Christmas can leave your house with more stuff, more food, and seasonal decor. Having a plan to restore your home to normal will help you feel more in control.
We are officially into the New Year. Growing up, it was my family’s tradition to use the weekend after Christmas or New Year’s day to put away all of the Christmas decor and presents. I guess I have adopted that tradition for my family, too. So, between New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day, we slowly brought the house back to “normal.” How did we do it?
1. Refrigerate the Leftovers
Whether you like storing leftovers in bulk (affiliate link), as complete individual meals (affiliate link), or freezing them (photo source), make sure you put them away.
2. Put Away the Christmas Presents
I have my children put away all of their presents including clothing, toys, electronics, or books. Since Christmas is one of my favorite times of year (and I hate to let it go), I take pictures of the Christmas tree with gifts under the tree (in daylight and at night). Sometimes, I take pictures of gifts, by recipient.
3. Store Christmas Decor
I store wrapping paper, gift bags, and boxes on my screened in porch with other seasonal items. We put the Christmas tree at the curb for our county’s pickup. Check your trash collection schedule for the week and the policy on removing bulk trash. Or, you could go green and replant your Christmas tree for next year.
We moved all of the furniture back into its original place, since we had to rearrange to accommodate the Christmas tree. Put away the decorations, donations, recycling, and trash.
4. Clean Up The House
Depending on whether you had a party, overnight guests, or kids on Winter break, your kitchen, bathrooms, bedrooms, and living areas may have taken a hit. MoneySavingMom offers a free printable Two Hour cleaning checklist.
5. Plan for Next Year
This year, I sorted gifts by person under the Christmas tree, so the gift opening goes smoother and faster. I also brought a trash bag into the living room, so we could immediately gather wrapping paper, gift bags, and boxes. Decide when everything will be placed in the recipient’s room and clean up will take place and let everyone know.
Other Christmas Posts You Might Like:
Where to Hide Christmas Presents
How to Reduce Stress During the Holidays
Christmas Edition: Time Saving Tips for Busy Moms
Do have a target date when everything will be put away? Is it the weekend after Christmas, New Year’s Day, the weekend after New Year’s, or other?
Photo Credit
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