Post Holiday Refresh
Join me as I clear away the last bits of Christmas, and put things right in today’s Post Holiday Refresh.
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Rainy Day Baking
It has been raining heavily here for long stretches of time. The perfect weather to find things to do inside as the storm continues to rage outside. This morning’s breakfast is a fresh sourdough loaf and scrambled eggs. Baking bread while it rains is one of my favorite things to do during these cold dark days. There is nothing more homey to me than a loaf rising on the countertop underneath a tea towel.
Before I know it, the dough has risen and it is time for baking. Taking out that fresh loaf each time reminds me that great things are worth the effort.
Tackling Projects
These days I have been busy cleaning and decluttering. With our current room projects under my belt, I feel accomplished and ready to tackle the rest of the house.
Since the holidays are over and a fresh year has begun, it is time to remove all of the Christmas decorations and refresh our space. I am late getting to it this year as our room project took up most of my time. For the past few days, I have been taking it down and placing everything into its rightful storage boxes. Something I know I will be grateful for doing come next holiday season.
How incredibly fast the holidays come and go. With so much anticipation leading up to them and then it is over before we know it. Leaving lots of extra work for the homemaker.
Putting Away the Decor
Taking down Christmas and getting everything back in order somehow feels like a fresh start. The perfect beginning of January. Though most would say that spring is best for purging the house, I tend to do most of our decluttering and cleaning during these cold winter months. With so much of our time spent indoors, it seems the perfect time to do so.
We don’t have a lot of extra storage space here. So I tend to pack everything tightly. I can fit most of our Christmas decor into two boxes. That is all except for the Christmas tree.
I know full well that if it were not for this yearly purge, this would not be possible. Keeping our spaces tidy means keeping on top of the clutter in our homes. It is not the most exciting job in the world but it keeps our homes in order and the chaos at bay.
I try my best to reuse things each year. Not only is this better for the environment but it is also better for our wallets. Most of my ornaments are ones my daughter has made me over the years and my tree I have had it for many years. It is not always easy to resist buying all the beautiful things in the store. But when it is all said and done, I am glad to have just the two boxes to put away.
Tidying Up
After removing the garland, it feels good to wipe everything down. I like to use this Natural All-Purpose Spray to do so. It helps capture all those dust bunnies without having to use chemicals.
I am always happy to feel that bare feeling that comes with taking down all the holiday items. I decided to touch up the paint while I am in here and replace the curtain under the sink.
The house is finally cleaned up and Christmas is all put away until next year. This week has proven to be a productive, fruitful one.
Todays Menu
It wouldn’t be a full day of homemaking without some form of cooking. Today’s lunch is more of an early dinner since we had such a late breakfast. I am making spaghetti and meatballs. A simple but comforting meal.
For the meatballs, I add extra garlic, along with the standard items of breadcrumbs, egg, salt, pepper, and Worcestershire. Sometimes I’ll add parmesan but today I am out. I make a fresh tomato sauce with crushed tomatoes and Italian seasoning.
It is a nice meal to have after long days of cleaning.
January is a great time to dive deep into the home. To declutter our spaces, clear away the old, and refocus our attention where it needs to be. If you are looking to create a vision for your home and set things right, I hope you will check out this Homemaking Guide for 2023. There you will find a free printable for helping you create a vision for your home, and set intentions that help you achieve it.
In any event, I hope this post finds you well and that it motivates you to refresh your space for this brand-new year. Thank you so much for joining me in today’s Post Holiday Refresh. I hope you have enjoyed your time with me.
Have a great week ahead!
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