It’s the end of another holiday season: malls no longer play Christmas carols, all the presents have been opened, and the decorations are about to be stored.
With the end of the holiday season comes the tiresome task of packing up all the holiday decorations. It may not be as exciting as putting them up but organizing them can be very helpful for the next holidays so we can easily set them up again.
Avoid the trouble of untangling your fairy lights with these storage tips.
Photo Credit: Mirror
Here are some tips so your decorations would be easier to find and you won’t need to buy new ones for the next holiday season.
1. Use large plastic tubs for storage and label them.
Use large plastic tubs for storage of your holiday decorations. They can protect your decorations from dust, moisture and tiny insects. Label the outer part of the tubs with where the decorations are to be put up or the name of the decorations contained in the tub. Not only will you have decorations that are as good as new, but this would also make your decorations easier to find when you set it up next season.
2. Carefully pack your ribbons.
Keep the spool to roll the ribbons back up, so they can be stored unfolded and fresh. You may use toilet paper rolls if the spools have been discarded. Stuff rolls of tissue paper in the loops for ribbon bows, so that they will retain their shape while being stored. Ribbons can be stored in zip-top bags to keep them from moisture.
3. Wash them before storage.
Wash fabric items before storing them for the next holidays. This will keep away stains that will be hard to remove after long storage. These fabric items may be folded neatly in oversized vacuum bags or oversized zip-top bags.
4. Roll those fairy lights into a ball of yarn.
In storing your holiday lights, roll them similar to a ball of yarn with the plug at the end. This can keep the strands from getting twisted or tangled. This would make it easier to test if they still work since the plug is placed at the end. It would also take up less storage space.
5. Take extra care of delicate ornaments.
For delicate or breakable ornaments, save the original packaging for storage. If you’ve thrown away their original package, you can just bind each ornament in tissue paper and put a sheet of bubble wrap between wrapped ornament layers to prevent breakage. These delicate ornaments should be placed on top of other decorations so that it won’t be crushed.
6. Store those trees upright.
Store your Christmas tree in a good-quality storage bag, to protect it from damage. If it’s possible, store it upright to prevent it from being matted down.
7. Organize them.
It is best to pack the items in the order of need, for easy retrieval next holiday season. For example, the tub containing the holiday lights and the tree skirt should be on top of the tub containing the ornaments since you will need to set them up first.
Storing your Christmas decorations may not be as fun as putting them up, but storing them in an organized way will make it easier for you and your family to put them up next season. You will enjoy decorating your tree and setting up those fairy lights next Christmas if you follow these tips.