When to take down your Christmas tree is a very personal decision. Bringing it up in mixed company (me and my husband Roger,) is sure to bring up “issues” in our marriage. (Suffice to say; before we were married, my tree was down on December 26th. WE now leave it up until New Year’s Day. Sigh.)
So I’m going to leave it up to each household as to when “undecorating” is done. I just want you to have the “stuff” ready to go when you do want to pack it all away.
Project #1 Put Away the Paper
Today’s task is to put away all the paper-related parts of the holiday.
- Wrap it Up I am a box and ribbon saver. So sue me. I feel that I’m helping the environment, and have a secret thrill to see how many times I can use the fluffy Santa bag before it looks trashy. The key to being able to reuse each year is packing them up well. Before you destroy those great sturdy boxes that all your presents were shipped in, keep the best of them to store your Christmas boxes, wrap, bags, tissue and ribbon. I’ve even created some cute labels for you to print out and put on your boxes to make them easy to find next December. Go to my Facebook Author page at http://www.facebook.com/kathilipp.author to download the free labels. You’ll thank me next year.
- Leave Notes to Your Future Self If you’ve purchased your Christmas cards this year (50% off!) for next year, put their exact location on your calendar (wall calendar, Outlook, Google Calendar, etc.) so you don’t forget and then have to go buy more December 15th – only to find them on the 20th…
I put a note on my calendar for October 1 that reads, “Don’t buy any Christmas Wrapping – You Have ENOUGH!!!)
3. Update Your Christmas Card List NOW! While you know where all those envelopes bearing return address are. Don’t wait – seize the after Christmas day!
So tell me where you fall on the wrapping paper scale in the comments below:
A. “I always run out about December 20th.”
B. “Everyone in my family could come and wrap their gifts for the next five years and I would still have paper left over to wrap gifts for the next couple of years…”
C. “Doesn’t matter. Every year I lay in a new supply on December 26th!”
Now go have fun!
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Just had to comment on this one. I am definitely a B. This past Christmas, I actually found a brand new, still in the plastic shrink wrapping, roll of paper that was the extra for wrapping my bridesmaids’ gifts for my Christmas wedding…19 years ago.
I laughed out loud when I read “19 years ago” — thanks for this morning’s chuckle!
B
I buy a new roll at costco every year! I like to have all my gifts wrapped the same (I wrap each with a different ribbon or accessory depending on the theme. Jingle bells, raffia, big fancy ribbon (also from costco), or even twine with a sprig of pine needles.) One of these years I will need to have a smorgasbord of various wrapped gifts. Until then if anyone needs wrapping paper at my house they get to use the previous years’ paper. 🙂
I’m a B. We’ve been using the same wrapping paper for years. We don’t buy or wrap much, and a few years back I must have found a deal and stocked up big time. We’re getting a little tired of the same old, but I’m determined not to buy more until it’s gone!
I’ve inherited several rolls of wrapping paper when famly members downsized, so I’m a B. I hated the idea of all that paper being tossed rather than used. The good news from this year is 4 rolls of Christmas wrap and 3 rolls of birthday wrap were used up. (Although, it didn’t take much to use up those rolls since there was only enough wrap for one or two gifts on each one of them!)
Love the clearance shopping, so I’m a “C”!! I’m a penguin fanatic, but I only bought 3 new rolls with penguins on them!! Think I bought about 6 rolls total last Friday’ so not too extreme!!
Another “B” here!
Don’t reuse wrapping paper, but have plenty in stock. Do reuse bows and yarn-ribbon, but only until whatever year my cats chew on them, then they go in the trash, slobber and all.
Please check your link to your cute labels — getting “Page Not Found” error message.
Just signed up for your clutter-free challenge, and ordered your book “Clutter Free” — can’t wait until it arrives!
I’m not quite a B, but close. I think I actually used up two tubes of wrapping paper this year that had been on their third year, and I didn’t replace them, but did buy some more ribbon etc. at the post Christmas sales. I couldn’t follow the link to the free labels – not sure where to find them. Could you please give more detailed instructions? Thanks!
On the wrapping paper scale I’m a ‘B’. I have tons of wrapping paper, tissue paper, bows, tape, you name it! I actually have too much. I should give some of it away or donate it.