The job I hate.....

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sweetpumkinpye

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Apr 23, 2008
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We are all done. It is hard to believe that Christmas was last week. The gifts have been packed away, the tree and decorations are gone and we are back to normal. I am back to work tomorrow after a 12 day break so I am really glad that I got it all done.
 

Ahorsesoul

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Oct 13, 2007
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Decorations outside are down. I still have the tree to put away. That's easy I just push it into a closet with the lights still on. Have one item in each of the bathrooms to put away and a few items in the hall downstairs. I didn't put everything out this year. I think I really like it better since the take-down is so easy.
 

zchristy

Santa's Elves
I get most of it done all at once, but some things I slowly put away like the dishes as they come out of the dishwasher clean (they are kept in the kitchen in their own cupboard). The bedding stays for another week and I've left my favorite nativity out until after the epiphany Jan 6.

Last year I found a technique that worked well for me - I made one last eggnog latte and put on a fun Christmas movie that I hadn't seen that year. In the 2 hours it took to watch it, the tree and LR was done. Made a crappy job a lot nicer. :)

Need to remember to turn the timer off for the outside lights too. :)

Happy New Year everyone!
 

Ahorsesoul

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Last year I found a technique that worked well for me - I made one last eggnog latte and put on a fun Christmas movie that I hadn't seen that year.

I forgot that I did this one year. I did use a movie that I'd watched before too so I wasn't glued to the TV screen. It worked wonders. I need to make a note in my Notebook about his technique!
 

MinnieCo

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Apr 10, 2008
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I've not put anything away yet, because I've been gone. But I am going to do one of those detailed list this year. We store all of our stuff in the barn at my MIL's house and when my husband goes there to start bringing it home box by box, he always forgets something and I never know what till I'm missing stuff. Then he'll say...Oh..I must of but that in another area. Never fails. So this year, I'm counting EVERYTHING that goes.
 

Ahorsesoul

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my husband goes there to start bringing it home box by box, he always forgets something and I never know what till I'm missing stuff.

If you could label with different colors and make the boxes 1 of 6.... That might help if he's a detail person.

My dh is not a detail person. I've always said if he drove up to the wrong house after work, someone handed him supper, the TV was on and he found a bed about where his was he'd never notice he was at the wrong house. One day just this year he noticed a picture on the living room wall. He said it was nice and when did I get it? It has been on our living room wall 6 years in this house and about 15 when we lived on the farm. Another time I put on a coat when we were headed out ot shop. He wanted to know where I'd gotten it. He'd bought it for me two years ago as a gift. Yep, not a detail person at all.
 

Colleen in PA

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Aug 20, 2008
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Everything is down...we spent the weekend "undecorating". It's a little depressing to see everything so bare, but I was glad to get all of the presents/clutter out of our main living spaces. I'm back to work this week (bronchitis and all) so I really wanted to be done.
 

SparkleNana

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Jan 3, 2008
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For all of you who are thinking.... "Simple is better...." You are so right!!! Simple IS Better!

Our tree is still up. (However.. we were gone for 4 days to the wedding in Charleston.) So..... I am going to leave it up until dh objects to it being there! We both enjoy the lights duing these long, dark nights!

i may take the pine garlands with white fairy lights down sooner......

I leave the outside Christms lights up all year. They are in the bushes... not on the house. The bushes grow around them... and then I pull them up through the bushes when it is time to turn them on. Every year... a couple of the strands don't work.... but every year, a couple of the inside light strands (that have been taken off the tree and carefully packed away)... a couple of them have also "died" during the year.

I also turn the white lights on during the year... for parties... for 4th of July... different times. I love lights!
 

LadyEvenstar

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Oct 13, 2007
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Currently working on this in conjunction with Move it Out Monday.

I plan to do a bit of Christmas decluttering. We have so many decorations and some aren't really meaningful to us so they should go to make way for ones that do. Do I really need 5 Christmas ornaments with a picture of my former dog (now dead over 1 year) visiting Santa Paws? Think I'll save just one. My current dog will get a complex and think we don't love her as much. LOL
 

CoffeeGirl1021

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Dec 20, 2010
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I have not even really started. Our tree always stays up until after the 6th for SO's bday. He is working on Saturday and DD is back to dance, so I am hoping for a few hours alone to get it done. We did not do a lot of decorating anyway this year.
 

luludou

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Dec 28, 2007
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ok,everything is back in totes. Now dh has to bring them up in the attic and 1st floor is all done.
 

Winged One

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Sep 2, 2008
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Fluttering happily in the clouds!!
We are just about done. We pulled down the tree this morning and packed it away together. I hadn't put a lot of the heirloom decorations on this year as it was the small fake tree and we were late putting it up. DH took down the lights outside and in, DD took down her advent calendar, and I packed away the ornaments. We remembered the snowglobe train on the landing before we finished, and the music-box stocking in DD's room.

I am leaving the wreath up on the front door until the weekend. It was a real one from a florist, that we only got the week before Christmas and while GORGEOUS, it was quite expensive (like twice what i normally pay, but really worth it). So I am going to get my money's worth from it, and I want to take a couple of photos too before we compost the greenery (so I might make a version myself next year) - the ring beneath could be reused, and I know some lovely places for greenery on my way into my veg plot.
 

zchristy

Santa's Elves
Ok - as of Monday, all Christmas bedding was washed and put away and everything Christmas is gone. Only exception is a silver and crystal lighted garland that I'm keeping up over the kitchen cupboards to cheer me up through February. It's -33C with the windchill today, so I need the help. LOL

I *love* putting it up and I equally *hate* taking it down. :) But I rather like how neat and tidy my house looks. LOL
 

Kim Loves Snow

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Aug 3, 2008
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My tree is still up and on every night. We'll be taking it down this weekend though.
 

catnipper

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Jul 25, 2008
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Solutions to The Job You Hate

If decorating is something you hate, then have a House Trimming or Tree Trimming Party

If baking is the problem, try this website: http://www.christmas-cookies.com/bakingtips/hassle-free.php
It makes GREAT sense.

I always had Writer's Block when writing my Christmas letter, then I learned that if I wrote a few lines every month, I could edit it in November, hit print and be done. My mom traditionally addressed her cards the day after Thanksgiving as Dad usually had to work. Now (fast forward 40+ years) I post my letter as a webpage and email it to friends and family right after Thanksgiving.

If undecorating is a problem, have a "Twelfth Night" party . Play your Christmas music one last time, take down the tree, pack away ornaments, and serve assorted goodies to your helpers.
 

Ahorsesoul

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Oct 13, 2007
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When the kids were at home I would have everyone pick one gift to save before we opened our gifts. Then once EVERYONE helped undecorate we opened our last gift. The kids were always excited to help. Usually on or close to Jan 10th.