How to get your space back after the holidays

The holiday season is a festive whirlwind of friends and relatives, a flurry of gift wrap and beautiful things, and a cinnamon fluster of why-did-I-eat-so-much. The weeks leading up to Christmas are so crazy for some people that they become a blackout zone, with Boxing Day arriving so quickly you end up asking yourself how the days just disappeared.

The post-holiday ‘fallout’ can create a lot of waste and take up even more space. With rooms full of wrapping paper, decorations, new gifts and Boxing Day purchases, how can anyone find time to relax before going back to work or school?

When you were young, did you ever move into a new home and lie on the floor with your arms and legs outstretched as you enjoyed all of the pre-furniture space? When you clear out your place after the holiday chaos, you can find that sense of joy again.

Take a deep breath and follow these steps to reclaim (and enjoy) your space as we turn the page from 2018 to 2019:

Reset your furniture

Did you put out extra chairs and furniture for family? Did you reorganize the living room? Is there an extra bed in the guest room? It’s time to put everything back. If it means giving you more space to enjoy, offsite storage is your best bet.

Put away the tree

If your home smelled like fresh pine all December, it won’t stay that way for long. Look up your local tree recycling or pickup program and leave yours on the curb for disposal (or chop it up yourself in your backyard).

For those with an artificial tree, prepare it for another year of storage. If you don’t have a tree bag, wrap it in a large cloth–careful to fold all the branches down in the same direction–and genty place it back in its original box.

Store decorations

Put away your decorations carefully so ‘future you’ isn’t hit with a tangled nest of lights and tinsel. Wrap ribbon around itself, wrap garlands around a long piece of cardboard or a coat hanger, put small baubles back in their containers, and carefully wrap and pack bigger ornaments separately.

Do nothing

Some people find cleaning relaxing. Others find it stressful. If you’re the latter, don’t worry: everything doesn’t have to go away just yet. If it makes you happy, you can leave up the decorations and extend the festivities throughout January. After all, you’re in charge of your space and your happiness!