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After-Holidays Apartment Clean-up Tips
You don’t really want your apartment to be the one with decorations still up in March. When the holidays take their leave, be sure their remnants do the same — and fast!
Say goodbye
The holidays tend to make us all a bit sentimental, and sometimes it’s hard to see them end. Keeping your decorations up past their due date, though, doesn’t really prolong the happy days. Help kick your end-of-holidays depression by looking ahead to the new year with a great clean-up effort.
Get organized
Once we do get down to putting away the holiday decorations, it’s tempting to dump them pell-mell to get it over with. Resist this impulse, and muster your organizational energy!
First of all, create designated bins to organize and store all of your holiday decorations. Using bins with the same lid color and clear labeling will make it easier to get your decorations out next year. Ornament boxes are a simple way to keep your tree decorations safely stored in one place.
Re-gift the wrapping
Consider a caddy or storage bag to keep all of your wrapping materials together for easy access. Fold all bags and remove ribbons and bows from boxes and wrapping paper.
Some of your holiday wrapping materials may be reusable. Most gift-boxes can be reused as well, and even wrapping paper can be repurposed if it is free of tears or wrinkles. Decorative accents for packages or bags can also be used again, if carefully stored.
Make next year’s decorating work easier
The more care you take storing your holiday decorations, the easier time (and more fun) you’ll have getting everything out next year. Inspect strings of lights before taking them down from the tree to check for dead bulbs; either go ahead and replace them or label them for replacement next year. Wrap the strings carefully to avoid knotting. If you use an artificial wreath, store it away safely in a box or wreath case.
Recycle the greenery
Nearly every community has a means of recycling live trees, wreaths and garlands. Check with your city or county to see if curbside pick-up is offered. Home improvement retailers may offer free tree chipping for a short time after the holidays; call a local store or check online to find times.
The big sweep
Now, do a thorough, post-holiday clean up of your apartment from top to bottom, removing all the left-over traces of food and festivities from your end-of-year gatherings. Though the feast dishes may already be put away, brave the fridge and toss any stale food, removing any leftovers you think won’t get eaten. If you had a natural tree, vacuum up the stray needles. (Before you start, check the floor carefully to make sure that any hooks or tinsel have been picked up first.)
Don’t wait to put the holidays behind you after they’ve come and gone. Store your decorations and perform a thorough apartment cleaning so that you’ll have plenty of energy — mentally and physically — to enjoy the New Year.
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