Christmas Cleanup

[hotcouponmama]

I love Christmas. I love giving gifts (prefer that to getting them) - I love Christmas cookies, and for even a night or two, don't mind hearing twenty different versions of White Christmas or Mariah Carey shrieking that she just wants a guy for Christmas.

But what I really hate is the clean up.

I have to be honest and say it's 24 hours later, and the dishes from last night are still in the sink. And the dishwasher is full and I just can't find it in my heart to want to get up and empty it.

I've overflowed the trash and recycle bins outside, so I've brought in a spare, full-size garbage can in the kitchen just for all the extra paper and cardboard.

There's a 1/2 eaten pie still on the dining room table.

The garage is a complete whirlwind of unshelved stockpile items that need to be put up, mixed with gifty items I didn't put back after sorting through them for people, as well as open containers of everything from batteries to scotch tape.

The kids have unopened stuff that I just have no idea where to put it. And everything I had out before the holidays (like ski gear and daily living stuff like bills and magazines) all got stuffed into laundry baskets and shoved in my bedroom.

The wind here has been so strong, my outside decorations are strewn across the lawn a bit cause they got knocked over with the heavy gusts.

And today, to avoid the mess and chaos, I first slept in, and then I packed up the kids and we went to two different movies, dinner, and the bookstore.

Now they're in bed, and the Christmas Cleanup is still facing me, and I'm already trying to think up reasons why I don't want to get it all put away tomorrow. It's cold here, which is a good excuse not to go into the garage or outdoors. Santa's buddy Mother Nature came and knocked me over with girl problems on Christmas eve, which has just made me exhausted, well, that, and the dog who's not sleeping, and having been up too late and back up again too early for several nights in a row. And I guess I never realized how much I rely on Mark to do this stuff after the holidays are over.

I am so overwhelmed, I have no idea where to start to tackle this. Was hoping venting would give me a bit of motivation - get the frustration off my chest.

If you've ever read the Sweet Pickles books as a kid, I feel like the Goose who goofs off this weekend....with the "that's ok, I'll do it tomorrow" syndrome.

Please use this thread to either vent with me....or pep talks are gladly accepted as well....

[CW&M Mom]

I want to ignore our mess as well...but I can't find my sister's $100 bill she gave me...so I need to start digging.

Praying it's not in a garbage bag somewhere in the garage *sigh*

[hotcouponmama]

I want to ignore our mess as well...but I can't find my sister's $100 bill she gave me...so I need to start digging.

Praying it's not in a garbage bag somewhere in the garage *sigh*

I shouldn't laugh, but I gave my MIL a $100 Land's End GC and gift receipts for the shirts I bought her there, and she mistakenly threw it out in the trash. We found them, but only after digging through every bag we had filled yesterday. I told her that's what she gets for being such a fussbudget. She never comes out and actually says I'm the worst housekeeper on the planet but I know she thinks it...a lot more since Mark's been deployed.

In all her fussing around, she'd chucked it by mistake. I told her after she found it in the true trash, and not just the recycling, that there was no way it was me, because I never throw out receipts/coupons/paper - until I know for absolute sure I'm done with them.

I hope you find the bill - that would be a sad thing to lose!

[lostinthemission]

I didn't even have a Christmas party at my house, and I don't have kids, yet my house is still a mess. :shrug7: Go figure.

[kval07]

Well, it sounds like you have kids to help you out. Put them to work!!

I LOVED Sweet Pickles books as a kid, but sadly I don't remember anything about them now. Just the name.

[Mothernature]

Do a little bit a day until it is done.

We made sure to take out the wrapping as we opened presents so that was never an issue.

However, some gifts have arrived late. DS has a full toy box and a stack of presents sitting on the kitchen table (some he does not want). We have clean cloths strewn between the kitchen table (needs a steam) and our bedroom.

DS has thank you's to write, DH has to finish the laundry, and today is the fantasy football final games (DH has two teams- one playing for first, one playing for fifth, and his snap draft team. I have three teams- one playing for first, two playing for third, the sole team left for survival football, and two snap teams). I just heard somethings crash down in one of the bedrooms (we sleep in the living room because it is quieter, warmer in winter and cooler near the air conditioner in the summer), and I have to figure out where to squeeze the new holiday decorations we purchased yesterday; multi color light snow man (free at CvS) and snow village (Target).

[Mothernature]

oh I forgot. I have a stack of presents to wrap sitting in our bedroom and we have more laundry to wash.

[everprincess]

Oh I can top all of this. I have 75 boxes of mac n cheese, 15 boxes of Capri-Sun and 12 packs of soda in both cars waiting to unload (used up peelies at Walmart Wednesday). Plus I have gifts that are in there too for co-workers at my part-time job I have yet to see. My living room is a toy wonderful for ds with presents and what not all around (gift cards and money floating around). My guest room is full of wrapping paper and overflow of stuff that needs to be sold at a upcoming yard sale or put out to the ditch. Our bedroom is a coupon warzone with inserts stacked (according to date) and my coupon table brewing with q's. DS's bedroom looks like a toy and clothing disaster with my hba overflowing in the closet. The kitcken has clean dishes in the dishwasher and dirty in the sink still. And I have no more room to fit a stitch of room to fit another grocery item. The laundry room as clothes to fold, wash and sort. The bathrooms need cleaning too. HELP! I have to go back to work on Monday. I'm starting with the cars tommorrow and working on the living room until I can get to each room. I need a really cheap maid. I feel all your pain. I have to get better at organized my time and get DH to help more around the house.

[everprincess]

Oh and Julie I slept in today too. After 19 hours of cooking two meals for my family I thought I deserved it. And yes I understand the "Pickles" line. I just hope I can find the energy after working 9 hrs tonight to get my list done tommorrow. After all "Tommorrow Is Another Day" isn't it lol.

[crecian]

I am so glad that I am not the only one. I didn't have family and friends over for Christmas either but I do have laundry and dirty dishes too. Oh, and stuff in the car that I purchased yesterday that needs to be put away...and vacuuming to be done...the list seems to go on as I sit here and type this, but I will continue to search hcw instead of getting off my duff and do anything.
Maybe later, it will still be there, right?