A lot of you may still probably have that post-vacation hangover left by the previous holiday season. There is also a huge chance that you haven’t even started cleaning and packing up those holiday decorations in your homes. It’s a pain to accept but the holiday season is clearly over, and as they say, it’s time to go back to reality. And with this, tidying up your houses and condo units should be the number one item in your to-do list for 2015. You have to make sure that your homes give off a vibrant feel in preparation for the upcoming adventures of the year. To help you achieve a neat and spotless home after the holiday season, here are some tips that you can consider.
Chop off that Christmas Tree
Well of course not literally. However, this would be the perfect time to dismantle your Christmas trees already. Tradition has it that Christmas decorations, including the tree, should be removed by the 5th of January. This day is considered as the last day of Christmas festivities. And further superstition would tell you that failure or negligence to do so would yield to an unlucky year ahead. So if you are looking for a good reason to start disassembling those holiday decorations in your condo, take this one.
A good way to start the pack-up is by working backwards. Start by removing the last items you placed on your Christmas trees. Be careful not to damage these decors as you can still use them next Christmas. Separate them according to type (e.g., balls, garland, etc.) and arrange them in a fashionable, orderly manner. Make sure to remove the Christmas lights one string at a time and do not recklessly pull them out. And of course, sweep off or vacuum any remains on the floor.
Wash the Dirt Away
This has become a popular and sanitary manner of packing up Christmas decorations. Instead of just simply putting the Christmas decors back in their boxes, it would even be better to wash them off first. This is to ensure that all the leftover dirt and stains are removed from the decors.
Aside from this, using a minimal amount of alternative cleaning materials or detergent would improve the quality of the decorations; hence, giving them a renewed appearance. This should be done to fabric-based decorations, most especially to Christmas socks. But a word of caution: be careful with your choice of liquid detergent as they may inflict damage on your decors instead of preserving them.
Also remember that not all Christmas decorations can and should be washed. Obviously, Christmas lights, among other electric-based decorations, need not be washed. Make sure that the decorations are clean and dry before storing them away.
Sprinkle and Spray
By the time you finish packing up your holiday decorations, it is then a good time to start cleaning up your condo without the holiday clutter. You can start using sanitizing spray around your home to disinfect bacteria that accumulated from the stationary decors you put up for the holidays.
You can also use it to spray to your holiday decors before finally putting them to a year-long sleep, for sanitation and hygiene purposes.
Do your Inventory
Now that you’re at it, you may want to check the present condition of your holiday decorations. Before sending them back to their boxes, do a checklist of all decorations that need repair or replacement. It is very essential to do this as a precautionary measure to avoid unwanted incidents. Make sure that your Christmas lights are not flickering and wavering. The metal hooks on your decors should be rust-free, otherwise you need to have them replaced. Other holiday decors should not be obviously faded. Doing this inventory will also help you make room for future decorations next holiday season.
Put on Labels
This is one simple practice that most people disregard when packing. Putting on labels is one way to help you remember which decor is which. The easiest way is to write labels on your holiday decoration boxes. This is very practical and helpful even though it’s quite time-consuming and elaborate on details. Instead of writing one-word labels, you can write short content description of the decors inside the box to better identify the items.
Sell them Online
After you have done your inventory and sorted out what’s going stay and what isn’t, this is your time to be a little more creative. Of course you can just simply throw all these old decors out in the garbage bin. But another good, practical way of ‘disposing’ these decors is by selling them. In this age of social media, where Facebook and Twitter dominate our everyday lives, there are so many ways to reach and connect with people who may want to purchase your pre-loved holiday decorations.
Since the yuletide season is over, you may also want to reinvent and transform these decorations to something more useful to everyone. You can utilize old Christmas balls and garlands as materials for new DIY ornaments for your home. Just make sure that your decors are still in good shape. Let your inner craftsman loose.
Keep the Decors Safe
Your holiday decorations clean-up would be put to waste if they would not survive another year. You are aiming to preserve the overall quality of these decors; hence you must take the necessary steps in doing so.
First thing you have to do is to wrap each decor with smooth, fine cloth before placing them in their boxes. This will prevent dirt from easily getting into these Christmas decors and will help maintain their quality for a longer period. Since temperature greatly affects the withering process of materials, it is highly recommended to place the decor boxes inside storage with room temperature.
Always remember that cleanliness is key. And what better way to practice a fresh and clean lifestyle this 2015, than to start at home. Remove those overdue holiday decorations and tidy-up your homes. By following this quick guide on how you can strategically pack up your holiday home decors, you’ll surely be saving yourself from a lot of stress come next season.