Party’s Over. Post-holiday Cleanup Checklist
There’s no perfect time to take down all that’s festive and put the house back in order. But you also don’t want to leave it until the spring. Ornaments, stockings, candles and beaded garland, all need a quick dust before getting properly stowed away. The same goes for linens, holiday dishes and knick-knacks. Here’s a handy checklist of what needs to get done:
Linens: These beautiful items will last a lifetime if well cared for.
- Pre-treat stains before washing in cold water with mild detergent on the gentle cycle
- Follow up with a cold rinse and tumble dry on a low temperature
- For best results, remove linens from the dryer when still slightly damp
- Hang or lie flat to finish the drying process but make sure they are truly dry before putting them away in storage. Even the tiniest bit of moisture can lead to linens smelling musty or even worse growing mildew.
- If your holiday linens are particularly delicate or hold sentimental value, Martha Stewart recommends taking them directly to your dry cleaner for more specialized care, especially if they feature vintage lace or embroidery.
Festive Bowls, Plates and Mugs
- Give them a good wash and make sure they’re crack-free before packing them away
- To properly pack your dishes, start with a sturdy cardboard box
- Cover the bottom with crumpled packing paper to provide cushioning for your dishes and prevent breakage. Using newspaper can leave ink on your dishes and bubble wrap takes up too much space.
- Wrap each dish completely with two layers of packing paper, tucking in the sides
- Placing cardboard between dishes will help protect them even more
- Quilted dinnerware storage sets are an easy, inexpensive way to keep holiday china clean, safe and organized
For tips on how to clean holiday ornaments, check out this blog.
