____ Un-decorate. Don't remove lights and ornaments from the tree before developing an organized system. Wrap strings of holiday lights around cardboard so they're not in a tangled mess next December. Store ornaments in an ornament container with divided sections, or simply in a large, sturdy, plastic container. Be sure to wrap fragile ornaments in bubble wrap.
____ Go through your refrigerator and freezer, tossing anything stale, outdated, inedible or unidentifiable. Get a new box of baking soda, open it and place it in the fridge to get rid of odors.
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____ Take advantage of after-Christmas sales, and stock up on holiday cards, gift wrap and decorations for next year. By the time the holiday season rolls around in 2004, you'll be all set and ready to go.
____ Completely clear off your kitchen countertops. Wipe them all down. Then, return only the appliances and gadgets you use very often. Donate old appliances and gadgets you never use that are just taking up space.
____ Sort through your jewelry. Toss out inexpensive earrings with no mates and other costume jewelry that is broken and beyond repair. Make it a point to get all of your good jewelry that needs repair, fixed this month at your local jeweler.
____ Spot clean carpets and sofas. If necessary, hire a carpet or upholstery cleaning service to handle tough stains.
____ January 12th is National Clean Off Your Desk Day. Celebrate by getting rid of desk clutter, inside and out. Give your desk a good cleaning and/or polish too.
____ Plan to check your To Do list each day, and do your most important task first. Once that's done, you can handle the other less significant tasks in your day.
____ Count your blessings. Each morning when you wake up, think of at least one thing that makes you happy. Write it down and by the end of the month, you'll be amazed at all of your blessings. Continue doing this throughout the rest of the year, and you'll have an enormous list of things to smile about.
