The first part of this article includes ideas for cleaning up Christmas decorations which aren’t original.   They are from the Houzz website with my comments added.  The second part of this article are my ideas for spiffing up your home after the holiday decorations are put away.

Take photos of your decorations.

Document how you arranged your Christmas vignettes, centerpieces, tree, mantel, etc. so you have a start on next year.

My thoughts:  This sounds good in theory, but often when I look at the photos later, I see what’s wrong and vow to change next year.  However, the photos served the purpose of reviewing and evaluating which is valuable.

I try to take some photos that are for sentimental purposes,  with the room lighting low, to capture the feel the tree had on me. This makes parting with my pretty decorations for a year easier.  Bonus if you can corral loved ones to be in the photo, too.

Separate the non-breakables

The author mentioned putting all the non-fragile ornaments in a box without removing the hooks.  She also sorts items in separate boxes by contents such as lights, books, larger items, so there is less chance of heavy items crushing lighter ones.

My thoughts:  This is great unless you use the non-breakables to pad the breakables like I do.  The author has boxes with dividers which keep her fragile ornaments safe.

Make a note

The author suggests an inventory list in boxes that contain a hodgepodge of items.  I can see the value of this if you keep the same list and return the same items to that box.  I just can’t see myself taking the time to write a list every year.  She also mentioned including a note to remind yourself of things to buy, such as new lights after the old ones needed to be thrown away.  However, I think it’s wiser to just go out and buy replacements during after Christmas sales, rather than waiting till next year and buying at full price.

Get help at the end

The author suggests getting help with carrying boxes and the tree after she completes the packing up.  But she recalls her childhood where the children helped put away at least their own ornaments.  Everyone is different in their work styles, but I think including all ages of children in the packing up and cleaning up is a teaching moment.  They are learning life skills by assisting in this important part of the holidays.  Besides, it helped me not be melancholy about the close of the holidays.  Having the family together, working and talking is a great anecdote for the ‘gloomies’.

More of my ideas

My house always looks empty and dull after the Christmas decorations come down.  But I’ve hit upon some remedies for the malaise.

I do some heavy duty cleaning.  I get rid of clutter and clear surfaces for a clean, restful feel.  Then I re-arrange the furniture if my house allows.  This gives a fresh look and a fresh start.

 

 

 

I often get plants to give a spark of life to the room.  If I buy Amaryllis bulbs during the holidays for gifts, I get one for myself.  Sometime in January or early February, the bulb blooms.  We enjoy the simple pleasure of watching the plant grow and change and finally put forth its gorgeous blossoms.  It gives me joy to think that those I gifted with the plants are also enjoying this lovely unveiling of beauty.

 

I arrange one focal point centerpiece on the table to relieve that bare look.  It’s usually a winter theme even if I’m living where winters are mild.  Rock salt makes a great stand-in for ice in an arrangement that mimics the snowy outdoors.

I use a lot of mood lighting.  Fake, i.e. LED candles, are best for Husband who has allergies aggravated by scents and smoke from real candles.  Lamps with bulbs that are in the warm spectrum lift our spirits and send the darkness away.  I even light up corners of the room to make the room appear larger.  An uplight on a tall potted plant, a wall washer, a torchiere, or Ikea’s paper floor lamps accomplish this duty.

I change out accessories.  Throw pillow covers, throws, placemats/napkins/runner, towels, even throw rugs.  I  rotate in art, pots, or baskets from other rooms.  Funny how the same item looks different in a different room.

So gratifying to change the look and feel without spending a lot of (or any) money.