10 Things to Do After Christmas: Getting Your House Back In Order
We’ve done it! We got the gifts, wrapped them and placed them under the tree. We’ve met with family, ate much more than we normally would and watched our little ones destroy our home.
So, what’s next.
What do we do the day after Christmas? Many are already back at work grinding for income that will pay for next year's festivities, while others are sitting at home… staring at the mess through every room.
I follow a list of 10 things every year on December 26th to get my house back in order and keep my sanity.
Maybe they will assist you in getting your home back to its regularly scheduled program.
Open and empty every gift: Yes, in order to ensure that a gift doesn’t sit in a closet the rest of the year until you come to a time to use it. Take the time to open and empty every gift out of their bags and boxes.
Trash pickup: This portion normally takes effort from myself and all my children to get done. Candy wrappers, ripped boxes and wrapping paper are normally thrown throughout the house. We turn on some Christmas music and to through each room collecting the trash.
One Room at a time organization: I found that focusing on one room at a time when getting things back together… does wonders for my anxiety and stress levels. I try to put the fact that every room is destroyed out of my mind and focus on the room at hand.
Place and Replace: Each year, we all obtain items that can replaced items we already have. We used to just add that new plush blanket onto the pile of old ones, throw that new toy into the toy box and place that new dish set into the cabinet with all the others. This was overloading our home with more than we needed and creating clutter. We have started to replace the old items with the new ones. We either throw away or donate the older items. Depending on how they have been kept.
Rearrange: This time of year, gives me a reason to organize my kitchen cabinets, rearrange furniture and throw out things I should have a long time ago. It’s like spring cleaning in the winter. For instance, When I replace my new plates for the old ones, I empty the whole cabinet and get it reorganized. I am taking the old items out anyway, so why not.
Thank You’s: I spend a lot of time thanking those who purchased gifts for us or our children on Dec 26th. I try my best not to forget anyone and make sure that if the children are able, that they do so as well.
Free For All: Christmas day always calls for a large meal with the whole family. A massive amount of food that always ends up leaving leftovers is prepared in anticipation for those in your household to eat their weight in food. So, naturally, no one wants to cook the following day. We have decided that the day after Christmas each year, the kids will have something we call Free For All… this allows the kids to eat whatever dinner they’d like. They cannot have breakfast food, snacks, or candy but can obtain any other dinner food available.
Before and After photos: To remind myself how much work I got done in the house, I go through each room and take photos of what the room looked like before the cleanup began. I make sure that I can see where we began with trash and candy filled rooms so that I gain more accomplishment as I look upon the clean and organized results.
Take down the tree: This is something that we started just this year. Normally, I leave my tree up until the new year. It’s just so beautiful. However, will work, writing and everything else…. I didn’t want to give myself another thing to do during the New Year weekend. So, it’s time to take down the tree!
De-Christmas the house: Our last task is removing all of the holiday items and decorations from every room in the house. Packing things away can be a large task. (Anyone who has moved can relate) — Rather than allowing them to linger until next December… We get them placed into their boxes and pack them away until next year!
Although this day is always filled with so much cleaning, organizing and sometimes crying… It’s a necessary day to make my days moving forward more relaxed.
What do you do to get back to normal after the holiday.
🧡Shine Bright, Kayla
Originally published on Medium.com December 2022