Post 2019 Put Away Efforts...

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AuntJamelle

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How is everyone doing with "de-Christmassing"?

Share your progress!

Share your woes!

Share tips and tricks on how you make things easier on yourself!

Add any items you need to remember to address before next year's decorating begins - repairs, replacements, etc.

;)
 

PamelaG

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If it didn't go up in the house this year, it's unlikely it will ever be used - that's the first criteria for de-Christmassing. Really liked the less is more and special style of holiday decorating this year.

I'm emptying the footlockers from the garage, decluttering as I go, and inventorying what's left so I know what tote holds what.

We packed away ornaments by tree so they will be easier to put back up on the same trees next year.

I have a box of ornaments to be repaired - Vic will work on them in the summer - and I was thankful to have my tin of bits and pieces handy when a section of tree lights went out and I knew right where to go for spare bulbs. I just saved an old tea caddy-type tin years ago and it works perfectly.

As far as progress, it will be until January Rudolph Day "Tie Up Loose Ends" before I get everything put away. I've still got one tree up - can't decide whether I want to keep it or take it to the Goodwill - it has odd branches, half regular branches that I'm used to and half more rustic branches that I found too thick in places to hang ornaments. When Sophia comes this weekend, we'll make the keep or toss decision. I also still have the small travel tree decorated - need to take that apart and pack it away. It's a work in progress ;).
 
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Miss JoDee

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I just got the ornaments off the trees (3) and as I sit here and look at the trees they are in terrible shape But when decorated they are beautiful. My thought is to keep them and should we move pitch or give to dd or ds who are buying houses this year. Dd closes on her house Thursday morning.
I have not been feeling well since Friday so am very slowly trying to put things away. DH. Is I’ll too and isn’t able to help much either.
 
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MrsSoup

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Pamela- I also pack my ornaments away by tree. I have one tote for each of my two trees. So much easier that way. I put my tree topper in there as well.

All of Christmas is officially down in my house. We put the last tree (real one) out with the trash today, they are taking them to the power plant to be recycled. I need to pack up the last little bit from that tree and then the remaining tote can go back to the garage. I noticed that the boys still have their small trees up in their rooms so I will remind them that they need to be packed up today so they can be taken back out and stored too.

If we are still here for Christmas this year, I will forego setting up my white tree since it's turned mostly yellow and get another Norfolk Pine and put up the big tree as well. I really enjoyed the uniqueness of the Norfolk and embracing that Hawaiian tradition and would like it to be more of a centerpiece than an afterthought.
 

sweetpumkinpye

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I did quite a large cull, got a garbage bad full of things that I will donate to charity.
Like Pamela I did not put out everything I have so there are some of the things that got culled. I liked the simple look of what I had up this year, I took photos so that I can replicate it again next year.

I will once again cull anything that is not used for this year but am thinking of doing it when I decorate instead of when I pack away it might make packing away easier as I am not trying to cull at the same time.

Packing away took way too long, I finished on Sunday the 5th and went back to work on the 6th, so a bit of a rush for me. This year I would like to have it all down a few days earlier, maybe before New Years.

I must not buy anything else Christmassy, I was good this year and bought 1 bathmat that is in the linen cupboard and 1 red velvet cushion. I bought 5 Christmas decorations for the tree, we all get a new one every year. I have 4 very large totes and I box plus the tree that live in the garage.
I DO NOT NEED MORE STUFF!
 

AuntJamelle

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Pamela - Great idea on the tin of spare bits and parts! I used to have a box of exactly that but it didn't "surface" this year :(

Jody - I hope you guys feel better SOON!

Mrs. Soup - I pack by tree as well! Well sort of. Big tree has 3 big totes worth of ornaments just for it. Then I have one more tote that holds ornament, garland, toppers and tree skirts for the tree in our bedroom and the one in DS's room...

Katrina - I like the idea of "culling" when decorating! I'm so tired and worn out by the time I'm taking everything down that my main goal is to just get it put AWAY in some semblance of order!

My downfall is that we are still pending the final finish of our lower level of the house - getting so tired of that not being done - I'm thinking this is the year!!! But when I look at something I didn't put up in the house this year I think - "But I'll need it once the downstairs is finished!" and then I put it back. :oops::rolleyes:

I can report that all Christmas is DOWN! Sad to see the outside lights go - but DH got on it and I wasn't going to argue!

Inside I left up greenery + white lights - and got out my snowmen. Put up the winter wreaths.

OTHER RANDOM DE-DECORATING TIPS:

- When taking ornaments off a tree so tall you have to climb on a ladder - use a large flat bottomed serving tray with sides - lay a kitchen towel over it and climb on UP! Set the tray on the top of the ladder and proceed to fill it with a bunch of ornaments - then carefully carry it back down again and wrap each ornament and put it away. Saves me SO much time! Works in reverse too - for putting them up!

- Wrap ornaments in tissue paper left over from opening Christmas gifts. I reuse/add to the supply each year. FOLKS I have pieces of tissue paper that are at least 15 years old!!!! I don't know why that just struck me this year as I was wrapping things up - just started laughing!

- Wrap frothy beaded garland (the kind that tangles if you just LOOK at it) around a sturdy piece of cardboard or even one side of a large garment box. Slip into a large plastic bag and then you can put inside a tote, stack it, whatever!
 
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Holiday_Mom

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Last night we got the tree out to the curb. Anything that can be used for "winter" decorations was left up but all Christmas is put away. I use to decorate and undecorate the house in one day by myself. A few years ago, I started to do the undecorating at night over the course of the week with the family. It makes it seem less sad that Christmas is over when everyone helps me.

This year I had to use the expandable duster to put up the lights on the tree and take them down. Dh wasn't around and even with the ladder, I still couldn't reach them. I also had to use the tongs to reach the ornaments high on the tree and pass them to the dc who were putting the ornaments away.

Wrap ornaments in tissue paper left over from opening Christmas gifts.

I never thought of wrapping the ornaments. We just keep them all together in a box.
 

Lori K

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A little late to the party ... All Christmas decor and serveware has been put away. I intended to cull -- especially ornaments and linens, but didn't get around to doing as much as I intended. I once had 3 large banquet folding tables and had holiday linens for when we had family over. Those went to my daughter, along with linen napkins, since she just got a rectangular dinning table. She was thrilled and the deep burgundy color fit exceptionally well in her dining room. I also pitched a couple of old wreaths that were falling apart, and some other linens went into the donation bin. Used up most of the stash of Christmas cards and wrapping paper, so will be on the look-out for deeply discounted sales (or next year). But ornaments and serving pieces will wait another year.
 

sweetpumkinpye

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Lori K, I still have linens to go through but they live in the linen cupboard in the laundry so I can do that at any time. I have a lot of tea towels. I think I will use some that are less Christmassy through the Winter. I have a few snowmen ones that will be great for that purpose.
 

Minta

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Anything Christmas has been packed up and put away, When I was taking the ornaments off the tree I separated the kids ornaments and packed them up in boxes marked with each Childs name so when we decorate the tree next Christmas each child can hang their own ornaments without having to go through all the ornaments looking for theirs.

I am thinking this summer for CIJ I want to bring down the Christmas decoration boxes and got through them and pull out anything we no longer want and need and sell them come fall.
 

Miss JoDee

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Anything Christmas has been packed up and put away, When I was taking the ornaments off the tree I separated the kids ornaments and packed them up in boxes marked with each Childs name so when we decorate the tree next Christmas each child can hang their own ornaments without having to go through all the ornaments looking for theirs.

I am thinking this summer for CIJ I want to bring down the Christmas decoration boxes and got through them and pull out anything we no longer want and need and sell them come fall.
Minta, this is exactly what I planned to do. I was not feeling well when putting it away so I thought it would be a great CIJ project. I have several tubs and can do one a day. 2 of my children are buying houses this year so I can pack a box for each rather than sell them.
 

Myron's Mom

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I will start taking everything down this weekend. Want to go through everything and see what I can get rid of. I didn’t do much decorating this year due to Myron’s issues. But I know there’s stuff I haven’t used in ages. I could go through my linens again too. I know there are a couple of table clothes that need hemmed.
I packed up most of my sons ornaments several years ago after he bought his own tree.
 

sweetpumkinpye

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I am thinking this summer for CIJ I want to bring down the Christmas decoration boxes and got through them and pull out anything we no longer want and need and sell them come fall.
What a great idea. You will be able to sell your unwanted things and have them out of the house way before Christmas, good thinking.
 

sweetpumkinpye

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The kids each have their own box of ornaments… and they are still at my house! I do not take them out at Christmas though
Same here, the kids both have a container solely for their decorations. They still go up on our family tree here.
 
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Ahorsesoul

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I thought I would have my snowman collection out longer but I’m itching to get it packed away now.

When the kids were young I made everyone (adults too) pick one gift not to open until the decorations were put away. I always had help getting things put away.
 

Myron's Mom

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Well Christmas is slowly coming down. Have pitched some stuff, some to the thrift shop. I still have more to do. I wanted to eliminate one tote but because I have everything organized by room and tree I don’t think I can. I don’t like the idea of having things mixed up.
I like the idea of putting back a gift until everything is put away. Don’t suppose that would work on my husband do you??
 

sweetpumkinpye

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AuntJamelle

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Found about 7 or 8 DVDs in the closet that need to go upstairs with the rest of the holiday ones...

I keep finding odd little things here and there, lol!