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WHERE DO YOU HIDE PRESENTS IN A SMALL HOUSE?

December 5, 2020
christmas presents

It’s December and the Christmas season is in full swing at our house.  The tree is up, the eggnog is in the fridge and the packages from online shopping are accumulating quickly.  

But what do you do with all the shipping boxes full of presents that need to be kept a secret??

Let me tell you, hiding presents in a small house is HARD! 

I try to keep gifts a secret, but it can be challenging to find places to hide items, especially big items, when you feel like your house has no storage space. 

We don’t have an extra bedroom, closet, or attic to hide presents.  I can’t set up a dedicated wrapping station devoted to wrapping presents as they come in.  What I need is quick, easy locations to store both wrapped and unwrapped gifts out of my family’s sight. 

So what do I do? I get creative and a bit sneaky.

Before the holiday season, I brainstorm locations in my house that aren’t being used as frequently as others.  This is difficult when you use every.square.inch of your house.  However, I can usually think of a few places that my kids aren’t currently digging into daily that can discreetly hide a few items.  Sometimes this is a box in the garage, under the bed, or even the trunk of the car.

If you are looking around your house wondering where you are going to hide that new Lego set or dollhouse, here are my road-tested, elf-approved, small space hiding spots:

In a closet…but not how you think

Closets are a classic hiding spot for Christmas gifts, however, the goal should be to make it look like there isn’t anything unusual in there.  Wrapped or unwrapped presents on a closet shelf are a dead give away. Especially if they are completely visible! 

If you’re trying to be discrete, mix the gifts in with the normal closet contents.  For example, store in a non-clear bin in the top of the closet, a laundry hamper, or a basket.  Even an unassuming Amazon box can work as a temporary solution.

wrapped gifts in a box

I’ve stored them in a box on the floor, in a bin on the top shelf, and my personal favorite, behind the hanging clothes.  

Last year, the only thing my son wanted for his December birthday was the giant stuffed bear from Costco.  The really, really big one.  We had many conversations about how big he was and how small our house was.  This bear was literally the size of a small adult. 

We tried to persuade him to find another toy.  Wouldn’t a Lego set be nice? Or a basketball?  But all he wanted was that bear.  In the end, we caved and decided we would just have to figure out how to make room for it. 

My daughter and I picked up the bear at Costco one morning when my son was in school.  I don’t think I realized exactly how big he was until we got him home.

costco bear

I had 4 hours to figure out where to hide the bear before my son came home.

While my daughter napped, I raced around my house looking for a place – any place – large enough to stuff the bear.  The only location I found was my husband’s closet.  I was able to sit him on top of the shoe rack and pull the clothes in front to disguise him.  I covered his legs with a towel and made sure his brown fur wasn’t visible through the clothes. 

costco bear

closet

It was crazy, but it worked.  He was completely surprised when we pulled out the giant bear on his birthday. 

In an unassuming bin in the garage

Opaque bins are your friends, people.  These unassuming bins in your garage can be repurposed to hold presents, stocking stuffers, or anything else you may need to quickly stash on your way home from the store.  No one is going to look in the bin marked “Summer” in December.  I usually have one or two empty, unlabeled bins that I keep for this purpose.  It’s been a real lifesaver to have a dedicated place to quickly toss whatever items I’m carrying in the house before my kids come bounding out the door.  

My dark grey garage bins are from Target and are a nice, big size.  They hold quite a lot and I like that I can have one for wrapped and another for unwrapped presents.

In the attic/basement/shed

Are you lucky enough to have an attic, basement, or shed? Then you are golden!  These locations are out of the way and not frequented by small children (or even some adults).  

shed inside

I use our shed when I need to store large presents that are sometimes impossible to wrap.  Last year my kids were lucky enough to receive a red Power Wheels Dune Buggy that came in a giant box.  The box CLEARLY showed what was inside and was way too big to wrap.  I was so thankful we were able to keep it tucked in the shed with a large table cloth covering the box.  

Under the bed

Yes, under the bed.  Push aside those dust bunnies and find a box that you can’t see through.  I use a large, flat Target shipping box, but any box will do.  I actually use this year-round when I pick up little gifts, toys, books, or other items I may need to keep secret from the kids. My kids have climbed under my bed a few times during a game of hide and seek, but have never pulled the box out to look inside.  

under the bed

In plain sight (but know your audience!)

For this, you really, really need to know the person you are hiding the gift from.  My husband isn’t one to go poking around looking for things and doesn’t always notice when something is new or out of place.  This has worked to my advantage when it comes to hiding his presents. 

One year, when we lived in Los Angeles I was able to “hide” a new bicycle in broad daylight on our deck for two weeks without him noticing.  It wasn’t covered or wrapped.  It was just slightly out of sight from the sliding door.  He was completely shocked when I rolled it in on his birthday and wanted to know where I had been hiding it.  Ha!  Obvious places work, just make sure you know the person isn’t the nosy type.   

And most importantly – keep track of the hidden items!

Yes, write this down somewhere!  The holidays are a busy time and you are juggling a lot of information, dates, and to-do lists. There’s nothing worse than hiding a present and then not remembering where it is.  Or even worse, finding it still hidden in the back of the closet in June! 

I keep a detailed record of gift ideas as well as what has been purchased and where it is hidden.  This used to be a lot easier when my son wasn’t able to read and I could just write it down in a notebook (I’m old school and love a good notebook).   But now I have to be more discrete.

I’ve since switched to just using the notes app on my phone to track gift lists as well as wrapped status and location for each present.  It’s nice because I always have it on me and can refer back quickly.  

In the end, the best tip I have is to think OUTSIDE and INSIDE the box.

Be creative!  Think about your house and the locations that kids don’t frequently go or look in.  Try to figure out how to incorporate larger boxes or bins that can then hold gifts or items until the big day.  Look for areas that are already fairly full of items to discreetly squeeze in one or two gifts that no one will notice.  Take items out of boxes so they will store more easily.  Put items in boxes so you can’t see what’s in there. 

And write it all down so you don’t forget. You got this!

For more holiday tips and tricks, come hang out with me on Instagram and Facebook where I’m attempting to stay organized and sane during the month of December.

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Comments

  1. Kathryn Sellereit says

    January 2, 2021 at 8:41 pm

    Hi Lisa,
    I am really enjoying your website/blog. Thanks to your mom, I read about it in the Christey family Christmas letter. I too love smallish homes and uncluttered spaces. We still live in our 2300 square foot home with no plans to move yet but I am always going through closets, drawers etc. and evaluating what things I really need and still want to keep. I do agree with the mantra “Less is more” for so many reasons. At any rate, keep up the creative writing.

    Kathy

    Reply
    • Lisa says

      January 4, 2021 at 1:36 pm

      Hi Kathy! Thank you for reading my blog! It means so much to me that you took the time to read and comment. Good for you on continuing to go through closets and drawers. It takes a lot of time but it is so worth it. I find it really helps me curate my belongings so that the things I have are items I love and use, and, as a result, are easier to keep organized!

      Reply

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Hi! I’m Lisa and I dig smallish homes. I believe they bring families together and provide a constraint on the accumulation of stuff. I’m obsessed with rethinking room design and storage solutions in order to live the life I want in the house I have. I hope you stay a while!
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Only three more sleeps until Christmas and I’ve Only three more sleeps until Christmas and I’ve literally just crossed the last thing off my to-do list.  All the planning, shopping and prep work is done and I’m ready to enjoy the next few days.  If you need me I’ll be eating a gingerbread cookie (or two) while drinking cup after cup of coffee.

Before I go, I wanted to share a few pictures of our minimalist holiday decorations in our living room/ dining room. 

This year we tried something different and cut our own mountain grown tree and I’m LOVING the change.  Even though it’s real skinny, it has the nicest placement of branches and is truly a beautiful tree.

The delicate branches can’t hold heavy lights or ornaments, so I reused the white crocheted snowflakes  and matte black balls from last year, along with a single string of copper LED lights.  So simple, so easy, but still beautiful.  Just what I needed this year.

Wishing you a very happy holiday!
The crows are back! The best decorations are the o The crows are back!
The best decorations are the ones you are  EXCITED to see each year. The ones you instantly pull from the box and start placing in your home. They don’t need to be fancy, or new each year. They just need to bring joy to you and your family. ✨❤️
Surprise! We bought a new home!  And sold our ho Surprise!

We bought a new home!  And sold our home!  It’s been a whirlwind and I’m exhausted.

We are incredibly lucky to have bought our neighbor’s home FSBO.  It’s larger than our current home by ~700 square feet and is a split entry home with most of the living space upstairs and a bonus family room/bedroom in the basement.  

While the rooms (and closets!) are still small, there are more of them.  There will be room for office space for both my husband and myself, a bit more storage, and even a laundry room/mudroom (woo hoo! No more garage laundry for me!)

So what do you think? Do I need to change my name from smallishhome to sortofmidsizehome?  No matter what, I’ll continue to share how I maximize storage in small spaces, because, well, that’s my life and my passion!  

Be sure to check out my stories for a walk through of the new house.  Don’t miss the avocado green tub and original 1960’s kitchen cabinets. So many projects ahead of us!
Hey there! It’s been a while! I’ve had a lot Hey there! It’s been a while!

I’ve had a lot on my plate personally these last few weeks and have had to drop all social media as a way to stay sane and focused on the path ahead.  I love this community, but I just couldn’t give it the time it deserved, so I took a break.  Hopefully you understand. 

I’m trying to ramp back up but could use your help.  What spaces are you having trouble organizing?  What kind of videos would you like to see?  I appreciate each and every one of you and love hearing your suggestions.  It’s what keeps me going when I start to feel stuck!

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Only three more sleeps until Christmas and I’ve Only three more sleeps until Christmas and I’ve literally just crossed the last thing off my to-do list.  All the planning, shopping and prep work is done and I’m ready to enjoy the next few days.  If you need me I’ll be eating a gingerbread cookie (or two) while drinking cup after cup of coffee.

Before I go, I wanted to share a few pictures of our minimalist holiday decorations in our living room/ dining room. 

This year we tried something different and cut our own mountain grown tree and I’m LOVING the change.  Even though it’s real skinny, it has the nicest placement of branches and is truly a beautiful tree.

The delicate branches can’t hold heavy lights or ornaments, so I reused the white crocheted snowflakes  and matte black balls from last year, along with a single string of copper LED lights.  So simple, so easy, but still beautiful.  Just what I needed this year.

Wishing you a very happy holiday!
The crows are back! The best decorations are the o The crows are back!
The best decorations are the ones you are  EXCITED to see each year. The ones you instantly pull from the box and start placing in your home. They don’t need to be fancy, or new each year. They just need to bring joy to you and your family. ✨❤️
Surprise! We bought a new home!  And sold our ho Surprise!

We bought a new home!  And sold our home!  It’s been a whirlwind and I’m exhausted.

We are incredibly lucky to have bought our neighbor’s home FSBO.  It’s larger than our current home by ~700 square feet and is a split entry home with most of the living space upstairs and a bonus family room/bedroom in the basement.  

While the rooms (and closets!) are still small, there are more of them.  There will be room for office space for both my husband and myself, a bit more storage, and even a laundry room/mudroom (woo hoo! No more garage laundry for me!)

So what do you think? Do I need to change my name from smallishhome to sortofmidsizehome?  No matter what, I’ll continue to share how I maximize storage in small spaces, because, well, that’s my life and my passion!  

Be sure to check out my stories for a walk through of the new house.  Don’t miss the avocado green tub and original 1960’s kitchen cabinets. So many projects ahead of us!
Hey there! It’s been a while! I’ve had a lot Hey there! It’s been a while!

I’ve had a lot on my plate personally these last few weeks and have had to drop all social media as a way to stay sane and focused on the path ahead.  I love this community, but I just couldn’t give it the time it deserved, so I took a break.  Hopefully you understand. 

I’m trying to ramp back up but could use your help.  What spaces are you having trouble organizing?  What kind of videos would you like to see?  I appreciate each and every one of you and love hearing your suggestions.  It’s what keeps me going when I start to feel stuck!
⁣I woke up today and saw it - 10K. I’m in sho ⁣I woke up today and saw it - 10K.  I’m in shock. ⠀
⠀
I’m so grateful for each and every one of you who chose to follow my account and watch me organize my smallish home. ⠀
⠀
My goal has always been to share my love of organization and design - while hopefully inspiring others to show their own home some love. ⠀
⠀
No matter how small or large your space may be, I hope you are able to walk away with a few ideas of ways to maximize the space you have.⠀
⠀
In the meantime, I’ll keep working space by space in my own home, adding functionality and order that fits the needs of my family and the space that I have.⠀
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I’d love to know what you would all like to see more of - let me know in the comments what you’d like to see me tackle next!⠀
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#10k #10kfollowers #organizationmotivation #motivation #simplifylife #simplify #organizedmom #organizing #homeorganization #declutter #diyorganizer #diyorganization #smallhomeliving #getorganized #stayorganized #letsgetorganized  #tidyhome #mysmallishhome #lessismore
⁣It’s a rainy Monday here and all I want to do ⁣It’s a rainy Monday here and all I want to do is drink mugs of hot tea nonstop.  But tea can be a tricky item to store!⠀
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When it’s in the box, you never know how many tea bags are left.  But take them out of the box and they slide all over the shelf!⠀
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Using some sort of small, clear, lidded container keeps the bags together and helps you see when it’s time to restock.  Bonus points if the containers can stack, allowing you to store multiple varieties in a small space. ⠀
⠀
These containers are from Target, but any food storage container will work. Even the cheap plastic food storage containers from the grocery store. ⠀
⠀
What is your favorite variety of tea?  I’m a big fan of English Breakfast if I need a little caffeine boost (which I’m definitely in need of today!)
⁣Do you ever have weeks where you just can’t g ⁣Do you ever have weeks where you just can’t get back on track?⠀
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Where you feel tired, and all you see is work that needs to get done?⠀
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It can be hard to figure out where to start.⠀
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I’ve been struggling to get myself moving the last few weeks after experiencing a family emergency that knocked the wind out of my sails. ⠀
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But I know it’s time to turn things around.  Here are my go-to steps for getting back on track: ⠀
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1️⃣Get those machines working for me.  I always get the dishwasher running and then start a load of laundry.  It makes me feel productive and gets the momentum going for the rest of the day.⠀
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2️⃣Grab a pen and a notebook, plus either a glass of water or a cup of coffee, and sit down.⠀
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3️⃣Take everything in my head and write it down.  Everything that needs to be done, everything that needs to be bought, every card that needs to be written, bills that need to be paid, people I need to message back.  I write it down so it isn’t in my head.⠀
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4️⃣Circle one thing that I can do now and finish.  Maybe I only have 10 minutes, but in those 10 minutes I can pick up a room, put away laundry, or go through a stack of paperwork.  Anything that will make progress on my list but Isn’t too big of a project that I can’t finish.⠀
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5️⃣Once I’ve done just one thing, I try to reward myself with some sort of self care.  It can be anything that makes me feel good - going for a walk, stopping in at a store, looking at a magazine, or maybe just scrolling on my phone for a few minutes.⠀
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6️⃣Then, I look back at my list and prioritize in order of importance.  I’ll choose the task with the highest priority and start working down. ⠀
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While this process works, it sometimes takes a few days.  I just keep repeating it over and over until things start clicking again. ⠀
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Getting outside helps too.  Fresh air and movement seem to do a world of good.⠀
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How have you been feeling lately?  Are you crushing that to-do list or are you feeling like you need like 3 clones of yourself in order to get it all done?⠀
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Photo by @callimechemphotography

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