So you’ve taken down the tree, stored the decorations and put away the gifts. Or so you thought. For me it always seems like there are always a few stray items that escape cleanup. Here’s how to take care of them easily.

• Pine needles – Nothing says Christmas like fresh greens, but you’ll probably find some hiding in corners and under rugs for a few weeks. Just wrap a strip of masking tape or duct tape around your hand with the sticky side out. You’ll pick them up in no time.
• Holiday cards are often too pretty to throw away. Bundle them up and save them for next year, when you can use the fronts for beautiful gift tags and revisit memories of friends staying in touch the old-fashioned way. If you keep them in a desk, you’ll also have a record of who to send a card to next year.
• Are there a few holiday figurines or ornaments you forgot to put away? A pretty seasonal candleholder, snow globe or window decoration still out? Or maybe you’ve taken advantage of the post-holiday clearance sales and bought some new decorations in January. Keep them in a little-used drawer instead of storing them with the other decor. When the holidays roll around again, you can set them out early to get you into the spirit of the season. This is particularly fun for small children eager to decorate early before the adults are ready to swing into action!