It's hard to believe that the holidays are coming to a close. It's one of my favorite times of year as I get to spend quality time with family and friends and am reminded that it is time with loved ones that truly fills my life with joy. While I am reluctant to accept that this special time of year is winding down, I am looking forward to having a simple plan for how to wrap everything up so that getting ready for the holidays next year will be a breeze. I have come up with a list of things that can help you do the same. Check it out:
1. When starting to repack your holiday decorations and wares, discard any items that are broken, worn out or otherwise in bad shape. There is no sense in hanging on to strands of lights that no longer shine or ornaments that are cracked. Ruthlessly declutter! It will help you feel better instantaneously.
2. Before packing up your ornaments and decorations, edit the stash of items that did not get used this year. If you did not choose to put out an old Christmas platter or a wreath that's lost its' shape this year, you won't change your mind when it comes time to decorate next year. Things in really bad shape should be tossed or recycled (if possible). And items that are still in good condition but no longer suit your taste or the theme of your decorations can be donated to friends or places like Goodwill or ARC Thrift Stores. Bonus: You'll brighten someone else's holiday spirit when they discover a new treasure.
3. Next, while putting everything away, create an inventory of your decorations and include it on the very top of the storage boxes. I recommend listing all items either by category (e.g. wreaths (2); table linens (3 rectangular table cloths: gold, red, green); lights (4 strands), etc.) and/or by location in your house (e.g. front entry way, living room mantle, etc.). Not only will this allow you to quickly identify what items you have on hand and where they can be placed in the future, you will also be able to identify any new items you'd like to add to your holiday decor for next year. Right now is a great time to purchase holiday items at a steep discount!
4. One of the most important tasks is to store everything in appropriate storage containers. You want to contain your items in boxes or bins that will maximize storage space. While I typically prefer clear storage containers so that the contents can be easily seen, I choose to use red and green containers for my holiday decorations so that I can immediately differentiate those tubs from ones housing non-holiday items. But be sure to label the outside of containers with a list of what it is inside for easy retrieval. Click on the links below for a variety of storage options for typical holiday items:
5. Holiday lights can easily become a tangled mess making it almost easier to buy a new set every year. Rather than waste money, check out one of the options in the link above AND be sure to label each strand of lights with the location where it was used this year. This will prevent you from getting halfway through wrapping your railing before running out of lights.
6. Use a Christmas tree disposal bag from Amazon to get rid of your trees without leaving pine needles throughout your house. And check out this link to find out where to recycle your Christmas tree.
7. Consolidate all of your wrapping supplies and integrate them into your wrapping station. Toss all small scraps of wrapping paper, torn tissue paper or bags that are beat up. Tattered wrapping takes away some of the joy of opening up an otherwise beautiful gift. If you are looking for a way to house all of the remaining wrapping supplies, check out these options from The Container Store:
8. Review all of the holiday cards you received this year and use that to build or modify your holiday card list for next year. Be sure to update any new addresses in your address book or Christmas card list and labels. They'll be ready to go come next December!
9. Construct a tentative gift list for next year based on whom you exchanged gifts with this year. Jot down any preliminary gift ideas that you have for each person on your list and carry it with you in your purse, phone or planner. Now when you are out shopping throughout the year, you can start to purchase gifts and avoid the holiday stress that comes with the tick-tock countdown of shopping days till Christmas!
10. If you did a lot of entertaining this season, review all of the holiday recipes you used. Discard any that you didn't like or would not make again. On recipes you do plan to use again, make any notes about changes you made or would do in the future and then place them in a special "Holiday" section of your recipe box or binder. When preparing your menu for next year's festivities, you will have a sample menu ready to go!
11. Download all digital photos onto your computer and label them as Holiday or Christmas 2012 - whatever label that will be easy for you to remember when looking for these pictures in the future. Immediately delete any photos that are blurry, unattractive or poorly framed. Share or print any special photos now before the new year begins and this falls to the bottom of your To Do list. Websites like Shutterfly and Snapfish make sharing and ordering photos easy and efficient. I highly recommend backing up all photos on a flash drive, CD or external hard drive to prevent loss.
12. I think perhaps the most important thing to do in wrapping up the holidays is to spend some time reflecting on the most memorable parts of your festivities this year. Jot down what you consider to be the top moments of the holidays, for example, seeing The Nutcracker, ice-skating on Evergreen Lake with family or baking Christmas cookies with friends. When the holidays are approaching next year, refer to this list of memorable activities and be sure to schedule them in your calendar. Focus on setting aside time for these items and be willing to say no to other activities that crop up but won't be as enjoyable. By prioritizing your time, you will be sure to have another great holiday season.
Season's greetings from my family to yours!
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