• Take your time with getting ornaments or lights off of your tree.  Taking the time to pack items away carefully can save you from starting off with a mess next Christmas.
• Use empty gift wrap rolls or paper towel rolls to wrap lights around and eliminate tangles.  Start with the female plug, wrap the lights continuously around the tube and finish by plugging the male end into the female end.  You can even tuck the plugs inside the empty tube.
• Use discarded wrapping paper or gift wrap to wrap ornaments and put them carefully in boxes.  If using a storage box, consider placing the tree skirt at the bottom for added cushioning.  The more wrap or cushion for your ornaments, the better.
• In the case of real trees, find out from your waste management company what the tree pickup schedule is.  This way you can coordinate getting the tree out as soon as possible and prevent pine needles from continuing to spread throughout your home.

The Cleaning:

• Check carpet and furniture for stains.  Apply a mixture of warm water and dishwasher liquid, blot with a clean cloth or paper towel and continue to spray and blot until the stain loosens and lifts.  Rinse the area with clean water and then blot again.  Leave the area alone to dry – try and keep kids and pets off of the area to give it a better chance of drying faster.
• For guest rooms, wash bed sheets in warm to hot water with a cap full of white vinegar to keep them fresh.  Use this opportunity to vacuum the mattress, especially the seams.  Redress the bed, fluff the pillows, vacuum the floor and your room should be in great shape.
• Focus on the main traffic areas your guests populated.  Run a vacuum, dust lower surfaces, sweep and mop (or Swiffer) the bathroom and kitchen floors, clean off the kitchen counters, clean the toilet and sink in the bathroom and clean out the sink and dishwasher in the kitchen.  Tackle the party areas for fast, efficient and thorough post-party care.  It doesn’t make much sense to clean out the third floor bathroom that no one used.
• Use bleach based spray, wipes or Lysol to clean off door handles, light switches or appliance handles to cut down on post-holiday sickness.

The Toss Out:

• After the holidays is the perfect time to pare down.  If you’ve received gifts you don’t want, consider returning them to the store for credit, donating them or keeping them in a box for re-gifting purposes.  While the thought was sweet, unwanted gifts clutter your home and make cleaning harder.
• As far as toys, store toys that are not of interest at the moment and rotate them out to reduce clutter in a child’s room.  By reintroducing toys at different intervals, they keep their luster and you don’t have an out of control space.
• Go through your holiday cards and make a list of who sent them to you.  This is now your thank you list or even next year’s Christmas card list.  You can recycle cards by cutting out the images and using them as gift tags for the following year.  Be sure to recycle scraps or cards you don’t want.

By taking the time to carefully pack and organize the chaos, you will have a much easier time setting up the following year.  Reducing stress and maintaining a fine balance for your home will make the holidays less dreadful and give you a much more optimistic view for the new year.  While these tips are great for post-holiday clean up, take a look at our guide on Dinner Party Prep to get ready for those festive celebrations you are about to have!