With the holidays winding down, I wanted to share some tips with you for making taking down Christmas (or whatever holiday/party) a breeze (or, at least a little easier!).
Work in Phases
There’s nothing worse than going to clean things up than getting started on cleaning five things up at one time and then never getting anywhere… Except, maybe doing that and then having your little helpers go behind you undoing everything you’ve done.
So, instead, work in phases. For Christmas, put the ornaments away, then the ribbons, and so forth. Once that is completely DONE, then you could move on to something else, like nativities, or garlands. But, whatever order you go in, commit to putting one thing away at a time to make your life easier!
Declutter As You Go
Did your tiny Christmas tree shed so many faux needles that it looks more like a toothpick than a tree? Are you done with glitter (everywhere?!?)? Do you have too many little trinkets floating around and you want to simplify? Grab a box to be your donation box and carry it around with you as you put things away. When you find an item that you are ready to get rid of, stick it in your handy dandy box and move on! Don’t waste your time, energy, or storage on something you don’t want!
(Shameless plug! If you want help decluttering, check out my brand new Think and Tidy E-Course!)
Sort
As you’re putting things away, sort them by type. As you are taking down the tree, use ziploc bags for different types of ornaments, or on a larger scale, use one bin for all of your tree decor, one for Christmas lights, and so forth. This makes it so much easier to find what you need, clean up, and decorate in phases!
See Clearly
This is an organization standard. If you’re needing new storage bins, don’t go for the colored ones (unless you’re wanting to hide things, which is cool too). Clear bins are great because you can easily see what is in each container without having to get into it. It’s just better, you know?
Add a Cushion
If you’re wanting to maximize the space of your storage bins, consider using soft items (like stockings), to cushion more fragile decor. Pretty great!
Label
Whether you’re labeling ziploc bags (“ribbons,” “icicles,” “handmade”) as you take down the tree, or you’re labeling your bins (“nativities,” “lights,” “garland”), labeling will save your sanity the next year. Think of it like a REALLY early gift to your future self… That future self who will be cleaning up Christmas next year will be like, “I’m so glad I labeled this stuff- this clean up is so much easier than before!” It’ll be great.
Wait A Minute
With all of the best intentions, inevitably, there will be little decor stragglers after you’ve packed everything up. (It’s part of living in a fallen world, I guess!) Make your life a little easier by waiting a few days to put your decor boxes completely away (unless yours are easily accessible) so that you can easily catch those little stragglers and safely tuck them away for next year.
This is particularly helpful if you have children who like to drag the decorations from the main areas into their bedrooms… (Thinking of Christmas books, ornaments, you name it!) Waiting for a minute makes it so you don’t have to either 1) make an extra trip to the attic (or wherever), or 2) lose the little stragglers.
So, whenever you decide to take down Christmas, I hope these tips help you stay organized for this year and in years to come! And, if you’re ready for more tips on keeping your home clean and organized in the new year, get your Free Cleaning Checklists and Hum Making Planner which will help you keep all of your home projects organized!
