Nothing puts you in the holiday spirit more than decorating your home, but that joy can quickly turn into frustration when it’s time to take everything down once the season is over. Follow these tips to help keep your holiday decorations safe, organized, and easy to find for next year.
Linens
If you have specific linens you use during the holidays, the first step is to clean them before storing. This reduces the chance for stains to oxidize and become permanent. Be sure to remove items like safety pins which can discolor and damage the linens. Be sure to store your linens in a place where they won’t be exposed to moisture (who wants musty, moldy linens?). If possible, store them on a shelf in a pantry, linen or personal closet, or in an dresser. Place a scented dryer sheet between the linens to keep them smelling fresh and to help keep months away.
Wreaths
Storing wreaths have become easier over the years; now there are plenty of different types of storage containers specifically for wreaths that are able to preserve the shape throughout the year. While fabric bags are convenient and easy to carry, hard-sided plastic containers will definitely keep your wreaths from being smashed. Make sure the storage container you choose is large enough to keep the shape of the wreath while protecting any ornaments or accessories.
Lights
Did you reach into the box of lights and pull out a tangled ball of wires? Avoid that fate this year by taking the time to wrap your holiday lights around a piece of cardboard, coffee can, or specialty light storage rack. Be sure to remove any damaged lights before packing them away.
Ornaments
Most ornaments benefit from being stored in the original boxes they came in but if you’ve lost track of those boxes or they have fallen apart, you can store them in ornament storage containers and boxes. You can also store smaller ornaments in dry egg cartons. If you have salt dough or pasta ornaments your kids have made, store those in plastic sandwich bags to keep them safe from critters.
Trees
While ornaments benefit from being stored in their original boxes, the same does not always apply for your artificial tree. These cardboard boxes tend to deteriorate over time, especially if they’re stored in the garage, which invite insect infestation. Instead, opt for commercially available tree bags or boxes to store your tree. There are plenty of options, from soft-sided bags to hard-sided plastic boxes. You can even find bags with wheels, which will make it easy to move into and out of storage.
Stay Organized
Storing your smaller items into larger weatherproof plastic tote bins will keep your holiday decorations in one place and safe from the elements and designate a storage space. This will make it easier to locate your decorations next season.
Taking a few extra moments to organize your holiday decorations now will give the gift of frustration-free holiday decorating to your future self. You’ll thank yourself next year!