We are usually so exhausted by all the demands leading up to Christmas, that when Christmas is over we just want to clean up as quickly as possible and get our homes back to a normal order.

But I encourage you to get out of the autopilot mode of simply putting everything away and spend a little bit of time to get organized for next year.  You will be glad you did.

• Purge your decorations before putting them away. Throw away any damaged or worn ornaments and lights.  Keep only the decorations you truly love and use.
• Pack up fragile ornaments in sturdy boxes or tubs. Use shredded paper or packing peanuts to cushion them. Discard the flimsy ornament boxes.
• Update your Christmas card list. Delete names you no longer wish to send cards to, add new names and update changes of address.
• Establish a “jumpstart” bin – a plastic gift wrap container with a lid works well. Stock it with everything you will need to get a jumpstart on next year such as wrapping paper, tags, ribbons, Christmas cards – all which you might have purchased on sale – and anything else you might need to kick off the holiday season next year.
• Take pictures of your decorations before you take them down and pack them away. Put these pictures in your “jumpstart” bin to remember what you have stored.
• Start thinking about your goals for the New Year. Instead of focusing totally on yourself, choose one thing you could do for the whole year to make the world a better place.