House of Order- Christmas Clean-up

Oh what a feeling!!
I had a GREAT day today.
It was slow starting- i think i was a bit overwhelmed by my task.

Every year, I put away Christmas.
This year, I ORGANIZED Christmas... I gave it my BEST efforts and really tried to be super organized.
I sorted.  I purged.  I labeled.
I got rid of 2 mismatched Tupperware.
I used bubble wrap to protect some of my more breakable items.

Here are some organizational things I've done this year that I don't always do...

Christmas Clean-up 2010

That's her in all her glory!!

1.  Christmas Cards-- I took all the Christmas cards people sent me and typed the return addresses into Microsoft Word Avery 8160 labels for next year-- saving it as Christmas Card Labels for 2011

2.  Computer Files-- Yup, I cleaned out my COMPUTER files.  Now I have Jen's Stuff.  Under Jen's Stuff I have Church- Nativity, Church-Young Women's, PTA- 2009-2010. etc...  I also have Family- Christmas, Family-Easter, Family- Teaching, Family- Quotes, Family-Organization, Family-Recipes, etc..

3.  Christmas File--  In my Family-Christmas File, I made sure I had a copy of my Christmas Card labels, the traditional recipes we use, my Merry Moss-mas labels, 12 days of Christmas labels, my Christmas songbook, etc.  So, next year I will be able to easily find everything I need.  I also copy any online ideas I see into this file for remembering.

4. Wrapping Paper-- I had 2 wrapping paper Tupperware under my bed.  One holds just the rolls and one holds bags and bows and tissue paper.  I sorted and donated ALL my old rolls of half-used Christmas paper to Goodwill.  Honestly, I hate mis-matched cheap paper.  I got rid of ALL the holiday bags I didn't use this year and probably never will.  I got rid of lots.  And, it feels SO good.  I decided I like the Sterilite rolling container better- it holds bags and paper.  Why haven't I cleaned out my wrapping paper boxes more often?

I did NOT use my Rubbermaid wrap and craft.  It's a bit big and not all that useful.
I LOVE my Sterilite under the bed container.  I also use these to store old VHS videos under my bed.

to Goodwill... i even taped them closed and put them into a bag neatly for them.

5.  Empty Container SORT--  So, my house was all decorated and I still had Tupperware full of Christmas decorations.  Umm, if I didn't use them, why do I keep them?  Well, some I still kept because I'm sentimental.  But, I did empty ALL my boxes, wiped them down, got rid of MOST the unused stuff and determined what boxes I wanted to keep and what boxes I wanted to get rid of.  I decided I wanted to try to get rid of two big clear Tupperware and use only the RED ones that I had.

6.  Collect and Pack--  I gathered a piece of paper, a pencil, a pack of bubble wrap i found when cleaning my wrapping paper (but, newspaper or even Wal-mart bags and Ziploc would work), scissors, and tape.  Then, I grabbed all the decorations from around my house (tree was last).  I wrapped, packed and jotted down what I put in each box.  I really tried to have a pile for Goodwill.  When I did my tree MOST of my decorations I just packed into a large Ziploc inside my big Tupperware box.  A few more breakable ornaments I packed separately.  Oh, my boxes are snug and orderly.

7.  Label, Label, Label--  When my boxes were packed, I took my scratch paper to my computer and printed out my Avery Christmas Labels.  I put a wreath on them just so I would know they were all Christmas.  I printed 2 of each label-- so that 2 sides of my boxes have labels on them.  And, I stuck the labels on the boxes.  NOTE- I still need to buy clear packing tape to put over them so they don't fall off in our attic or our move.
Can I tell you how satisfying it is to label a box? 

Here us a link to the labels I used.  (They are nothing great.)

I think you can import them into your own Microsoft Office and edit them.

8. Room to Grow--  I left one box with some room in it.  I do like to hit the after Christmas Clearance sales.
This is what I like to look for--
Bags or containers for 12 days of Christmas next year. 
Paper and stickers for our Christmas Card letter. 
Hobby Lobby Wrapping Paper (black and white or red and white). 
World Market has GREAT old fashioned ornaments they mark way down. 
And Target has 75-90% clearance by the end of the week. 
I need another snowflake stocking holder for baby #7. 
If we were in a real house, with money, I would be buying some new house lights (ours were hung, but they NEVER worked.)
One thing I've learned--
IF I DON'T LOVE IT, I DON'T BUY IT!! 
Even if it normally cost $100 and is marked down to $1. 
And, If i LOVE, LOVE it (and I have the money) then I should get it. 
Because I will still LOVE, LOVE it years from now.
One LOVED item that may be a bit more expensive is better than 10 cheapo clearance items that I don't love.  (But, LOVE a cheapo clearance item and then you are win-win!!)
And such is my "room to grow" box... and my dreams of what may fill it someday.

Taking an extra moment to finish up...

Trash to the TRASH and Goodwill to my car trunk.

There is JOY in really ORDERING.

Every year i endure Christmas Clean-up... this year I owned it.

You know how people say, "Being a mother is such a thankless job.  You take your kids grocery shopping, and it's hard, and you get no reward."

Well, I don't believe that is true.  The times when I go to the grocery store, with a list, and a goal of buying healthy food.  When I sing cute songs with my toddlers, or teach them to count while we're shopping, or take a moment to teach them to be more mannerly and helpful and well-behaved at the store.  When I buy tons of groceries, come home, and put them away-- I feel AMAZING. 
There is a spiritual reward that comes when you know you've done your best. 
Even if no one is around to pat you on the back.

And, that is how I feel tonight.
I didn't just ENDURE Christmas Clean-up...
I really used my brain and ORDERED some small part of my home.
And, it wasn't just a job... it was a pleasure.

Tomorrow-- Guess what I'm doing?
Yup-- ALL of my holiday decorations.

I went up in my attic when I finished my Christmas stuff and pulled down Valentine's Day, Easter, 4th of July, and Thanksgiving/Halloween.

Tomorrow I'm going to sort, purge and label.
I'm so excited.

This is my attic... all waiting to be sorted, purged and labeled!

Actually, if the truth be told... I went into the attic, with my pencil and scrap paper and did an inventory.

I pulled down EVERYTHING that needed to be sorted/purged/labeled.

All that's left is some canning jars, some baby equipment and suitcases.

It wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. 

Really, I'm going to get my whole house in order and I'm not going to die doing it!

(Well, I did ALMOST die... my husband and oldest are on a winter camp out... so it was PREGNANT me and my little kids balancing boxes down from the attic.)

Have I told you that ORDERING my HOME makes me feel POWERFUL?!!

Questions Answered--
What kind of boxes do I use?
I am a Tupperware (ie. plastic box) freak... 
Actually, I'm a Wal-mart Sterlite freak. 
Clear with White Lids.
Except for my Christmas ones... those are RED.
For my big Christmas stuff I have 2 Rubbermaid Big boxes.

And I have 3 smaller, flatter boxes.
I do have one box of Christmas decorations... this box hold my Willow Tree stuff that comes in boxes, and other squarish containers that don't pack well into the rounded edge Tupperare.


For kids toys I LOVE the big boxes with lids attached... the lids open in the middle. 

Melissa from 320 Sycamore likes these...

My favorite thing to do is find something that I need to store, write it down, and SHOP around for cute storage options.

But, I don't often have the money to do this.  Luckily I have two shelves full of empty Tupperware in my garage-- because I move stuff around a lot.  So, most of the time I'm shopping my garage and using what I have.

I hardly EVER use a regular cardboard box for things I'm going to use- like toys, kid clothes, decorations, etc.

The only boxes I have in my attic are 5 boxes labeled BOOKS- Keep.  These are from the professor.

I was tempted to take them to Goodwill while he's gone... but they're too heavy for me to lift.