We all know the holiday season is a busy time of the year. After all of the planning, the preparation, the travel and the activities, we are worn out when the celebrating is done. I want to give you a few tips to help you undo the holiday chaos so you can have a smooth transition to 2012.
1. Storing the Decorations -- Keeping your holiday items neat, tidy and organized saves you time and energy when the season rolls around again. Use sturdy plastic bins which you can find at the local hardware and home improvement stores. Perfect for decorations, greenery and lights. To avoid the Griswold-style knot, roll a section of newspaper into a cylinder and wrap the lights around. Start with the male end, keeping it accessible to test the strand next year. Look for specialized boxes for ornaments that are tiered and sectioned. I use coffee filters to protect breakable or glittered ornaments. Don't forget to label!
2. Taking Down the Tree -- For a fresh tree, get a plastic tarp or an old sheet. With someone's help, remove the tree from its stand and lay it down on the tarp or sheet. Wrap the material around the tree carry/drag the tree outside. This will minimize the messy needle drop and sap transfer. For tree removal dates and information, go to LessIsMore.org (a great SB recycling resource), click on the "Yard Waste" tab and scroll down to "Christmas Trees" and you'll find all the information you need for pickup or disposal. If you have an artificial tree, you can purchase heavy duty storage bags to accommodate the tree's sections.
3. Disposing Gift and Shipping Boxes -- Usually both of these types of boxes are cluttering up your home and storage spaces after the holidays. Yes, it's great to reuse them, but we don't always have a place to store them. You can bring shipping and packaging materials that are in reusable condition to local shipping businesses (boxes broken down, peanuts bagged). If boxes are torn or destroyed, stop by one of the recycling outposts at:
a. South Coast Recycling and Transfer Station-4430 Calle Real
b. MarBorg Industries -119 North Quarantina Street
c. MarBorg Industries' Recycling / ABOP Center-725 Cacique Street
*If you don't live in Santa Barbara, do an internet search for cardboard recycling and Christmas tree disposal in your city.
4. Making Space - With the holidays, I'm sure you and your family are bringing some new goodies into your home so create some space by getting rid of the old. Don't overwhelm yourself and think you need to do an organizing overhaul just yet (unless you really need one!), but take away the old and unused toys, the games no one plays, the movies no one watches, the clothes you never wear. Go for a 1:1 ratio - one new sweater in the closet, one sweater out. And there are many local charities that would be more than happy to take those items off your hands.
5. Say, "Thank You!" - Remember when your mom would make you sit there and right thank you notes? It's a habit that has become less and less popular over the years with our busy schedules and reliance on email, but this year, take the time to show people your gratitude. In writing. Yes; actually hand-written. Thank people for gifts, for opening up their homes, for giving their time or just tell them how nice it was to talk or reconnect. Buy the cards and stamps early and set a goal of "x" per day so they are all sent by January 10th. You can even pre-address one the evening of a party so you can write the hostess the next morning. Another idea is to reuse sections of wrapping paper or gift bags. Cut out a piece, fold it in half, pop it in an envelope and voila!, instant, personalized and green thank you notes.
I wish you a very happy and organized holiday season!
Keri Dickerson is a professional organizer and owner of KMD Organizing, working with busy women in the Santa Barbara area. http://www.kmdorganizing.com/
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