Organizing After Halloween

Are you wondering what to do with all the Halloween stuff?  The candy is easy.  Send what no one likes off to work, put the chocolates in the refrigerator and place the remaining in a bowl to be available for anyone wanting to take one.  This can be at home or work.

The remaining items are not so easy.  To eliminate clutter, see if any of the costume pieces and decorations can be recycled for the remaining fall decor.  If not, save only those things that will be in great shape next year.  Place those in a labeled container and store out of site.  A garage shelf, attic or basement area is the best place. 

The best organizing recommendation is to avoid owning too many decorative things that can become clutter.  Avoid purchasing items that cannot be transformed into a suitable use throughout many seasons.  Recycling is good for the environment, the pocketbook and effective organizing.

Holiday and Seasonal Wreaths

Living in the colonial area of Virginia all of my life, I have become accustomed to seeing wreaths on doors as decorations.  This is especially true during the winter holidays.  Unfortunately, storing them can be an organizational problem.

If you have considerable or unused storage space, I recommend using the plastic or cardboard containers designed especially for wreaths.  Over time they will save you time, space and money in storage of these items.

If storage space is limited or becoming crowded, I recommend owning only one wreath for your door.  Choose a basic wreath color that contrasts with the color of your door.  Natural grape vines, cane or straw as well as artificial greenery or other bases are sturdy and can last many years.  To it add an inexpensive bow and/or swags of color.  Swags of leaves for fall, flowers for spring and summer and holly with berries  for winter can be purchased inexpensively to add to the base.  Even the dollar type stores carry suitable items for the base.

When the season has ended, dispose of the unsuitable decorations.  They have probably faded and become soiled anyway.  Then purchase a new set for the next season.  The expense of new decorative items is off set by the initial cost of different wreaths for each season and the storage requirements they have.