So Santa was good to you. New stuff is stacked in neat piles under the tree. Bath robes, sweaters and snuggly blankets with their store tags attached drape out of open boxes and gift bags like Christmas ivy.
New appliances, glasses, vases and bric-a-brac sit on counters and tables, unprocessed, awaiting a spot on a shelf, in a closet or a cupboard. A spot that at the moment may not even exist.
Even if you don't feel like housecleaning, the day after Christmas almost compels you to deal with object overload. So take a cue from the British Commonwealth. Celebrate Boxing Day.
Going back the The Middle Ages, Dec. 26, also St. Stephen's Day, traditionally was a day when the privileged and merchant class would fill boxes with food and fruits and give it to servants, tradespeople and the less fortunate. In South Africa it is known as The Day of Goodwill.
Of course, like some American holidays, the origins of Boxing Day have been lost in a commercial cloud. From Australia to Canada, it has been perverted into a post-Christmas shopping frenzy of before-dawn doorbuster sales.
"What it has become in the U.K. is a day of football," laughs interior designer Kate Flanagan of Geyserville, who was born in Scotland.
But the roots are worth remembering and reviving. Celebrate your holiday prosperity by passing some of it along. Or, as the saying goes, "Pay it forward." You'll clear out some of your own clutter while helping the needy and some of the many non-profits in Sonoma County that rely on donations.
Denise Eufusia, who manages the Pick of the Litter thrift shop in Santa Rosa for Forgotten Felines, said many people already seem to celebrate Boxing Day, whether they know it or not.
"The Day after Christmas is great for donations," she enthused. "People get a bunch of new loot and they don't want all of it. In the week immediately following Christmas we get really great stuff and a lot of it is new. Either they don't want to bother returning it or they don't want to offend the person who gave it to them by asking them where they got it."
Don't make it a day for deep organizing or filling the garbage. Focus on weeding out things you don't use but are still in good enough condition to be useful to someone else. Dumping junk at a thrift shop can cost these small non-profits money when they have to haul it away. Most don't have the time, staff or ability to clean or repair things.
"At least 60 to 70 percent of what we get isn't very useful to us, especially since we're a small store," Eufusia said. "There is a lot of effort involved in disposing of things. We're here to raise money. We need things that have a good percentage of their life left."
Santa Rosa Professional Organizer Connie Joseph said many people hang on to things with the idea they want to give them to people they know.
"One of the things I tell people is that there is someone out there who needs it and they will get it if you donate it. Your grown children may already have it or they have their own taste or decor. And yet someone out there can really use it. And it will be used if you donate it."
When going through clothes closets look for things that are free of stains, need no mending and that have all their buttons and working zippers. Small appliances or electronics should be in good working order. Older than five years and it's getting close to being obsolete in many cases.
Many thrifts won't take televisions, computers or old stereos. They simply aren't equipped to guarantee their working order. While Pick of the Litter still takes children's items, many do not. They can't keep up with the recalls and warnings. Furniture is hard to move. Save that for spring cleaning. Instead, concentrate on clothing, household items, linens, books, bri-a- brac, kitchen gear and other items you can quickly box up in a day or even a few hours.
Make a quick comb through the whole house. Or, if you feel overwhelmed, simply pick one room or even one closet, said Joseph. That way you can employ the most effective method for de-cluttering. Taking everything out so you can see what you really have.
If you concentrate on one cupboard or one room or closet you can really purge most effectively by removing everything. That way you can easily put together complete sets of towels and sheets. Amy Brueske of Always Organizing in Santa Rosa, recommends keeping three sets of sheets per bed and three sets of towels per person. Get rid of the rest. Donate the rest.
On this day you're looking both for things you don't use or need or items that are duplicates. In the bathroom sweep up any lotions, make-up and hair care products you've accumulated but haven't opened or used.
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