Cleaning up after Christmas.....organize, recycle ideas

It is the day after Christmas and there is so much to clean up!

I have to start by saying that I am not a cleaning freak, that most days you can find toys in every room of the house and that although I try to keep it organized it is a work in progress and never ending job. It may sound like I am really organized but the reality is I am only partially organized, one room is clean today and the next day it might not. I don’t think our house is ever all clean and organized at the same time!


New Toys

With my son getting new toys for Christmas and then again for his birthday in January, I start by going through his toys and see which one he has out grown and put them aside to be donated and make room for the new.



I use shoe size clear plastic boxes with lids to put away toys in his closet, that way all the parts are together,contained and can be staked.


I put all of the instruction manuals in three ring sheet protectors so that I can have them all in one binder and have them handy when I need them.

I also try too keep the part of the package where I can see what the particular toy included because that way I can refer to it whenever I have doubts about what parts I need to assemble it again.

Recycle
Have you seen those little wires that toys are secured with? Well after Santa Claus is done we have a lot of those and instead of throwing them away I keep them and keep them in the kitchen drawer! They are great to close an open bag of chips or to hang wind chimes, the possibilities are endless!


I also check the gift bags and if they are in good shape I fold them and keep them for next year, there is no sense in throwing away something that can be re-used and kept away from the landfills!

I use the cardboard boxes to store Christmas ornaments and I also re-use tissue paper to wrap delicate ornaments to keep them from touching each other and breaking in the box.

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