Once the hustle and bustle of the season has ended, its time to clean up the evidence of the joyous holiday. The key to next years ease of decorating is this years organized clean-up strategy.
First thing to start with is the tree. Try to keep fragile items wrapped in paper (left over wrapping paper?), and placed in small containers, to prevent damage. It's good to label the boxes so you remember which is which in 12 months. The smaller containers can be all put in one large box. Garlands should be put in individual stiff boxes to prevent crushing. The main star should be wrapped carefully and placed with the garlands in the bigger box.
Depending on how many small plastic boxes you have and the maximum amount of weight you can lift, you may need one to three bigger-sized plastic tubs. Keeping everything in one very large plastic tub can be difficult to carry upstairs from the basement or to lift down from the attic. Be wise and store your items according to your circumstances.
Christmas lights can be a nightmare to untangle (unless you have one of those trees with embedded lights). Try buying some (or make your own) reel to wind the lights and wire onto. Start from the plug socket, and wrap it round the reel first, then gradually work your way to the top.
Finishing at the top of the tree can be an advantage, as next year you're going to want to begin putting them back on from the top. The reels will be heavy, so to avoid them crushing any of the other ornaments, or giving personal injury to the person that has to lift it, the should be placed in a separate container, perhaps with the tree base and skirt.
The tree should be stored in the box it came in (no, not if it's a real tree!), which may be a bit fiddly, but will get there in the end. Alternatively, it can be kept in a canvas bag or new cardboard box. Some people wrap the tree in plastic, but that isn't the best thing to do, as creepy crawleys often find their way into any small holes. The synthetic material of the tree may warp in excess heat, so try to find a cool storage place.
If you used a real tree, is needs to be disposed of in a proper manner. Of course it's biodegradable, but it's not nice to simply dump it out in the open. Contact your local authority to know the relevant place to put your old trees.
Talk to your waste disposal company to gather information on their policies for trees, and see if they know of recycling centers you could take it to. Christmas trees are biodegradable, which means they can easily be recycled for mulch among other things. If its too much of a hassle for you to dispose of your live tree properly, purchase a faux-Christmas tree at the end of this season (on sale) for next years use and forego a live tree.
Although it may be tempting to quickly put away all of your Christmas dcor in random places, its more advantageous for you to take time this year and do it correctly so the following years of trimming and untrimming the tree are less frustrating and time consuming.
First thing to start with is the tree. Try to keep fragile items wrapped in paper (left over wrapping paper?), and placed in small containers, to prevent damage. It's good to label the boxes so you remember which is which in 12 months. The smaller containers can be all put in one large box. Garlands should be put in individual stiff boxes to prevent crushing. The main star should be wrapped carefully and placed with the garlands in the bigger box.
Depending on how many small plastic boxes you have and the maximum amount of weight you can lift, you may need one to three bigger-sized plastic tubs. Keeping everything in one very large plastic tub can be difficult to carry upstairs from the basement or to lift down from the attic. Be wise and store your items according to your circumstances.
Christmas lights can be a nightmare to untangle (unless you have one of those trees with embedded lights). Try buying some (or make your own) reel to wind the lights and wire onto. Start from the plug socket, and wrap it round the reel first, then gradually work your way to the top.
Finishing at the top of the tree can be an advantage, as next year you're going to want to begin putting them back on from the top. The reels will be heavy, so to avoid them crushing any of the other ornaments, or giving personal injury to the person that has to lift it, the should be placed in a separate container, perhaps with the tree base and skirt.
The tree should be stored in the box it came in (no, not if it's a real tree!), which may be a bit fiddly, but will get there in the end. Alternatively, it can be kept in a canvas bag or new cardboard box. Some people wrap the tree in plastic, but that isn't the best thing to do, as creepy crawleys often find their way into any small holes. The synthetic material of the tree may warp in excess heat, so try to find a cool storage place.
If you used a real tree, is needs to be disposed of in a proper manner. Of course it's biodegradable, but it's not nice to simply dump it out in the open. Contact your local authority to know the relevant place to put your old trees.
Talk to your waste disposal company to gather information on their policies for trees, and see if they know of recycling centers you could take it to. Christmas trees are biodegradable, which means they can easily be recycled for mulch among other things. If its too much of a hassle for you to dispose of your live tree properly, purchase a faux-Christmas tree at the end of this season (on sale) for next years use and forego a live tree.
Although it may be tempting to quickly put away all of your Christmas dcor in random places, its more advantageous for you to take time this year and do it correctly so the following years of trimming and untrimming the tree are less frustrating and time consuming.
About the Author:
Gina Smithson is the resident editor of the Home & Garden Guide at Schmoozins - an online magazine for women that gives all women a voice. Join us as a contributor, schmoozer or just hang out a while.
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