27 Hacks To Help You Prep For The Holidays

Photo: Getty Images

If holiday prep has you stressed out, we have rounded up 27 tips and trips to help lighten everyone's workload this season. From budget-friendly DIY decor to clean-up and storage hacks, deck the halls with our favorite holiday life hacks.

1 of 27
Use a potato peeler on chocolate to create shavings for garnishing drinks and desserts.
Photo: Getty Images
2 of 27
Use green tinsel to make a small tree look fuller.
Photo: Getty Images
3 of 27
Freeze whipped cream in an ice tray or on a cookie sheet and cut into cubes for your hot chocolate.
Photo: Getty Images and Katya Ross
4 of 27
Make cute ornaments out of dead light bulbs.
Photo: YouTube/CraftHappySummer
5 of 27
Clean out a condiment bottle and fill it with pancake mix for easy pouring.
Photo: YouTube/KingofRandom
6 of 27
Paint your fall pumpkins white and stack them to create snowmen.
Photo: Flickr/Merfam
7 of 27
Use a hanging shoe organizer to organize all of your supplies in one place! Cut the bottoms of the shoe pockets so a large roll of wrapping paper can fit.
Photo: Amazon/Getty Images
8 of 27
Make a snow 'globe' with a mason jar.
Photo: Getty Images
9 of 27
Hang tiny round mirrors in your tree that reflect the lights. This will create the illusion that you have twice as many lights on your tree!
Photo: Amazon/Getty Images
10 of 27
Make your own tiered food tray or cake plate by hot gluing candleholders to charge plates.
Photo: Getty Images/YouTube: My Inspiration Corner
11 of 27
When making holiday-shaped sugar cookies: for every cup of flour, substitute a tablespoon of flour for a tablespoon of cornstarch. Sift both together to keep your fun sugar cookie shapes from spreading too much!
Photo: Getty Images
12 of 27
Tie heavier ornaments on your tree with green pipe cleaners.
Photo: Getty Images
13 of 27
Decorate brown kraft paper to use as gift wrap.
Photo: Getty Images
14 of 27
Cut coffee filters into snowflakes.
Photo: YouTube/RedTedArt
15 of 27
Reuse an old sweater you were planning on throwing out to make a slipcover for a throw pillow.
Photo: Getty Images
16 of 27
Cut a toilet paper tube down the middle, then wrap it with aluminum foil to create a decorative clasp to stop wrapping paper from unraveling.
Photo: YouTube/HauteOnDesign
17 of 27
If you can't find an extension cord holder, you can use a piece of cardboard or a hanger.
Photo: Youtube/HomebaseUK
18 of 27
Use an extension cord holder to organize a string of Christmas lights.
Photo: Youtube: KingofRandom
19 of 27
Use an empty container of eggs for ornament storage.
Photo: Getty Images
20 of 27
Sign up for a 30-day free trial of Amazon Prime for the month of December.
Photo: Getty Images
21 of 27
Use leftover egg nog instead of milk to make French toast.
Photo: Getty Images
22 of 27
For iPhone Users: If you receive several gift cards to different stores this season and want to keep track of them, go to the Reminders app, hit “Remind me at location” and add the stores where your gift cards work.
Photo: Paul Hanaoka
23 of 27
Use a cardboard box wrapped in gift paper to throw garbage in while you’re unwrapping presents to avoid this:
Photo: Getty Images
24 of 27
Buy wrapping paper and decorations the week after Christmas when they're on sale. This stuff never goes out of style!
Photo: Getty Images
25 of 27
Shop for discounts on off season items like grills and air conditioners.
Photo: Getty Images
26 of 27
Use a bread clip as a handle for easy access to the edge of a roll of tape. If you don't have a bread clip, you could use a coin instead.
Photo: Youtube: King of Random
27 of 27
Instead of gift tags, use specific wrapping paper for each family member if someone in your home can't resist peeking at their gifts early.
Photo: Getty Images