Ask:
I don't know about YOUR house, but my house has piles of stuff EVERYWHERE!!! Wrapping "stations", gift boxes, extra gifts for Sunday School teachers, neighbors, extra cooking/baking supplies, new toys and gifts that have already been opened from other sources. Any suggestions on how to get it cleaned up and organized to have less chaos on Christmas Day???
Answer:
Whatever stuff is laying around my house tomorrow is condemned to the basement! I have a table down there so it will be somewhat organized! So happy my sil is taking the boys to see Polar Express at the IMAX theatre which will give dh and I a chance to really clean up the place for our company for Christmas brunch!
Answer:
I've taken over our spare bathroom! We just keep hoping that nobody will come over and need to use it!
Other than that, I don't mind the Christmas mess. I know that it'll be gone soon enough.
Answer:
I'm going to duck for fear of wrapping items and boxes thrown at me...I don't have anything out of place right now I put it away as soon as I was done with it. I finished all my wrapping...DH banished gifts to the attic,and the gift wrap went back to it's home in the garage (easily accessible if I should need it at the last minute) gifts from my parents, that my mom had shipped to us for Christmas day, stacked neatly in a corner of my bedroom, gifts for other family members, also in boxes, in their gift wrap and bags, in another neat pile of boxes in my bedroom, and baking stuff is now officially put away!
The best advice...pick an area and clear it. Are you done baking? Put it away, then move onto a new 'station' ....It's the only way I can get a handle on the chase, and this year......IT WORKED!
Answer:
Hey...where is that smiley with the frying pan when we need it?!?! Just kidding. I am overwhelmed with jealousy!
Answer:
In general I have a schedule. A few days before Thanksgiving I start to deep clean, the living room is always 1st. The day after Thanksgiving I put up the Christmas tree and decorations. Then I try to finish wrapping with in 2 weeks (the wrapping stuff is in my closet with the girls Christmas presents) and baking within the week before (make sure I put the stuff away every time I bake). I try to have all the necessary rooms deep cleaned at least 1x before the holidays (the exception room is mine- that is for after the holidays). I spend about 15 minutes everyday in all the rooms to keep up on the mess, so that really helps on the clutter! As for gifts that we receive before Christmas they find their way into a "home" for it. For the presents for our families, I put them under the tree (each side is for a different family), it makes it easier to grab and go and to make sure you have something for everyone that you are planning to give too. I just started this last year and it seems to work very well! The only thing we really have to do on Christmas house wise (since we travel between families for dinners and such) is open the presents, put the boxes (broke down) and wrapping paper outside for the garbage. It was very relaxing evening for us.
Answer:
Both of our parents live nearby so one thing I do is take some of the gifts that we will be exchanging to their houses a head of time ( I don't bring gifts for any of the residents of that home!). That gets them out of my way and one less thing I have to carry on x-mas eve or day.
Answer:
my mess is driving me insain and I cant wait to get it all under teh tree.