Jennifer Sheahan: How to give your home a January clearout

Jennifer Sheahan loves to make a clean sweep after the festive season while prepping for the next one

The post-Christmas clear-out is a hefty but ultimately rewarding task, says Jennifer Sheahan. Picture: iStock

I love Christmas, but it’s now the first weekend of January and I am more than ready to move on. I want to rip the decorations from the walls and fling them into the attic as quickly as possible so that I don’t have to look at them for one more minute. 

If I’m honest with myself, deep down what I actually want to do is to just throw it all away because frankly the task of packing it all up and putting it back into storage is exhausting and I really just want to flop on the couch and polish off the last of the Quality Street — yes, even the pink and orange ones. 

And finally, I’m going to round up the excesses of Christmas that don’t yet have a home and either find a use for them or give them to someone who will. By this evening there will be not one speck of Christmas clutter left in this house and I will feel a deep sense of smug satisfaction unlike any other. The post-Christmas clearout is a hefty but ultimately rewarding task. Here’s how I approach it.

DECORATIONS DOWN

Every item of Christmas decor in my home has a place in a storage box. These are clear plastic storage boxes that I bought in the Organised Store in Dundrum (an absolute mecca this time of year) and it’s the only way to store decor — I used to have things in cardboard boxes and whatnot but they tear, and you forget what’s where, and so transparent plastic it must be — labelled, at that. 

My ornaments are wrapped in paper or tissue, or bubble wrap in some cases where they are extra delicate. 

My lights are painstakingly wrapped around cardboard tubes; do not shove these into a box no matter how tempting it is — take a few extra minutes to wrap them away so that you don’t spend frustrated hours untangling them again in 11 months’ time. 

All batteries from anything battery-operated are removed — they will just drain slowly otherwise. Store them or use them somewhere else.

TAKE NOTE

I’m not usually an idiot, but something about Christmas decorations makes me lose all memory of having ever put them up before. I forget what goes where, how many hooks I need to hang my hallway star decorations, and what setting is the best one for the sparkly lights on my porch (why is there any other setting than soft twinkle or slow fade I do not know — everything else is seizure-inducing and unnecessary in my book). 

Jennifer's Christmas tree, which she hangs on her kitchen wall.

A few Christmases ago I started a note on the Notes app on my phone to record these menial details. I write down how many batteries I need and which type, I add photos of where exactly I like to hang the baubles on my tree, and I record how many candy canes look just right on my shelves.

Jennifer uses a ruler to take note of exactly where her tree and other decorations were placed so she will remember each year. 

I make note of everything that requires any kind of measurement or decision and take pictures of everything, and I can’t tell you how useful it is when the first weekend of December rolls around and I’m trying to remember what garland goes where.

PREP FOR NEXT YEAR

The main thing I do in preparation for next year is to get hooks ready. This may be specific to me — I am an absolute fiend for Command hooks. I use them for everything, and never more than at Christmas when I hang a flat tree on the wall, stars from the hallway ceiling, and twinkly lights around my porch. 

They come down with no marks and work brilliantly, the only downside being that they take time to put up. Step one is to peel the backing off one side of the sticker and press firmly to the hook for 30 seconds, then step two is to peel off the other side and press that firmly to the wall or ceiling for another 30 seconds. 

Remove batteries and wrap lights around a cardboard tube such as an empty kitchen roll holder.

It’s a lot of firm pressing and the time really adds up when you’re putting up dozens of them. So I get ahead of myself and do step one in advance, leaving me with the right number of hooks ready to be pressed into place come next Christmas. Maybe you don’t use command hooks but if there is anything in your Christmas decoration process that could be done now in preparation for next year — do it!

CLEAR THE CLUTTER

The last step, once decorations are packed away and the glitter is hoovered up, is to put away or give away any new belongings that don’t have a home. The random debris left behind that you’re not quite sure what to do with. 

Usually, it’s gifts that are lovely and all, but not something you particularly need. Or it may be a dozen mince pies or half a bottle of chocolate cream liqueur that was lovely in the Christmas Irish coffee but that you couldn’t stomach now and that will actually go off in the next few weeks. 

Frozen slices of citrus fruits can be used later in drinks.

Food is the easy part — I freeze anything that can be frozen, cook or bake with anything that’s about to go off and freeze that if possible, or throw it away as a last resort. 

The detritus of half-wanted presents is less straightforward. Return or re-gift anything you don’t want if it’s brand new and unused, or hold a gift swap with your neighbours (I love this — it’s like a second Christmas!), or donate (if in good condition only) to a charity shop. I sound cold here — I’m not talking about anything with sentimental value, only those afterthought gifts, with which you must be ruthless or they will live on your sideboard forever!