Post Holiday House Recovery Tips

While the holidays bring joy and celebration, they can also leave our homes feeling cluttered and disorganized.  Many of us will be entertaining, and any resemblance of order may escape us during the festivities. As our houseguests depart and we look ahead to the New Year, we sometimes need a little push to get things cleaned up. So, while we encourage you to keep the holiday cheer going for as long as you’d like, here are some post-holiday regrouping tips to help you get your new year off on the right foot.

Declutter first.  Before diving into cleanup, sort through holiday items you no longer need—like broken ornaments or outdated decor. Donating or discarding items now makes storage easier and less cluttered for next year.

Make it a family project. Just as decorating for the season is more enjoyable with family, so is cleaning up! Dividing duties helps control some of the stress we feel.

Pack decorations by category.  Group decorations by type (like “tree ornaments” or “outdoor lights”) and label boxes clearly. This makes setup and teardown faster in the future, and using protective wrap on fragile items reduces damage.
 

Take it one room at a time. Make a list of to-do items by room and tackle each room one at a time. This will make the project feel much more manageable, and you’ll feel accomplished when you conquer a room!

Organize Gift Wrap Supplies.  Store any leftover gift wrap, bags, and ribbons in a designated container or drawer. You can even use a garment bag or tall bin to keep everything in one place, making it easy to access for birthdays and other celebrations.

Take down the tree with care.  For artificial trees, label each section before packing to simplify reassembly. If you had a real tree, research local recycling options, as many communities offer tree pick-up or drop-off for repurposing.

Freshen up your space. A deep clean after holiday decorations are down can give your home a fresh start. Dust, vacuum, and add a new plant or candle to refresh your space and mark the transition into the New Year.
 

Handle outdoor displays carefully. If you live in a place that enjoys the beauty of a snow-covered Christmas, the weather may not cooperate with your outdoor cleanup plans. There are many different schools of thought when it comes to how long you can leave your outdoor displays out, but waiting until after the New Year is commonplace. Just like we don’t like being exposed to the elements for long periods of time, neither do our outdoor lights. And, as always, use caution for those higher-up places that require use of a ladder.
 

If you have questions about home insurance or need assistance protecting your property throughout the year, don’t hesitate to reach out to your independent insurance agent. Here’s to a fresh start in your home for the New Year!