Review and Relish the Holidays, then close the door on all but the good memories. Here are a few ways to make this process go more smoothly!
Green your Clean Up:
Find out if your community mulches used Christmas trees. Recycle cardboard and wrapping papers, and donate packing peanuts and air filled wraps to shipping stores (or The Center in Palos, if you are nearby!). Walgreens and some hardware stores will recycle used household batteries, so bag them up and take them in!
Take Note:
Jot a few notes about what worked for Christmas 2010 and what did not, and perhaps things you want to try or avoid for Christmas 2011. I mentioned last week jotting some menu notes and more gift recipients on my list for next year, to help the 2011 me out come December. My hubby mentioned a great gift idea for a friend, and the idea will keep until December, so I added that to the list, too.
De-Decorate:
I am de-decorating a room at a time. I load decorations into a laundry basket and carry them to my basement storage space instead of lugging empty boxes and bins upstairs, filling them, and then carrying them back to the basement. Seems simpler, and will keep dusty boxes out of my otherwise clean house. I am also reviewing any decorations that did not make it out of storage this year, to determine if it is time for those decorations to be donated or purged.
Parting With or Setting Aside Treasures:
I had a great discussion last month with a friend of a friend, she was challenged with “What to do with Holiday Treasures?” when there are just so many to work with, store and keep. She hosted a Decoration Event, where friends could review and take home items she no longer had room to display or keep. Everyone enjoyed being together, the visiting friends went home with lovely new-to-them items, and she felt good about sharing her treasures. Win-Win situation! A Quote from this person: “I would recommend this to others as it truly is a way of sharing not only “stuff” but a part of “you”. As I told the participants, it’s nice knowing that each year as they use the items, I will be remembered.” We also discussed her desire to pass on treasures to nieces and nephews, so I suggested labeling and putting away a treasure or two for each niece or nephew for when they are older with homes of their own. One of the more meaningful wedding gifts we received from both of our families was boxes of treasured ornaments from our childhood to start our own Family Christmas Trees.
Last In – First Out Box:
Store your Holiday items with a Last In-First Out box right on top, for items you use early in the Christmas Season. For us, it holds Christmas lights (easier to put up in November, than December), our Nativity Set and Advent Calendars, a serving tray for our hot cocoa on the counter and a serving dish or two. We always find a few rogue items around the house, too, into January, so we just tuck those items in the box on top until next time!
I hope you had a lovely Holiday Season, and that the joy you felt stays with you well into 2011!