Another Christmas has come and gone and that means it’s time to switch off the fairy lights, pack away the tinsel and wave goodbye to mince pies for another year.
Post-Christmas organisation can sometimes seem like a bit of a mammoth task, so we thought we’d lend a helping hand with some our top tips and products to get you started off on the right foot as we move into the new year.
1. Pack your Christmas decorations away properly
Every year you promise yourself that it’s going to be different.
This year, you’ll untangle the Christmas lights before stuffing them back in the box. This year you’ll take the time to separate the baubles into their own containers. This year you’ll wrap the wreathes up carefully to stop them getting squashed and bent out of shape up in the loft.
And, inevitably, that promise falls by the wayside and you just end up stuffing all your Christmas decorations into the first box you can get your hands on. It’s next year’s problem now.
But what if you took pity on your future self?
This year, we challenge you to add a bit of organisational magic to the packing away process. Put the time in and we guarantee you’ll thank yourself for it when next Christmas rolls around (and set a handy precedent for all future Christmas’s too!).
Our number one tip here is to clearly label your boxes. Sounds simple, but it’s surprising how much of a difference it can make to have everything packed away in a set place. If you don’t already have any to hand, then we’d recommend picking up a few of our Wham storage boxes.
They’re available in a variety of sizes, so you can easily find the perfect fit for each decoration type, and there are also a couple of organiser boxes with compartments for all those fiddly little bits.
As well as being durable and strong, Wham boxes are made from recycled plastic, come with lids to keep everything safe and secure, and stack neatly on top of one another.
2. Declutter!
Christmas brings presents and those presents are all going to need a new home. Rather than searching around for a suitable place to squeeze them in, why not take the opportunity to create some new space by doing a bit of general decluttering?
We’ve all got those items tucked away in the corner of a wardrobe just in case and this is the ideal opportunity to put them out to pasture. You might have to get a bit ruthless, but if you haven’t used something for 15 years then chances are you’re not going to miss it and you’ll definitely appreciate having a bit of extra free space!
This is a particularly useful exercise if you’ve got kids because they’re likely to have a haul of brand-new toys – and some old, discarded ones that they won’t miss. So do a thorough decluttering (maybe you can even get them to lend a helping hand) and make room for those new toys.
3. Organise your storage spaces
You’re already having a good old declutter, so why not organise your key storage spaces while you’re at it? Whether this is a garage, workshop or loft, there are lots of ways to introduce some order – and here are some of our favourites.
The Wham storage boxes we mentioned earlier can hold more than just Christmas decorations and are an inexpensive solution to your storage needs. Pair them with a Halfords Boltless Shelving unit and you’ll have layers of storage that you can configure to meet your requirements. The shelving units themselves fit neatly together, and the rectangular unit can even be built up to its full height or assembled as a half-height unit with a workbench top.
If you’ve got a bit more space to work with in your workshop or garage then it’s definitely worth considering a garage storage set. These clever sets are all modular in their design, which means you can mix and match them, and they come with a whole range of useful and high-quality features. Just make sure that you measure your space before buying so that you can be certain they’ll fit!
Whatever options you choose, just remember to be logical and methodical in your approach. Heavier items on the bottom, lighter items at the top. Frequently used items at the front and rarely used items at the back. Labels on boxes and, if you’re dealing with a large space, maybe even a list or two to help you remember exactly what you’ve put where.
4. Give everything an early spring clean
The natural end to any decluttering and reorganising session is to give everything a good clean, and it’s a great way to ring in the new year too. You’ll probably want to start with some serious dusting and vacuuming to get rid of any dust bunnies and cobwebs, and then it’s time to break out your cleaning spray of choice.
With your storage spaces sorted, how about turning your attention to your car or bike? You’re already in cleaning mode, so pick a nice, clear winter’s day and don’t let that energy go to waste!
When it comes to car cleaning, you’ve got a lot of choice from top brands like Turtle Wax, Meguiars, and Autoglym, and our articles on How to clean your car in 3 easy steps and The ultimate guide to car cleaning are full of ideas and suggestions about what products to use and how to get the most out of them.
For bike cleaning, we’ve got Tru Tension and Muc-Off products that’ll help to make your bike look brand new again, and our How to clean a bike article takes you through the process step by step.
Good luck with your post-Christmas organisation plans and head on over to Halfords for all of your storage and cleaning essentials.