Christmas Cleanup: Part 2

Ah, I always feel like The Grinch putting away the Christmas Decor, but certainly it has to get done! I hate pulling down each ornament off the tree knowing that I won't see it again until after Thanksgiving.  However, it is definitely nice to get things back to normal. Suddenly there is a lot more space where the tree was and there are empty places on all the shelves around the house.

I start off by walking around, picking up any decoration items that are not ornaments. They all have their own bin. In that bin there are wooden figurines, stuffed animals, candle holders, etc. I try to keep all these items contained to one bin since I don't have a whole house to decorate yet. I'm sure someday when I have my own place it will grow to be a bunch of bins!

Then I take all the ornaments off the tree and place them back in their bin. Some get put back into the containers they were purchased in. For example this Swarovski snowflake ornament was my grandmothers and I want to make sure it stays in perfect condition so I always place it back inside its packaging.

As you can see inside the bin- some ornaments get placed back inside the bin without a wrapping. Ornaments like wooden ones or paper homemade ornaments aren't necessarily fragile so they don't need special wrapping. Any glass ornaments I don't have a box or packaging for- I wrap inside of tissue paper so they will stay safe in storage throughout the year. 

All ready to get put away till next year!

Then of course I take apart my artificial tree and box it up for attic storage. It looks so sad with nothing on it!

I hope to make a new ornament storing system at some point this year so it will look like this.

I hope I can get some plastic cups couponing for very very cheap or perhaps free. Once I find a great deal I will of course be completing that project! =)