With the season moving toward the New Year, it'll soon be time to remove and store holiday decorations. Somehow, "putting away" isn't nearly so much fun as "getting out"; too often, decorations are bundled away quickly, but not well.

For an easier Christmas, 2008, try these time-saving storage tips from the Common Sense Community. One we like:

For a super timesaver, keep your artificial tree intact. Only remove delicate ornaments, leaving the lights and garland on so it's ready to go next year. Use a light paint cloth to cover your tree to protect it from dust and debris.

Shedding Light on Holiday Decorations

You've made the list, checked it twice ... and now there's a mountain of gifts ready to be wrapped.

Take heart--and simplify the job--with these tips for efficient gift wrapping from RealSimple.com. They'll organize and speed gift-wrapping chores:

Gift Wrapping Strategies