Right about now we’re getting ready to finish cleaning up from the holidays. Maybe you are, too–if you haven’t already. As you begin to collect your trash or put away your decorations, why not take a few minutes and think about stuff you used in 2009 that you can reuse in 2010? Not only will this keep you green, but it will save you green, too. Here are some ways you can do that:

1. Reuse as many gift bags, bows, ribbons and sheets of wrapping paper as possible. Just today we had friends stop by for a post-holiday visit, and they brought gifts in three lovely gift bags. When I went to put out the trash tonight, did I toss those gift bags in, now that we were done using them? Heck, no. I put them aside to store in my gift-bag bin, which is where I stock pile all the gift bags and tissue paper we receive with gifts this year and every year. Next year when I need to wrap a gift, I’ll be able to do it for free by reusing items from my stash.
2. Determine excess gifts that I can funnel into my gift closet. Every year, without fail, someone in our family gets a gift that leaves them thinking, “What was this gift-giver thinking?” No worries. Again, we don’t toss the gift in the trash–we just put it aside and then bring it upstairs to our gift closet. Sooner or later we’ll find a home for that gift, or if we don’t, we’ll donate it to a good cause like Goodwill (find a local store here).
3. Find new uses for old holiday cards. Last year I did two things with the holiday cards we’d received. First, with those that came with pictures or were picture cards, I cut the pictures down to a 3X5 size, and then slipped them into a photo album (salvaged from my gift closet) that I’ve reserved just for holiday pictures. Next, with holiday greetings that came as traditional cards, I used pinking shears to trim the front cover of the card and turn them into gift cards that I could use on future presents. I plan to do the same with this year’s holiday greetings.

What are some of the creative ways you plan to reduce, reuse and recycle from Holiday 2009 for Holiday 2010?

P.S. My friend Paige Wolf did a great segment on the NBC 10 “10!” show in Philadelphia on just this topic.