3 Steps for Organizing After Christmas

Organizing any time of year can sometimes be a challenge. After Christmas though, you might find yourself with a bigger mess than before. These tips will help you get organized in the new year.

1. Start with Decorations
If you have a fake tree, you'll need to find a good place to store it. Always keep the box it came in, you might just be able to put it back in. Many of the newer models have just a few parts and are very easy to get back in the box.

Ornaments can be tricky, as you don't want them to break. Use bubble wrap or even wrapping paper to individually wrap them so they don't touch. We've had pretty good luck with this tactic over the years, and very little ornaments have gotten broken.

You can also look for special containers to put ornaments in their own compartments for storage. These are becoming quite popular in stores.

2. Storage for New Toys
If you have kids, chances are you have lots of new toys to find homes for. This might be a good time to rearrange rooms and buy some new storage units. For the time being, make use of all the boxes you now have left over from gifts. Sort toys by type, getting the kids involved so they know where their toys are suppose to go.

This is also a good time of year to sort through toys your kids don't play with anymore. Get rid of anything they really don't want or need, and give it to kids who need it more. You could donate them to doctors offices, churches, or the salvation army.

3. Storage for Mom's New Toys
This one is a bit more tricky, as you can't always just throw your new stuff in a box. But just like the kids rooms, you might have to do some rearranging in the house. You might also need to buy new storage units such as shelves or cabinets. Not only will it get you more organized, but it will add nice decoration to your house as well.

Above all, make sure you take it one step at a time. While it only took a day or two to make this mess, it's going to take a little more time to clean it up. Pick a project and work on it until it's done, then move on to the next. Good luck!