Christmas is over and it’s time to get the red out. It’s festive and wonderful to pull out all of the Christmas decorations, but once the Holidays are over, it’s even better to see them all get put away. It’s great to have a clean fresh, clutter free space in the new year. Here are some tips for cleaning up and storing decorations…
Take pictures of your decor before you take it down. Print out the photo and put it in the storage box. This way, you’ll remember how you like it for next year.
Not all Christmas decorations last forever. Look thru what you haven’t pulled out this year and eliminate what you are not going to pull out next year. Christmas decorations are great for the donation box.
Don’t put away any lights that aren’t fully lit. Find a Holiday light recycling source. Check out Earth911.com to find a recycling center near you.
Keep ALL of your holiday items together, including books, gift wrap, cooking items, clothing, linens, books and movies. We tend to think of packing up holiday decorations, but there are many other things we also use only at this time of the year. During the season, rethink how much can go into storage.
Happy un-decorating!
Statistics reveal that more than 80 percent of us buy transparent tape for wrapping packages during the holidays. With so many different types of tape dispensers, which one is the most efficient? I like the Scotch Deluxe Desktop Tape Dispenser. It allows you to use only one hand when dispensing tape, you can pull any size amount, sometimes you need long pieces and other times short pieces so the dispensers that pop out the same size every time don’t work as well. I’m using my dispenser heavily during this holiday wrapping time, but it’s also heavily used year around. I have a tape dispenser right at my desk as well as on the counter in the kitchen. I’ve talked about the Scotch Desktop Tape Dispenser in a previous post as well. There are all kinds of uses for tape around the house, especially in the kitchen. Everything from sealing bags to taping a quick note to someone on the cabinet. If your hosting Christmas and are busy wrapping presents and cooking in the kitchen, keep this tape dispenser handy!
Christmas is only three days away, so making the most of the time that remains is crucial. Here are 5 tips to help you finish your holiday shopping quickly and efficiently:
- Think before you shop. Don’t head to the mall to gather ideas, plan your strategy. Make lists and put any ideas you can down on paper or digital. Work from your lists and know what you’re getting.
- Shop when crowds are down. Many stores are open round-the-clock until Christmas, so sneak away at an off hour to get that shopping done without the long lines.
- Order ahead. Many stores have online ordering and pickup available. Find what you need and put it on hold. If you can pay for it, that too will lessen the hassle at the store.
- Give an experience rather than an item. Of course we think organizing services make a great gift, but meals, show tickets, gift cards etc. will always work.
- When all else fails, give a re-gift. As long as the gift is tasteful and something you really would consider buying, go with a recycled gift of something you already have.
Ok, no time to waste. If you haven’t finished yet, get out there and wrap it up!
If you’re traveling over the holidays, Tripit trip planner is a great system for keeping all of your travel plans in one place. You can create a master itinerary and add details as you go by turning your confirmation emails into simple, mobile travel itineraries that you can also share with your family so they are kept in the loop as well. You can add maps and directions, travel notes, photos, recommendations etc… It’s easy to use, you just forward any related emails to plans@tripit.com and they are added to your itinerary. There’s a version for iPhone, iPad, Android, Blackberry and Windows Phone 7. Give it a try if you want to travel organized with all of your information available on your mobile device or in the cloud through any online access. Happy Travels!
For all you holiday shoppers out there who are looking for some great gift ideas for your oh so organized gift recipients, here are Five Friday Favorite gift ideas to make that organizing junkie happy:
Brother P-Touch Labeler. An organizers must have for labeling everything from file folders to storage boxes. It a great size, you can carry it along anywhere, and it makes nice laminated labels. You can purchase the Brother P-Touch Labeler at Officemax.
Folding Step Stool. If you’re vertically challenged and have floor to ceiling cabinets in your kitchen, a good step stool is a necessity. The Easy Fold Step Stool can hang on a hook or even slide into the cabinet where you keep trays and cookie sheets.
Market Tote. This handy basket is is great for shopping and running errands. Listen to our organizer Pam discuss how she uses it. Watch our YouTube video where she explains how she likes to use this basket.
Opt for an “Experience” Gift. Rather than purchasing a gift that will eventually end up adding to clutter, choose to spend time with your gift recipient doing something they enjoy. A movie, theater tickets, dinner together—opt for an adventure rather than an item.
Give the Gift of Organization. If someone on your gift list has been wanting to get themselves organized, you can purchase a gift certificate from Chaos To Order in any amount. Buy your gift here–shipping is free 
