If your house is like mine, you haven’t quite done all of the after Christmas clean up. If so, consider yourself blessed. There is a lot that you can save from your Christmas festivities that will save you money throughout the year. Make use of the following items. Then look around your home and add your own suggestions in the comments!
Baskets
Have you gotten any holiday baskets this year, such as fruit baskets, pampering baskets, etc. Put them to use around your home. Large one can collect waste paper in the office, magazines or books in the bedroom, fresh fruit in the kitchen and crafts or small toys in the playroom.
My favorite use is by the front door to collect mail and all of the little things that tend to get dumped as soon as someone walks in the door.
Christmas Cards
Christmas cards can be reused into new cards for next year, or even greeting cards throughout the year. Punch out fun shapes from the colorful cards, attach them blank cards and get creative.
You can also use old Christmas cards to make gift tags to use throughout the year. If you really want to get frugal, save all of the envelopes (after you update addresses of course), then staple them all together to make a scrap pad. Usually there is plenty of room for notes on the backs of envelopes.
Gift Wrap
If you still have your gift wrap around, pull it out of the recycling bin and shred it. Then use it as packing material for mailed packages or for filling for gift bags and baskets. Don’t forget to pull off ribbons and bows and reuse them for wrapping gifts next year.
The Tree
If you have a live tree, you can recycle some of the branches into a centerpiece. Cut some nice boughs and intersperse them with fresh flowers. You can also recycle your tree into mulch. Many towns will mulch old Christmas trees for free and even provide you with the mulch to bring home.
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