Blog

 

Decorating for the holidays is often a fun and exciting activity but storing holiday décor can be a challenge. In our efforts to help you live better, here are 7 ways to properly store away Christmas decorations in order to preserve your holiday trinkets, make them easy to transport, and keep them bright and fresh for years to come.

1. Storing Christmas Linens

Before storing linens, it's important to clean them, as stains oxidize over time. One way to store your holiday linens is in a suitcase, to keep away the risk of moisture damage. You can also keep your Christmas towels, rugs, and blankets on an unused shelf in your linen or personal closet. To keep away moths and keep your linen smelling wonderful, you can put one or two lavender scented dryer sheets between the linens. Although this method of storage takes up space in your home, it will prevent linens from developing stains, poor scents, holes, and other nasty surprises when they are pulled out the following year. Remember to also never store Christmas linens in a place that isn't climate controlled.

2. Storing Christmas Wreaths

Containers that you use to store your wreaths must be able to preserve its shape throughout the year. Many storage methods smash or damage wreaths-especially attachments like extra bows and decor. Look for wreath storage that is large enough to truly preserve the shape and ornaments of the item so that it will be usable for years to come. You can also keep wreaths hung up in your closet with a closet organizer that holds several hangers. The wreaths will easily slide onto the rod which will prevent them from getting flat or ruined.

3. Storing Christmas Trees

Although the box your artificial tree came in may seem like the perfect one to repack it in for storage, this is usually not the best idea for preservation. In fact, the cardboard boxes begin to deteriorate, making them more prone to insect infestation. Try a commercially available Christmas tree bag or Christmas tree box to protect your tree. There are also convenient tree bags with wheels, big and strong storage bags for large trees, and bag sets that split up the weight of the tree.

4. Storing Christmas Ornaments

Special ornaments often benefit from being stored in the boxes that they originally came in. You can also store smaller ornaments in clean and dry egg cartons. Plastic ornaments that are not fragile may also be stored in plastic sandwich bags and tightly organized in a box or bag. Additionally, there are nifty containers and storage boxes available to neatly and securely store holiday ornaments in, which can help to especially protect fragile or glass decorations.

5. Storing Christmas Lights

Do away with the tangled mess of the years past by organizing your Christmas lights before you pack them. First, make sure to dispose of any lights that have been damaged or are not working properly. This is just one way for you to save yourself storage space. Then, you can wrap holiday lights around coffee cans, cardboard pieces, Pringles cans, or even a hanger. Conveniently package these in a large box, bag, or container for the next year.

6. Storing Away With Labels

Save yourself time next year by thoroughly labeling your Christmas decorations. First, you can get organized by making a detailed inventory on the outside of each box. Then, you can number the boxes so that you'll know how many you have (i.e. Box 1 of 12). Labeling the boxes this way also lets you order them according to the sequence in which they should be unpacked. You can also make note of your labeling system inside of your holiday planner. If you don't want to make your own labels at home, there are printable Christmas storage labels available online and sticker labels available at arts and crafts stores.

7. Storing Christmas Boxes Strategically

Be sure to prominently label the first box to be opened at Christmas. For example, "Box 1" could contain your advent calendar, tree stand, Christmas cards, and anything you need at the beginning of the Christmas season. Having the first box marked will help to locate the most important items that kick off the holiday season.

 

Article via www.thespruce.com