Christmas is busy, fun, exciting, and sentimental. We love it all -- all but
the part when we have to clean up and put everything away.
While it may be tempting to just throw everything into boxes and worry about
sorting it out next year, you'll be sorry when a precious Christmas decoration
or ornament gets lost or broken.
Following these 10 tips will help you…
A. Save time by getting all your Christmas decorations organized so it's quick
and easy to find them next year.
B. Save space by using the right kind of boxes that can be easily stacked and
organized.
C. Save money by storing your Christmas lights and decorations in a manner that
preserves their quality and extends their life span.
10 Quick Tips
1. Use Clear Plastic Storage Containers - These are great because you can see
the contents without having to spend time labeling each box. Plus the plastic
helps protect from moisture better than cardboard. When stacking, be sure to
place the largest and heaviest boxes on the bottom and smaller boxes on the
top.
2. Box the Beads - Pack the beads in small boxes such as plastic shoeboxes. If
you use many strands of beads, larger boxes could become too heavy. To keep the
beads from becoming tangled, place individual strands in baggies. If you
prefer, you can wrap each strand around empty paper towel rolls and tape the
ends.
3. Don't Dog Pile the Christmas Lights - Don't stack too many lights in the
same box. The box will become too heavy and the lights on the bottom could be
damaged. Lights can easily become tangled so individual strands of lights
should be bagged separately or wrapped around paper towel rolls or something
similar and placed in plastic grocery bags or large freezer bags.
4. Save Space with Re-Shapeable Decorations - Bows made of wired ribbon can be
flattened and reshaped next year. Wired ribbon garlands and streamers can be
tightly rolled. They don't need to be flattened unless you need to conserve
space.
5. Don't Crush Your Wreaths - Wreaths can be stacked in larger boxes but each
wreath should be wrapped with bubble wrap. If they aren't wrapped then they
shouldn't be stacked. Bubble wrap can be purchased where office supplies are
sold. Wreath boxes can also be purchased and are readily available on the
Internet and in stores.
6. Wrap Christmas Ornaments Properly - Ornaments should be individually wrapped
in white tissue paper or where greater protection is needed, wrap in bubble
wrap. Since most ornaments are lightweight they can be stored in large boxes.
If you still have the original boxes the ornaments came in, then store them in
these and then place them in the storage container.
7. Protect Christmas Decorations from Moisture - If you live in a humid climate
using plastic containers may not be enough to protect from moisture. Place
packets of silica gel in each container to avoid damage from humidity. Silica
gel can be purchased at arts and craft stores. If you cannot find individual
packets, you can make your own by wrapping several tablespoons of silica gel in
white tissue paper and securing with tape. Several packets should be placed
throughout the box.
8. Guard Against Temperature Extremes - Delicate decorations such as ornaments
made with photos or wax can be temperature sensitive. Store them in a
climate-controlled area or they could deteriorate, melt or stick together.
9. Avoid Box Identity Loss - Attach a red ribbon or tag to each Christmas
storage box. This will make them easy to identify next Christmas if they have
been stored with other boxes unrelated to Christmas decorations.
10. Toss the Trash - Some people have a tendency to just "hang onto stuff" in
hopes that they'll find a use for it later. Don't waste space by holding onto
old ornaments you know you'll never use again (unless of course it has some
sentimental significance). Just toss out the trash.
A final note: You may also want to consider Christmas ornament boxes and wreath
boxes for especially fine ornaments and wreaths instead of clear storage
containers. They are available in stores and on the Internet. They are very
convenient and some are even acid free for even greater protection for your
fine collectables. They are more expensive, but for high quality, valuable
ornaments this may be a worthwhile investment.
A little organization today will make you feel like a Christmas decorating pro
next year. Happy un-decorating!
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