Getting through the holidays is a major accomplishment. With all the running around you did, it’s nice to be able to sit back and relax for a minute or two. But even though you have successfully gotten through the holidays, a little part of you is now wondering what exactly you should do. Your life has been consumed with baking, gift giving, parties and getting together with family, and now, there’s nothing. So what exactly should you do after surviving the holidays?
1. Clean your house.
You have baked and entertained non-stop for the past month, and it’s about time that you give your home a little TLC. Spend the day (or the weekend) giving your house a thorough cleaning. Get the family involved so that the process doesn’t take too long, and designate jobs to everyone in the home that they can handle. You’ll feel so much better knowing that your house has been deep cleaned after the holidays, and you can now start getting back on track to your real life.
2. Make room for new gifts.
You have received new gifts this year, which means you now have to find a place to put them. Take some time to go through your home and decide exactly where you’re going to store all these new belongings. Make room in your cabinets and closets so that everything can get put away and you don’t have to look at the clutter anymore.
3. Donate unused items.
While you’re cleaning your home and making room for your new gifts, start a pile of items you no longer need or use. Have everyone in your home do this too. Then, take the pile of items and donate them to a local non-profit organization. Not only will this help you to de-clutter your home, but it will also make you and your family feel good knowing that you helped others in need.
4. Return unwanted items.
Although you appreciate every gift you receive, sometimes you get a gift that you know you will never use. Get all the presents together that you either need to return or need to exchange and spend the day taking back all of these items to the stores they came from. You can either exchange them for something else, or save the store credit to use on a different purchase on a later date. If you received gift cards you’ll never use, look into websites like Cardpool where you can sell your gift card for up to 90% of its value.
5. Take down the decorations.
If you have decorated your home for the holidays, now is the time to get your house back in order and take down all the decorations. Although you will be sad to know that the holiday season is over, and although your home may look so boring and bland without the holiday décor, it will be nice to have your home back to normal.
6. Work on your New Year’s resolution.
If you made a New Year’s resolution this year, it’s about time to start working towards it instead of giving up. If your resolution was to lose weight, start finding healthier recipes, go grocery shopping for healthy foods and remove any junk food from your home. You can even start a workout program too. If your resolution was to save money, look into your finances and create a budget that will help you add to your savings. Find ways to save money, such as by using coupons, refinancing your home, or cutting out unnecessary expenses. If you want to run a marathon, start training by getting yourself into shape and running a few miles everyday.
7. Have a spa day.
The holidays had you running ragged, so why not take a day and pamper yourself? If you need to relax your mind and body after the craziness of the holidays, get yourself a nice massage, get your nails done, get your hair done, go mudding, or do whatever it is that will help you to relax and successfully get over the holidays.
Dr. Susan Wright, DVM shares her passions through freelance writing. Susan combines personal opinions, research and experience to create informative articles on various topics.
