4 Ways to Make the Most of Your Decorations After the Holidays

After the holidays have ended, how long should we keep up our decorations? All of the pretty lights, mesmerizing ornaments and fun Christmas snowmen make it hard to take them down. There are several options of what we can do with our decorations.

Purge

At times you may feel like you want to declutter your space after the holidays. If you have any old or broken lights and or extension cords, be sure to get rid of them. Before disposing the lights, don’t place them into your recycling. Instead, check local stores or recycling center to properly dispose the lights. Grab some LED lights on sale for the following year. Be sure to dump any old or broken ornaments. Wrap the ornaments in paper so that no one gets cut or it doesn’t poke through the garbage bags.

If you have vintage items, you may want to check online what their value may be. At many antique shops, vintage, holiday items bring a hefty price.

Donate

Many people don’t think to donate their Christmas ornaments that aren’t serving their purpose anymore. If you have decorations, consider donating them to an organization such as the Salvation Army, Goodwill, etc. Along with other charitable organizations, your holiday decor could be given to someone less fortunate who isn’t able to purchase decorations.

Re purpose

You can recycle your real Christmas tree. Try creating a treat tree (recycled Christmas tree) using dried fruits and seeds to make edible ornaments for our wildlife friends.

I have friends that love DIY projects. There are great ways that we can reuse our Christmas decorations. We can turn broken ornaments into tiles for mirrors and back splash.

Try using the ornaments that you no longer want on your tree to decorate a wreath instead.

Use all year

It’s hard to break down all of the pretty lights, ornaments and glowing decorations that brighten our mood.

Give your decorations a winter look in order to keep them out longer. For example, with vases, try wrapping them with string and wool. Keep those holiday lights out and hang them throughout a room for added lighting during the darker months. Red lights could be used for Valentine’s Day while green lighting could be used for St. Patrick’s Day. Spray your pine cones with a silver or gold paint to make an attractive centerpiece. Window candles cast a soft glow through all the winter months. Lastly, you can add shiny ornaments to your favorite bowl or glass vase.

Once you’ve gone through the past Christmas decorations, treat yourself by grabbing some sale items for next year at savings of up to 50% percent off or more. Channel your inner, bargain hunter and happy shopping!

What do you do with your decorations every year after the holidays? Share your traditions with us to pass along some ideas. :)