Its All About Christmas

The holiday season is swiftly approaching, bringing with it great fun and family events. As you are preparing for this great season, it is important to plan accordingly. The friends and family you invite into your home bring plenty of warmth and cheer, but can also create quite a mess. For this reason, organizing your home for the Christmas season is very important, to anyone who wishes their home to stay as clean as the freshly fallen snow outside.

Organizing your home entails assembling a good number of storage containers for everything from sugar cookies to Christmas lights and ornaments. The tree can create a mess as well, and if you choose an artificial tree, it will also need to be stored. When it comes to getting yourself and your home ready for this Christmas season, challenges abound. Getting started early, even before Thanksgiving, is a good way to thwart the coming stress of December.

While one may not want to start decorating until after Thanksgiving, there is no real reason to not prepare for decoration. This is where organization can become an issue. The first thing you need to do is to begin cleaning your entire house. All of your non-seasonal knick-knacks need to go. Throw rugs and blankets may need to be replaced as well.

Boxes of all sizes are invaluable for holiday storage and organization. This starts with storing your non-holiday items in order to make room for the Christmas tree and more. Label the boxes by room, and begin filling them up with the items that you are getting replacing. When a box is full move it into storage. Once your home is thoroughly desolate and devoid of decorative flair you can begin to think of your Christmas decorations.

Getting your actual decorations out can be a major hassle. This is the year to overhaul your storage system. Get rid of those cardboard boxes and replace them with plastic containers. Plastic is sturdier, stacks more easily, protects your items better and can simplify your storage process. Furthermore, plastic containers have been tweaked to fit any purpose. Many boxes can easily fit up to sixteen ornaments in safe individual compartments. The boxes come in three snap together trays that can, when put together, can safely store twenty-seven or twenty-eight ornaments. You no longer have to worry about losing precious keepsakes when you store your ornaments. Furthermore, you can avoid the waste of time that comes with wrapping ornaments in layer after layer of newspaper. These simple boxes provide perfect protection for all of your tree trimmings. They also can work wonderfully to stow bows, ribbons and other wrapping accessories.

Another frequent organizational nightmare associated with preparing for the Christmas season is dealing with all of the wrapping paper and ribbon. Keeping these items stored without damage can be a significant challenge. It’s a good idea to store all your gift-wrapping supplies in one location. Hang them on a door for storage, so they don’t get crushed. This can help you keep the rest of your house organized for Christmas.

A final crucial step for getting your house organized for Christmas is to prepare your kitchen. The Christmas holiday season can easily be referred to as baking season, and if you plan on doing a lot of work in your kitchen, then you better be ready. Forget your spring cleaning routine, now is the time to get that kitchen cleaned out. Get your spice rack organized, move those pots to the most accessible location, and get your appliances reorganized to fit your baking needs. For most of the year your kitchen should be organized to meet your day to day needs. But during the holidays, your day to day necessities are thrown aside. Rather then focusing on the meat and potatoes of mealtime you may find yourself emphasizing the cookies and cakes during this time of year. One of the largest organizational disasters that come along with Christmas is trying to work around a kitchen that is not built for baking. You need to rework this room, or your sanity is going to be tested throughout the entire season.

Getting ready for the Christmas holiday season should start just before Thanksgiving. Even if you are one who refuses to decorate until after Thanksgiving, there is work to be done and the benefits can be very rewarding. Begin your organizational work now, and you can be well on your way to a more relaxed holiday season around the house or apartment. However, if you procrastinate, things can quickly become quite hectic and stressful. Invest in the proper storage materials, deal with the problem of wrapping paper and overhaul your kitchen. These steps should set you well on your way to a happy and peaceful Christmas holiday season.

The holiday season can create a lot of unnecessary clutter in your house. Many decorations are displayed during the Christmas season and proper care must be taken to prevent your house from becoming too cluttered. Tactics should be considered for proper organization and there are many products available to help simplify this process. These tips offer some solutions for reducing clutter in your home during the Christmas season.

Begin cleaning one room per week and be patient with the process. Empty your closets, bureaus and other major storage spaces and begin the sorting process. As you work through this, you may realize two things: first, that there is not enough space for all of your belongings, and second, that you are not looking to throw anything away. To solve this problem, you may want to consider some creative storage options that are available.

Large plastic containers are an excellent product to consider. Cardboard boxes work well but the main problem with these is that they do not last very long. Cardboard boxes can deteriorate after a few years of use. It is best to avoid cardboard boxes. Sturdy plastic containers can last for decades while providing the storage solution that you need. Be sure to label these containers, even if they are clear. Resist the temptation to write directly on the container. Instead, use a piece of masking tape on the top and at least two sides of the container for labeling. The best containers to consider are those that are stackable and sturdy. Avoid open tops even if they do stack. These may be more accessible for you, but they also attract dust and dirt. A few sturdy containers can work wonders for clutter removal.

A second prime tool for removing clutter is shelving. Closets become full very quickly and you end up running out of space fast. A few well-placed shelves can provide storage options that can solve all of your storage problems. Furthermore, shelves are perfect for items that you use often as they allow easy access to whatever is on them. Wire shelving is often the most reliable option as it allows for easy installation and it can be taken down easily. It is also the most economical.

So you have managed to solve some of your pre-holiday clutter problems, but cleaning up after the celebrations is still a daunting task. You have to remove every single ornament from the tree and then figure out the proper storage/disposal methods for the evergreen. Throwing it away is usually simple, but storing an imitation tree can be a challenge. There are two prime solutions to storing your holiday decorations. The first is simply to save the box and original packaging from the device. After you are finished with your decorations, attempt to place them into their original packaging. This should allow them to store perfectly for the offseason. If you have gotten rid of these materials (Do not feel bad, we all do it) then you can purchase a bag specifically designed to be durable and spacious enough for your needs. Many hardware stores carry these bags, and they can make your storage much simpler.

After putting your tree away, it is time to take care of the ornaments. You could get a few boxes, then wrap every single ornament in a layer of newspaper and pack it away. Or you could go with the original packaging scheme again. If stored carefully, most ornaments should be safe when stored in the original boxes. If not, you are in luck. Many stores carry boxes designed for ornaments. Using cushioned cardboard and appropriate design tweaks, these boxes can hold your fragile ornaments without risking any breaks.

The greatest challenge when decorating for Christmas is the lights. This tangled mass of bulbs and circuitry can cause hours of stress and aggravation every year. However, like the tree bag and ornament box, there are special boxes for storing these lights. These boxes allow the wires to coil properly and remain untangled all year. If you can only splurge on one storage related item this holiday season, this one has to be it. Save yourself time and energy and store your Christmas lights properly.

Removing the clutter in your house is really a matter of patience and preparation. Holidays such as Christmas have many decorations to store away such as lights and tree ornaments. These are easy to put away if the proper products are used. The best choices are plastic storage containers because they last a long time when compared to cardboard boxes. Proper storage is well worth it because each holiday season you should know exactly where your decorations are stored and be sure to remember to label each container. Proper labeling provides the benefit of helping speed up the process of finding the right decorations when the holiday season arrives.

Remember when you were a kid, and how anxious you were for Christmas to get here? Things were less hectic then. People did more things together as a family. Today, in many cases, both parents have to work and time is at a premium. Many kids spend as much time with the baby-sitter as they do with their own family.

During the Christmas season, make it a point to plan some special activities as a family. Forget about those chores around the house. The laundry will wait and there is nothing good on TV.

One nice Christmas activity is looking for a Christmas tree. Do some research and locate the nearest Christmas tree farm. Dress everyone warmly, pack two or three Christmas CD’s into the car, and hit the road. Crank up those CD’s right away and make sure everyone sings along. Don’t be afraid to have fun. Use a funny voice, make a few funny faces, tickle someone, and most importantly LAUGH.

When you arrive at your destination, grab a saw from the proprietor and head on out. Sing your favorite Christmas carols as you trudge along in search of the perfect tree. If your family is as picky as mine, it will take an hour or more. Again, don’t be afraid to have fun. The funny memories you create today will make your kids laugh for years to come!

After securing the tree, sing Christmas carols all the way home. Have a contest to see who can do the best Santa imitation. See who can come closest to guessing the total number of needles on the tree. (Pretend you know.)

The real magic of future Christmas gatherings will be based on the memories that you create now. Some of my fondest memories involve simple inexpensive things that we did with (and for) our kids when they were young.

Make an effort to create memories that will last a lifetime! It doesn’t have to be expensive. Our annual Christmas tree excursion is an example of the fun things you can do as a family that can bring a lifetime worth of laughter.

Get involved with your kids, do crafts, projects, and activities with them. I recall one activity; using nothing more than an inexpensive piece of cloth, we created a gift for our five-year old. It was a simple inexpensive gift that we made for less than a dollar. The real value in the gift was the wonderful story that we crafted about the object. Her squeals of delight and the look of absolute amazement on her face as she discovered it on Christmas morning was priceless. What’s more, she was the envy of her neighborhood friends when she showed them her precious treasure!

You can create lasting memories in many ways. For starters, there’s a great website for young children. It’s called Santa’s Place. It’s a daily journal of Santa’s activities that started on October 1. In it, Santa talks directly to your child (or grand-child). He asks them questions, fills them in on how the elves and reindeer are doing, sings songs, etc. Your children will love you for it!

Storing your Christmas ornaments can be difficult, because it can often be hard to figure out what types of containers will be best for which ornaments. This can lead to a lot of confusion as to where specific items are stored, as well as broken ornaments, so proper storage is important. If you can avoid breaking things, and keep your ornaments stored safely, you will be able to use them again year after year.

Container Size

Be sure that you are storing your ornaments and breakables in the correct sizes of containers. You will want to use containers that are suitable for what you are storing. For instance, some things can be put into larger storage containers, such as big garlands, stockings, or Christmas lights. Items that do not have breakable pieces, and that are larger, can easily be put into bigger storage containers, and this will allow for these items to be stored much more securely. However, if you have smaller items, you are going to need to store these in smaller containers, so that they are stored securely. Try not to just throw all of your tree ornaments in the same big tub. First, put each ornament or set of ornaments into smaller boxes that will hold them securely in a way that prevents breakage. Then, you can put all of the smaller boxes into the same bigger tub.

To find the right sizes of containers, you will also need to separate your items correctly. Another useful tip to follow when it comes to storing your Christmas ornaments is to make sure you store them in containers with like items. For instance, all of your lights should be in one large tub, while all of your nativity scene figures should be in a small box. Put all the tinsel in one place, all the balls in another, and so on. You will want to keep things separated and in their own sized containers for the best chance at safe and easy storage. It also means that next Christmas, it is much easier to find the specific items you need, when you need them.

Remember that for Christmas balls and other decorations, storage containers with built in compartment to separate them and keep them from knocking together are very useful tools for you. They might cost a bit more, but they will save you a lot in the long run by keeping your items safe for you for seasons to come. You can also get irregular sized containers for big items, like wreaths or trees.

Storage Materials

There are two parts to using appropriate materials when storing Christmas ornaments. First of all, use good materials when wrapping ornaments and storing them in their individual boxes. Paper or other packing materials should be used on fragile items even if they are stored separately in a box without anything else near them. You will still want to wrap them securely so that you can be sure they will store safely and keep all year.

Secondly, you need to double check which types of materials you are using to store your Christmas and holiday items in. Cardboard or other types of boxes can be used, but only if they are used for smaller items and then the boxes are put into something more secure. To store the sets of cardboard boxes, and to store larger things, you want to use secure plastic tubs or containers with lids that are air-tight.

There are several reasons to use these things when you are storing your ornaments. First of all, you will probably be keeping them in the basement or attic, and you want to keep them safe and free of pests and dust. Also, you want to keep them water-tight as well. If moisture gets into your storage containers, you will find that things break and are ruined much more quickly, even if they do not become water-logged.

Where to Store?

Another aspect to storing your Christmas ornaments is to store them all in appropriate places. Although the attic might have much more room than the basement, you have to think about what you are storing and how it will all be affected by changing temperatures. If you have glass ornaments, or even plastic ones, they might be damaged by extremely hot temperatures or extremely cold temperatures. Therefore, you do want to think carefully about your items and make sure that they are being stored in a controlled environment.

Labeling

Nothing ruins a Christmas more than your favorite box of ornaments being accidently donated to charity, or set out with the trash. Always be sure that when you are storing your ornaments, you label them correctly and keep the boxes together. This will keep your ornaments safe for you for years to come.

The New Year is an ideal time for reflection and renewal so for the last four years I have given readers a gift designed to help you reflect on your parenting.

Last year I gave away my parenting audit to assist this process. I have put it back online if you want to get a copy visit our website. NB: There is no scoring, just a bunch of questions and ratings to make you think!

This year I am giving you something completely different.

I am giving you a damned good question……………..to ask your kids.

This is the same question I asked each of my kids one year and the answers gave me a real shock. In fact, the answers made me stand back, have a good hard look at myself and put some changes in place. I won’t go into detail but they did involve how I spent my time and how I spoke to two of them!!!!

Here’s the question:

“What do I have to do to be a better parent?”

You have to pick your time to ask this. You don’t ask this when they are sitting in front of the TV watching their favourite show or when they have a friend around. D’oh!

You don’t have to use these exact words. Some variations could include:

“I’m doing my New Year’s resolutions. Anything I need to take on board next year from your perspective?”

“I’m always giving you advice. What’s one bit of advice you’d give me.”

“If you were tell me one thing that would lift my parenting game, what would it be?”

You get the picture!

NB: If you have kids below primary school age answer the question yourself from their perspective, rather than ask them.

This question and its derivatives are behavioural. That is, they focus on what you have to do, not be.

If you do ask this question you may get a great response or you may simply get a grunt. Either way, as you set those New Year’s resolutions consider making one of them a parenting goal. Here’s how to make your goal effective:

Write it down and stick it in a place where you will see it.

Make the goal behavioural – i.e. it involves what you will do and say more in 2009.

Make the goal positive, not negative –i.e don’t say what you won’t do, say what you will do!

Check out how you are going at the end of January.

Then adjust your behaviour, not the goal, accordingly. That’s how you can become a better parent one step at a time.

To encourage better parenting I am focusing on parenting behaviours in my 2009 seminar program. In particular, I will show you the behaviours that will lead to developing greater confidence in kids and the behaviours that create character in kids. Over 200 people have already booked into the 2009 parenting seminar program in just a few short weeks. A couple of the seminars are 1/3 full already, which is exciting.

NB: If you want to join us I suggest you visit our website to reserve your place before I begin advertising in 2009.

Regardless of whether you attend a program in 2009 or not, make sure you set yourself at least one parenting goal. And remember, that just one idea turned into consistent action can bring big improvements in any situation.  You just have to take action.

A great deal of time and money is usually spent decorating our homes for the holidays. After investing these resources, we do not want to risk losing our decorations to water damage, breakage, or by misplacing them. The best way to prevent this from happening is to purchase storage containers which are made specifically to store holiday items. It is important to buy enough of these containers to avoid overcrowding your decorations. After carefully packing away your holiday items, placing the storage containers in a safe place.

With the variety of storage containers available, it can be difficult to decide which container you should purchase. Here are some of the containers that you can choose from, as well as some reasons why they are a good choice.

Ornament Storage Boxes – Ornament storage boxes are used to store Christmas tree ornaments. They not only prevent your ornaments from being broken, but they also make it much easier to take down your tree. When you use an ornament storage box, you do not need to wrap your ornaments in tissue or newspaper. Ornament storage boxes are plastic boxes that are divided into smaller partitions. These partitions keep your ornaments from hitting against one another, which can scratch or break your ornaments. The plastic box is extremely sturdy, which allows you to stack your boxes of Christmas decorations on top of each other without the risk of crushing the ornaments.

Christmas Light Storage Box – Christmas lights are a storage nightmare. Christmas lights can easily become tangled and they can be difficult to store. If you manage to remove them from your tree or the outside of your house without tangling them in a hopeless ball, odds are that by next year, they may have found a way to tangle themselves. A Christmas light storage box is a plastic box that contains inserts for your lights. Each insert sits upright in the box, and in slots that run down each side. You remove one of the inserts and wrap a string of lights around it. You then slide it back into the box. By the time you have removed all of the lights from around your home, the storage box may be full, but each set of lights should be tangle free.

Wreath Storage Containers – Boxes made specifically for wreath storage are an excellent addition to Christmas storage. They provide a sturdy home for your wreath so that it is not crushed, and take up little room. A wreath is fragile and they can become damaged very easily. These boxes are an excellent way to prevent them from becoming damaged and they can last much longer.

Regular Plastic Containers – Many of the items that are used for holiday decorations do not have their own storage container. Train sets, stockings, candles and ceramic figurines are all part of the holiday scene, and need to be carefully stored. For these items, you may have to use a regular plastic storage container. These containers are not specifically made for what you are storing in them, so packing is more important. Use as small of a box as possible, and fill any empty space in the box with crumpled newspapers so that your decorations do not slide around.

Plastic Storage Bags – Plastic storage bags are an excellent storage solution for many holiday items. While they should not be used for breakable items, they are a great choice for oddly shaped or sized decorations. Plastic storage bags should not provide any real reinforcement, but can keep the item clean and shielded from sunlight and moisture while it is in storage.

With the combination of these five organizers, you should be able to safely store all of your holiday decorations. They all provide protection for your items from breakage as well as dust and UV damage. Once you purchase these organizational tools, take the time to carefully pack your ornaments, removing hooks before putting them in the ornament box. Make sure that all of your decorations are clean before packing them away. For ornaments that you can wipe clean, use a damp cloth. Soft or cloth items can be cleaned with a gently pass of your hairdryer.

A few extra minutes spent packing away your holiday ornaments can help ease the organizational headache that happens each year during the holiday season. Clean, well-packed ornaments, organized in containers made for the items you are storing, is the best way to ensure that your sentimental favorites make it safely from year to year. Next holiday season you should consider these storage solutions as they can greatly reduce the stress of locating your decorations. Many benefits are provided by properly storing your holiday items and the most important reason is that you can prevent your memorable Christmas ornaments from becoming damaged.