New Year's Week

Houseworks Holiday Plan Week Eighteen

By Cynthia Ewer, Editor
Organized Christmas

All good times must end; with the arrival of Christmas, it's time to wrap up the Houseworks Holiday Plan and move into an organized New Year.

Sunday sees the arrival of Christmas Day. In the coming week, we'll tie up the season's loose ends, make New Year's resolutions, prepare to store holiday decor, and set the stage for next year's celebration.

See you next year!

This Week's Focus: New Year!

Reading Assignments from Houseworks:

Habit, the Household Wonder Worker - page 82
Bring the power of habit to the New Year's resolutions.
Create A Center for Paper - page 226
Get organized for a great New Year--and ready for tax time!--with an activity center for paper-handling.

Inspiration from the Web:

This Week's Houseworks Checklist

Minimum maintenance. It's the organized solution for busy times: a rock-bottom chore checklist of must-do household chores. Does your household have one? Create a minimum maintenance checklist and post it publicly. Encourage family members to pitch in and share the work. Delegate, delegate, delegate!

This Week's Holiday Prep Checklist

Recycle holiday paper. Give Mother Earth a holiday gift: reuse or recycle gift wrap, ribbons, holiday cards and packaging materials.
Write family thank-you notes. Best way to teach the art of the thank you note? Do it as a family. Write notes together this week.
Take down fresh trees and greens. Watch local news sources for information about recycling Christmas trees.
Decorate for New Year's.
Plan low-cost, no-cost activities for kids. After the big day, the small fry can experience a real letdown. Keep the holiday week a happy one by scheduling a few simple, inexpensive activities. Whether it's camping out under the Christmas tree or a drive to see holiday lights, some mid-week events will keep sparkle in the season.

Make New Year's resolutions. This year, don't just make them, keep them as you harness the power of paper. Use a free Resolutions form to pin new habits down on paper.
Set up a calendar for the new year. Designate a fresh new calendar for 2012. You've polished calendaring skills as you've worked the plan, so carry them forward into the new year.
Hold a holiday debriefing. Get a head-start on next year's planning--and avoid traps--with a quick debriefing session. High points or low, they'll guide you next year.
Swap extra cards and gift wrap with a friend. Don't let those last few cards languish for fear of sending them again. Swap extras--gift wrap, too--with a friend. You'll both have fresh new cards to recycle next year.
Take down remaining decorations. All good things have to end--and the visible Ghost of Christmas Past can be a real disincentive to an organized new year. Take down remaining holiday decor next week. You'll see it again, next season!
Store holiday decorations. Take the time to store holiday decor securely and in an organized way. However ready you are to move on, sloppy storage will cause new problems down the line. Be sure to use sturdy, moisture-proof containers and organize stored decorations neatly. Make notes of any items that need to be replaced, and purchase replacements in the after-season clearance.
Set up a "lost holiday box" for stragglers. No matter how you scour the house, a few holiday items will always hide out in laundry, kitchen or corners. Give them a place to go with a holiday box: a designated container for any last holiday items you find. In a few weeks, take the box to the storage area for next year.
Mark your calendar for next year! Will you join us next year for the Houseworks Holiday Plan? Mark your calendar: the 2012 Houseworks Holiday Plan begins on Sunday, August 26. Tuck your Houseworks Holiday Planner into a bookcase; you'll be ready to get organized for Christmas next year!