Organizing and Spring-Cleaning Preparations for 2026!
With the New Year upon us, we’re reminded that spring will be here in just a few months—which means spring-cleaning isn’t far behind. In the meantime, I like to start the year by ensuring everything is in order.
On January 1 (today), I go through all my closets and remove any clothing that’s still hanging backwards from last year. Then I turn all remaining hanging clothes so they are facing backward again and start fresh. As I wear items throughout the year, I rehang them in the normal way.
Note: Anything that hasn’t been worn in the past year gets donated or discarded—unless it’s special-occasion clothing (like a tuxedo or wedding attire), an extra-warm winter coat, or something I keep on hand for a costume party (maybe western wear or something from the ’80s). I also keep a few basic tank tops for layering under sheer tops, even if I don’t currently need them.
Happy New Year, everyone—please join me in getting ready for 2026! And while you’re organizing and turning those clothes on hangers around, it’s a great time to declutter, pack up and organize your Christmas decorations too. There’s no time like the present! Pun intended!
A special note on storing decorations:
Hard plastic cases made specifically for wreaths are now available—I found mine at Canadian Tire. There are also plastic bins with dividers for Christmas tree ornaments, but they’re about $25 each and only hold about 25 ornaments. Personally, I’d need at least two to hold all of mine, so I haven’t invested in them.
I do really recommend the wreath cases, though. Without them, wreaths tend to get squished and misshapen. As for ornaments, I don’t have glass ones, so I simply put mine back into the packaging they came in and place that container into my larger decoration bin.
In addition to wreath cases, I also use hard plastic forms designed for wrapping Christmas lights. I like them because the bulbs are less likely to break or come loose, and the strings don’t tangle as easily.
Of course, these are just my preferences—do what works best for you. The wreath cases aren’t cheap, but hopefully you only need one or two. The ornament cases also add up quickly, and while it’s nice to have everything perfectly stored, it shouldn’t come at the expense of essentials (like food!).
Again, Happy New Year everyone.
Jandy
