Enjoying Christmas – Spring Clean and Decorate for Christmas

If you haven’t already done so, it is time to Spring Clean, DeClutter and Decorate the house. Wow, that seems like three big tasks. However, like everything we do, we break it down.

Spring Clean

It is time to think about the cleaning tasks that need to be done for the Christmas season. Do these tasks over the next few weeks if you can. Starting with the long lasting tasks. It may be organising for the carpet and curtains to be professionally cleaned. It may be a good solid dusting in the rooms that you will be entertaining in during the festive season.

If you can outsource tasks then book them in. Keep in mind this is not a time for major home repair jobs, painting, redecorating or other big projects. Our objective is to have the house cleaned and ready for Christmas.

If you can delegate tasks to other family members then start delegating. We give ownership of certain tasks to family members on a weekly basis in our house. My son vacuums upstairs, my daughter downstairs, the other daughter dusts the lounge and wipes all the kitchen cupboards and bench tops. My husband cleans the toilets and does the grocery shopping and sweep and mop the floors, plan the weekly menu and clean the bathroom and ensuite.

Decorating

Once the cleaning is completed, it is time for decorating. The first step can be actually finding all the decorations. As you get out the decorations for this year, check if they are still in good condition.

When I decorate, I actually store some of the everyday ornaments back into the decorations boxes. This way I don’t have to remember where I put them. When it is time to pack up the decorations, all of my normal ornaments are ready and I know where they are. It doesn’t become my annual treasure hunt.

Once I have all my decorations out, I then take a look at what decorations are left in the boxes and if I haven’t used them, I ask myself why. Sometimes it is because they are old and tatty (so out they go). Sometimes it is because I don’t like them (well, out they go). Sometimes it may be because I have a different colour then (these ones get to stay). This process means I am decluttering as I go.

We get the whole family involved in decorating. When the children were young, it was such a special and exciting time for them. Now my children are a bit older, however, it has become a family tradition. I let them be in charge and make decisions themselves. My home is a family home and all the family get to contribute and take ownership of how our house looks for Christmas.

It can be a big job, however, once it is done, you feel so good. It is something that I know. I feel exhausted when it is done but as a family, we have had a ball.