed to always have a full supply of festive napkins.