How to Get Your Home Back in Shape After the Holidays
For many people, the week between Christmas and New Year’s can be chaotic, with the kids home from school, the grown-ups off work and winter weather keeping everyone indoors. New toys and books may be scattered across the living room, and gifts to return piled up under the tree. By Jan. 2, we’re often ready to be done with the whole holiday season.
In case that describes you, here are some tips for getting your home back in order for the start of the new year. With a little extra effort, you can get your home in better shape than before the season began.
Organize and Store Holiday Decor
1. Corral your outdoor decorations. As most people do, place your outdoor items all together — perhaps in the attic or basement — for easy retrieval next December. But before packing lights, replace burned-out bulbs and dispose of strands not working properly. It’s a good idea to wrap your lights around coffee cans or cardboard pieces to prevent them from tangling.
Wreaths take a bit of special care to preserve their shape. I recommend you keep them in storage containers specifically designed for wreaths, making sure your containers can accommodate bows and other attachments without squishing them. Another good option is to hang wreaths in a closet. Using twine, attach the wreath to the hook of a hanger and cover with a dry-cleaning bag or large trash bag to protect it. Some of my clients also hang wreaths on hooks in their basement or on garment racks.
Garlands can be wrapped and tied with twine and stored in large boxes. I personally prefer airtight plastic containers for all of my holiday decor to keep out dust, moisture and pests.
Holiday lawn decor may be too large to fit in a box, and if this is the case I recommend you use large garbage bags to protect and keep items clean.
2. Arrange for tree disposal or storage. In many areas, Christmas trees get collected curbside during the first two weeks in January, usually on your normal trash day. Be sure to remove all lights, tinsel, ornaments and the stand. Sometimes trees larger than the standard 6 to 7 feet need to be cut in half to be accepted by your garbage company. Check with your local disposal company for all the details.
If you have an artificial tree, keep in mind that the original cardboard box it came in won’t protect the tree from mold, moisture and pests. You may want to consider purchasing a container designed specifically for Christmas tree storage to help your tree last through the years.
3. Declutter your indoor decorations before storing. Many of us receive ornaments as gifts and tend to leave our older, less popular decor packed in storage boxes year after year. So before you store your decor, assess what’s already in your boxes. If you haven’t used an ornament or tabletop decoration for several years, consider donating it. Let go of items that you don’t really like, and toss anything broken or damaged. Personally, I like to store my holiday ornaments in specialized ornament storage containers, and often these boxes are discounted in January. I wrap delicate ornaments in tissue paper before storing.
Larger decor can be stored in large plastic storage boxes with an airtight lid to protect items from moisture. I recommend that you label boxes with a list of contents and place them in storage in the order they will be needed next year. For example, I always store my fireplace mantel garland and lights in front, because I put them up at the beginning of December. We do not purchase our tree until mid-December, so tree ornaments are stored in the back.
1. Clothing, jewelry and other personal Items. Gifts are wonderful, but if we don’t periodically purge our possessions they can pile up beyond what is ideal. The holidays offer a great opportunity to let go of your unwanted things. When storing apparel, consider getting rid of one older item for every new item you receive as a gift. Scan your closet and drawers for clothing and accessories you have not worn over the last year. Consider donating any items that are unworn or (barely) stained or do not fit well. Also take a close look at personal items you have accumulated such as hand lotion, soap and perfume. If you don’t like the scent or will never use them, consider donating them to a women’s shelter. In addition, try not to have too many decorative knick-knacks cluttering your dresser. Only keep the ones you truly love. To quote Marie Kondo, get rid of anything that does not “spark joy.”
2. Toys and books. It is easy to become overwhelmed with children’s toys and books after the holidays, especially if you come from a large extended family that gives many gifts. If your children receive an abundant supply of new toys, consider putting some away and rotating them in later during the year. That way, newer toys will remain fresh and exciting.
Also consider donating any toys and books your children have outgrown. If it’s difficult to let go of books, consider storing favorites in your attic or basement so
3. Household goods. If you received new household items that you would enjoy using, cut off the tags and use them right away rather than storing or saving them for later. Wash and hang a new set of towels and enjoy them. This frees you to donate old or faded towels, perhaps to a local animal shelterthat will likely accept towels in any condition.
Let’s face it: Sometimes even the most well-intentioned gift just isn’t to our liking. Those gifts can clutter our homes for days or weeks if we don’t make the time to return them. To make the process easier, place all items for returns and their associated receipts in a shopping bag and leave them by your front door, or even in the trunk of your car. Then set a time on your calendar when you can return or exchange them.
Sometimes, a gift may be impossible to return. Many of us feel guilty getting rid of things that someone put time and money into giving us. But keep in mind that the true purpose of a gift is conveying feelings of warmth and friendship, and that the item itself is not as important as the giving and receiving. In fact, Marie Kondo summed this up nicely in her classic book, The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up (page 108 on my copy): “The true purpose of a present is to be received. Presents are not ‘things’ but a means for conveying someone’s feelings. When viewed from this perspective, you don’t need to feel guilty about parting with a gift.” Well said. Don’t hold onto something out of obligation or guilt, as this will only create unnecessary household clutter.
1. Clean out the refrigerator and pantry. During the holiday season, these areas often get stuffed with leftover food and holiday cookies. Take the time to pull out all your containers of uneaten leftovers and survey their freshness. When in doubt, throw it out — the risk of food poisoning is not worth it! Also toss out any stale baked goods. However, chocolate can be stored in a cool, dry place for several months, or you can store it in an airtight container in the freezer for up to one year.
Once you’ve addressed the food, take a few minutes to wipe down refrigerator and pantry shelves so they’ll be ready for your next grocery trip.
2. Tidy up the guest room. If you had overnight visitors for the holidays, change the sheets and clean the room. Having clean sheets on the bed and a tidy room will make it much easier the next time you host overnight guests.
3. Create a decorative winter scene. When my daughters were little they always felt sad when it was time to take down our holiday decor. One year, we decided to leave the fireplace garland on the mantel after the tree and other decorations were put away. We added white lights as well as white decorations — snowflakes and snowmen — to create a winter scene that didn’t feel Christmas-specific. We liked this solution so much that we now keep our mantel decorated until early February. For my family, this practice has helped take the sting out of the end of time off from school and work.
Finally, Take Time to Be Thankful
Once your house is back in order, take some time to relax, sit down with a cup of tea and write thank-you notes or emails. You should send a written note anytime you receive a gift and the giver wasn’t there to be thanked in person, according to the Emily Post Institute. If the gift is from a close friend or relative, though, a call or email is acceptable.
Gratitude improves both physical and psychological health — grateful people sleep better, have less stress and are more resilient, according to Amy Morin, a licensed clinical social worker and author of 13 Things Mentally Strong People Don’t Do. This should give us all motivation to be thankful!