You know what I’ve been wondering? I’m trying to figure out if there is a date when all holiday decorations should be put away and if that date is different for everyone. I’ve been in a few client’s homes since the holidays have wrapped up (no pun intended) and noticed traces of garland and other sparkly things. For one of my clients, all the sparkly things were still up. Has your date passed or has it not arrived yet?

So, usually when a burning question like “Are your holiday decorations still up?” pops in my mind, I ask a bunch of people to see what they have to say. Actually, three questions popped in my mind and since my Twitter and Facebook friends always come through for me, I checked with them first. The responses were varied and everyone did something specific…or not so much.

On January 7th, here’s what I asked…

(1) Have you put away all your holiday decorations (including xmas cards)?

(2) Are they organized by category (i.e., lights, ornaments, garland, etc.) and in clearly labeled containers?

(3) Where are they stored (e.g., basement, attic, garage, closet, etc.)?

and here’s what they had to say…

Jaime Papa Maerz (Trenton / Princeton, NJ) wrote on Facebook on January 7, 2009 at 7:13am
1. I took my holiday decorations down yesterday (though the tree was on the curb over the weekend – couldn’t stand the pine needles falling). The cards are still up, though. I was not ready to part with my Christmas wall outside my office, which is quite cute, if I do say so myself. Has an art project I did with the kids, using their hand prints, and all the picture cards we received displayed around them.

2. Not organized by category, but they are in containers with only other Christmas decorations…clearly marked, not yet, but plan to work on that soon.

3. They are stored with all our other bins, in our basement storage area. :)

Nadine Tabachnikoff Coleman (Teach For America) wrote on Facebook on January 7, 2009 at 7:50am

1) cards in a pile to be filed. ornaments still on tree… yes, you heard that right. TREE. Hubby didn’t take it out last week, will go out tonight! :-)

2) Not organized, one big bin with lights, ornaments, ribbons, etc… is that bad?

3) Attic!

ChristinaJade on Twitter
@dallisonlee i have been strictly forbidden to take down the tree before Saturday by a certain 8 year old! then it will get packed back to 10:08 AM Jan 7th from web in reply to dallisonlee

@dallisonlee the attic in the NEWLY LABELED STORAGE TOTES! :) 10:09 AM Jan 7th from web in reply to dallisonlee

LiaSong on Twitter

SagLady09 on Twitter
@dallisonlee Since “Three Kings Day” is over (which was yesterday), the Christmas decorations will come down today. 10:31 AM Jan 7th from web in reply to dallisonlee

Kim Oser wrote on Facebook on January 7, 2009 at 3:39pm

Karen Glover (New York, NY) wrote on Facebook on January 10, 2009 at 5:30pm

Cards are sitting in a stack on top of the TV. Tree with decorations and Giant Bow on the screen on the porch still up and tree is on right now

Decorations will be down by the 15th and 3 part tree goes in a box with lights and bulbs in basement

Charli Jessup (Los Angeles, CA) replied to D. Allison Lee Professional Organizers’s post on Facebook on January 12, 2009 at 8:15am

1. No my Holiday decorations are not still up. I took them down this past weekend. As I have to wait for the use of son-in-laws truck to get my containers and then take them back I have to plan around his schedule.

2. They are organized into plastic bins; garlands, ornaments, candles, etc. The containers are not labeled as they are the only containers with decorations that I have.

3. I store them in my daughters garage as I live in an apartment.

~Related Information~

• How Long Should Holiday Decorations Stay Up?
• Storing Holiday Decorations
• Holiday Decorating – How Soon is Too Soon?