Face it. Although decorating for Christmas may be one of your favorite pastimes, there’s little enjoyable about undoing the fruits of your labor. And while your kids love to be in on the action when the decorating is being done, don’t expect the same enthusiasm on the flipside. If you do want a set of extra hands, try bribing your little helpers with a picnic lunch at the park or an afternoon smoothie at the local store. Of course, nothing will be as helpful as a few tried-and-true tips that make the undoing of the holidays seem downright seamless. Not only will these simple solutions benefit you today, but they’ll also have you organized when it comes time to break out the Christmas gear next year. When it comes to putting away the Christmas lights, wrap the strands around an empty paper towel roll. This will prevent them from becoming all tangled up. Ornaments should always be stored in separate containers from other decorations to keep them safe. For breakable ornaments, stash them in ornament boxes for their protection.

To go the extra mile, wrap ornaments individually in bubble wrap. You should also consider investing in big rubber containers to keep everything in one spot. Purchase red or green containers or be sure to label the containers so that you know exactly where to find everything. Before tossing your tree or putting away an artificial tree, do a close onceover to ensure all ornaments have been removed. The last thing you want is to find smashed glass in your tree box the following year. If you’re unloading a real tree, purchase a tree bag which will prevent the appearance of loose needles all over the house. Before dragging out the tree, remove water from the tree stand with a turkey baster to prevent any unwanted spills. By following these simple steps, undoing Christmas will be a cinch.