We’re into December, and no matter what you celebrate you’ve probably (hopefully!) already started buying those presents. No matter how long or short your shopping list is, your gifts all have to go somewhere, which can lead to both a ton of clutter and an unfortunate tendency for your kids, significant other, or even roommates to find these gifts if you’re not clever about hiding them.
And maybe not everyone is clever enough to come up with hiding spots, and that’s okay! We’ve all been there, and we’ve got some tips to help keep these presents up out of the way and safely away from prying eyes:
Borrow Your Friend’s House
Let’s just start here with the safest option: if you’re worried about the people in your house finding their presents, don’t hide them at your house! Swap storage space with a friend, neighbor, or even your sister you need an excuse to go visit and hide your presents there until the big day comes. You probably won’t have a safer option, and it’ll free up the space at your house for something else!
Use Your Drawers
Particularly if you have younger kids that you’re worried about getting a little too clever, using the drawers in your bedroom dresser can be an ideal solution for storing smaller gifts - particularly if you use the drawers that your kids aren’t going to be too interested in digging through, like your underwear or sock drawers! (And yes, we apologize for making that a drawers pun in the title.)
Keep Bigger Stuff Outside
Granted, not everything is safe to be stored outdoors this time of year so this tip isn’t going to be too helpful for stuff like TVs or PlayStations, but if you’ve got bulkier gifts like sporting goods that can be kept safely out in the cold, why not use some of that extra room in your garage? Clear some space on your garage shelves (or any outdoor wire shelving) and stash your bigger presents up and out of the way. Odds are if anyone sees them there, they’ll think they’ve been there the whole time! (Granted, that might lead to some awkward questions later, but at least you’ll have an excuse!)
What About The Kitchen?
A good tip for hiding your kids’ presents is to try and think of places they won’t look, and most kids are taught to not dig around in the kitchen without being supervised. Flip some big pots over and tuck your kids’ toys under them, or hide them behind some more boring food on a kitchen cabinet organizer to discourage their interest and keep them away from prying eyes!
Remember - Hide Them Somewhere Boring
Above all else, if you’ve got younger kids you need to keep safe from spoiling their Christmas presents, you need to try and keep them somewhere really uninteresting. Closets, dresser drawers, toolboxes, anywhere a kid won’t be that interested in digging through. Keep them away from anything your kids usually go to, like where the pets play or where your family keeps their movies, and try to think of the “lamest” rooms possible. When you see the looks on their faces when they get to open their presents free of spoilers, you’ll thank yourself.
The Shelving Store
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