Happy 2013- Week 1 of organizing my new year

I hope that everyone had a fantastic holiday season and a safe and happy New Years. We stayed close to home this year..... spent A LOT of family time together....the Mr. goes back to school tomorrow (we don't go until the 8th) and I will miss him being home with us. It was nice to spend all this time together- as a family AND as a couple.

So, as the first week of the year is half over, I posted my first week organizational overview- Organize and put away Christmas decor 

This is the first point- Look, really look at your decor. Is it what you REALLY want- or what you have? What was given to you so you "should" keep it" Does it fit your life and style now?

I started looking with a pretty serious eye at my ornaments last year...I had a pretty serious group of Christmas decor, all red and gold with hints of bronze. Hand made, hand blown, very uptight. Serious ornaments you know. Nothing fun. Nothing funny. Serious. I realized I had collected these when I was single and working (in a serious job). It fit my life and outlook at the time. But now? Not so much. I volunteer at the elementary school 5 days a week and I'm working my vintage retail out of my house. I have an 8 year old. We have a new cat (that thankfully showed zero interest in Christmas). Is my life serious now? NO! I wanted a tree that was more laid back, safer around kids and FUN!

This year, I got rid of two boxes of Christmas Decor. You read right, 2 boxes. I still have some of my "serious" ornaments, but they are put out with the snowflakes my son make in 1st grade and a toy that was my Mothers when she was a baby , and my husbands favorite glass monkey and Darth Vader ornaments.  Amazingly, it all works together. I got rid of the fussy mantle scarves, the milk glass vase thingys that I still don't know why I had and  the" way to precious for their own good" angels.  I let my Mr. put up multi colored lights this year instead of the clear ones I had insisted upon. You know, the multi colored lights are really pretty, although I still can't deal with the blinking or chasing lights. I draw the line there.


I threw out years of old Christmas cards that I had held onto for who knows what reason. I only kept the ones from my Grandparents as they aren't with us anymore. I actually wrote down the address off the card envelopes before I threw them away so next year I have a starting point, I organized the extra boxes, gift wrap and cards we had and decided that I did not have to buy a single thing for next year.  I have plenty and didn't feel the urge to go to the store the day after Christmas and fight those crowds.

I have three large tubs of Christmas decor. These are large plastic tubs- bigger than the Rubbermaid ones. They are identical and are different than all the other tubs that I have. I know these tubs are Christmas without having to open them up AND they are labeled. They are stored along the back wall of our pump room. I won't need to open them up or move them again until next Thanksgiving.....

Tub 1 is ornaments  for both the trees
Tub 2 is lights, stockings, tree skirts, my sons very large nutcracker collection  and a vintage aluminum tree
Tub 3 is boxes, table decor, cards, wrap, books etc....

Now that the ornaments and decor is down, the trees are removed and the floor swept up of all those needles, it's time to move all the furniture back to it's original places. Good think I don't have a hangover!

Have a great day