After the energetic rush of the holidays has finished, it dawns that someone's got to clear up all this mess! The way to finish quickly and remove the situation from your mind is to plan an organized clean up session.
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.
Lights from the Christmas tree can be a tangled mess of string. Unless you have a pre-lit faux-Christmas tree where the lights remain attached, youll need a system to keep lights from becoming a big mess. The best idea is to use a Christmas light reel to keep strands of lights straight. Start at the base of the tree with the outlet plug and work your way around the tree, winding the strand of lights around the reel.
This is ideal, as it is exactly the place you want to start from next year. Keeping the reels in another separate tub is a good idea, as putting them in the main box may increase the weight too much. The reel box could include other bulky things, like the tree stand, skirting or other big items.
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.
Contact your waste disposal advice line to find more information on the local authority's policy for xmas trees. They should direct you to the appropriate place. Fortunately the trees are biodegradable, so it should be easy to dispose of them. It does seem a bit of a task to do all this, so perhaps next year you could use a faux tree.
It's easy to just throw all the decorations in one big box and shove it in the basement, but it's always better to go the extra mile to prepare yourself for next year. A lot of time will be saved " especially when trying to untangle the lights! - 16463
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.
Lights from the Christmas tree can be a tangled mess of string. Unless you have a pre-lit faux-Christmas tree where the lights remain attached, youll need a system to keep lights from becoming a big mess. The best idea is to use a Christmas light reel to keep strands of lights straight. Start at the base of the tree with the outlet plug and work your way around the tree, winding the strand of lights around the reel.
This is ideal, as it is exactly the place you want to start from next year. Keeping the reels in another separate tub is a good idea, as putting them in the main box may increase the weight too much. The reel box could include other bulky things, like the tree stand, skirting or other big items.
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.
Contact your waste disposal advice line to find more information on the local authority's policy for xmas trees. They should direct you to the appropriate place. Fortunately the trees are biodegradable, so it should be easy to dispose of them. It does seem a bit of a task to do all this, so perhaps next year you could use a faux tree.
It's easy to just throw all the decorations in one big box and shove it in the basement, but it's always better to go the extra mile to prepare yourself for next year. A lot of time will be saved " especially when trying to untangle the lights! - 16463
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.
