Are you ready to wrap up the holiday season? The following tips will help you start the next year right, and prepare you for the next holiday.

Check the lights: Both your indoor and outdoor lights are designed for limited life. Check your lights for frayed wires, cracked sockets, or burned out bulbs. Discard the doubtful strings, and use the original packaging or purchased light holders to keep them from tangling before packing them away. You may want to consider buying replacements at after-holiday sales. The new LED lights have beautiful colors and are much more energy efficient.

Plan your post-holiday pack up: Are your ornaments packed safely? Are your holiday candles protected from the summer’s heat? Also, pack backwards based on how you want to unpack your decorations next year, and label the boxes. Now is the time to discard any decorations that you no longer want, so you don’t waste storage space.

Read installation and safety instructions: Did you receive any exciting electronic or other gifts that have installation or use instructions? Take the time to read the safety information, and make sure you follow installation directions closely. Set any electronic equipment up immediately – you generally only have about two weeks to return them directly to the store if there is a problem.

Don’t take a chance on that HDTV: If you want to wall-mount a television, hire a professional or purchase a special mounting system and follow the instructions carefully.

Keep the rest of your holidays happy by taking care of the details and keeping your home and family safe, and have a wonderful 2011!