12/19/2022

After the Holidays

Why is cleaning up after the party never as much fun as preparing for the party?  Believe it or not, the clean-up can be equally as important as the planning, especially for the holiday season.  After all, you will likely be putting away many of the same decorations and ornaments you will use again next year.

Use great care when putting away Christmas décor.

• If you have an artificial tree and kept the box, then disassemble your tree and store it in there.  If you no longer have the box, consider leaving it set up year-round if you have the space.  We put our tree in the attic of our barn and cover it with a king-size top sheet.
• Wrap lights around empty wrapping paper tubes or squares of cardboard to avoid tangles next year.
• Avoid broken ornaments by storing them in original containers.  If you did not keep the original containers, use egg cartons for smaller items, try wineboxes or coffee cup boxes with dividers for larger items, or wrap ornaments in tissue or leftover Christmas wrapping paper. 
• Place items in waterproof boxes or containers and layer in tissue paper or old newspaper for extra cushion.
• Wreaths are for hanging, so store them the same way.  Place your wreaths on hangers and cover them with an old sheet, cloth, or towel to keep the dust away.  Hang them in a place where they will not get damaged.
• If you don’t have enough room in your kitchen or dining room to store seasonal dishes, you can pack them in a waterproof container, layering them in tissue paper, or strategically place newspaper or dividers, so dishes don’t rattle or get chipped.
• If you have rolls of leftover wrapping paper, you could store them in a garment bag and place them in the back of a closet.  Save money and use this year’s paper again next year.
• Label boxes carefully.  “Christmas stuff” is too generic and will have you guessing next year as to what items are in which box.
• Store items in a climate-controlled storage room, especially if candles are involved.

Packing away seasonal items is a good time to take stock of everything.  If you did not use some décor or if you purchased new items, consider donating the excess.  We partner with The Salvation Army and our locations serve as a collection points.  Simply drop off your no longer needed items at your nearest Salvation Army or A Cleaner World; the donations will be sold in their Family Thrift Stores, and those funds go toward The Salvation Army’s many services and programs.