10 days to reclaim your home - Days 1 & 2

Day 1 ( Thursday)

For me - not all at once. For those with a 9am - 5pm post Christmas/holiday house cleaning marathon, I salute you. The thought of that brings me out in a cold sweat , my get up and go, goes off and hides. So I learnt to do it my way, 10 minutes at a time. Inspired by and adapted from "Flylady.net Clean up mission".

Collect together all the present wrapping stuff, and the card writing stuff, and the stockings and the present bags. Pack them up in their box. Last year I overbought on the family cards so there was a note in the December 2024 diary reminding me. This year I have left over general cards and another note in my December 2025 diary.

Reclaim your house, 10 minutes at a time.

Many small steps - build a long walk.

Working on 10 minutes at a time I decided to take the Christmas cards down next. Now that’s my thing for today. You might want to remove the tinsel, or the stair decorations, or some of the surface decorations. You chose, set the timer and do 10 minutes.

For me I have taken all the cards down and tonight I will go through each one, taking the time to think about the person/family that sent it. In the past, when I was young, enthusiastic and postage wasn’t expensive, I have written the year on the back and then use it as a christmas card list for the following year. I’d also turn the front of the cards into present labels. As my energy tolerance threshold has lowered and my boredom threshold risen, labels have become a thing of the past, so these years I write the recipient of the christmas present onto the wrapping paper, and after I have read the cards tonight, I will put them into the recycling.

The 12 don'ts of Christmas 7-12

Seven swans a-swimming

You don't have to keep going, you CAN take a break. Rushing to buy the food, peel the spuds, wrap the presents. Taking a break is essential. Take the dog for a walk, - if you don't have a dog, watch your favourite film, if you don't have a film, go to the loo and lock the door. Although, if you have a toddler, I do understand the limitations of this last one. Spend 10 minutes tonight, ALONE, making a list of things you CAN do to take a break.

Eight maids a-milking

If people drain you of your energy you don’t have to socialise. It is perfectly ok to enjoy not socialising. If being in social settings make you feel like your inner essence is being pumped out, don't do them. Do the stuff that gives you energy.

Nine ladies dancing

You do not have to go to the dance - Cinderella/Cinderfella. The prince/princess may be at the ball - but if you are grumpy or glum at going, you won't be in the right frame of mind to notice anyway. Dance at home.

Ten lords a-leaping

You do not have to feel so merry that your heart leaps for joy. It is fab if you do - but if it doesn't you're not bad/wrong/broken. It's just that today the season of joy doesn't do it for you. And that's ok.

Eleven pipers piping

You do not have to listen to people full of hot air - they are toxic. Move out of the parade. Enough said.

12 drummers drumming.

You do not have to drink so much that your head hurts the next morning and you can't remember last night. In fact you do not have to have alcohol at all. Sometimes the best times are when fun is for fun's sake, and do not involve vomiting and bruised noses, and waking up in a place you don't recognise ( with steel bars on the window?). How much more fabulous if you can wake up and enjoy the next day as well as the party.

The 12 don'ts of Christmas 1-6

One partridge a pear tree

You don’t have to be alone, even if you feel lonely. If you want company you can go where there's people but no conversation required. Library ( free), church ( free) or any place of worship, coffee shop or volunteer somewhere - workers are very appreciated at the moment.

Two turtle doves

You don't have to be with the "one" to be lovable or to love. Find the love feeling - contact the favourite family member ( go on, admit it, there is one) , borrow a friends dog/cat/pet mouse or spend time with your own, a trusted friend. We can feel love in all these places.

Three french hens

NO you don't have to watch Les Miserables or The Wizard of Oz again! Find a French and Saunders programme to watch - or The Vicar of Dibley rerun.

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Four calling birds

You don't have to write Christmas cards or call relatives. If the relationship faulters over a missed card or a belated call, it was on the rocks anyway.

Five gold rings

You don’t have to buy expensive presents nor spend lots of money. If you've been budgeting along with me you will know your limits, and that will gives you strength to your "No more", knowing that you did your utmost. I had no money spare - I would make small Christmas gifts - a bag of punch spices, or crackers filled with colouring sheets and crayons from a kit ( one set split into 4 presents). Recycle unopened gifts ( we all have them!)- My great grandmother used to say " a gift twice given is a gift twice blessed".

6 geese a-laying

You don't have to do everything, nor do it from scratch. Buy the mince pies, use present bags you were given last year instead of wrapping, give gift cards this year. When money was short, I used to love receiving a gift card because it was four gifts wrapped in one. Firstly the gift of the card itself, then the luxury of being able to go shopping. Add the luxury of being able to buy something for myself, then the actual item itself. Yummy.