How to get your Christmas tree out of the house without getting needles everywhere

Tired of spreading evergreen needles all through the house on the way out the door when you take down your Christmas tree? Here's a simple trick that cuts down the mess and makes it easier too.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Two old sheets. Long handled pruning shears.

1. The thought of wrestling our old Christmas tree out the door and the mess it always creates, never mind the needles in your socks for the next month no matter how much vacuuming you do, gave me this idea and it worked great! First be sure all the ornaments and lights are off the tree.

2. Now, spread a large sheet out, half under the tree and half out in front of the tree.

3. Get a pair of long handled pruning shears out from your summer gardening tools. A good one to use should have handles about two feet long and be strong enough to cut through an inch thick branch. Start at the bottom of the tree, reach in with the shears to where the needles stop growing on the branches and begin lopping off branches.

4. After cutting several pull them out and lay them on the sheet. Work till one side of the tree is clear of branches about 3/4 of the way up then spin the tree and prune the other side. Now, lop off the top a few feet down and add it to the sheet.

5. Roll up the branches in the sheet and two people can carry them away cleanly. Wrap a sheet around the remaining stem too if you like and haul it neatly out the door! Merry Christmas!

Tips & Warnings

• Evergreen branches make good winter protective cover laid over your flower gardens.
• The tree trunk makes a good bird perch by your bird feeders and the cut branch stems are handy for hanging suet.