Installing the holiday decor often seems to involve endless untangling, sorting and searching for ornaments. Organize now, and unpacking will be easier next year. Here are five ideas for successfully storing your decor.
Bins, Boxes and Bags
The best place to store glass ornaments is in the boxes they came in. The original dividers and padding are perfect for the ornaments’ sizes and shapes. Keep different sizes of ornaments in their appropriate boxes. This will streamline tree decorating in the future.
Invest in the sturdy storage bins that are readily available this time of year. Use large bins to protect smaller, crushable boxes.
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle
Holiday gift-giving generates piles of wrapping paper, bubble wrap and used ribbon. A hanging closet organizer makes a good place to keep gift wrap. Any paper that can be reused can simply be folded neatly and tucked into a pocket. The organizer will keep up with packaging as it comes in and goes out of the house.
Every year, take stock of your decorations. Get rid of nonworking lights. Give away ornaments you haven’t used in years. Someone else will be glad to find a new use for them.
Build a Storage Shed
Holiday items are only used once a year, yet they take up a lot of closet space. Consider installing a shed outside the house. You’ll find a variety of sheds online. Sheds are perfect for storing seasonal items. You can even roll an artificial tree into a shed without having to dismantle it first. Sheds Unlimited is an Amish, family-owned business that sells sheds, garages and workshops. If you are interested you can look through their selection or buy sheds online.
Organize the Packing
This year, keep track of the order in which you hang your decorations. Put them away in reverse order, last first. Pack your storage bins so what you use first will be on top of everything else. The last items you use are often the most fragile. The solution to that is to give them their own separate storage bin.
Label Every Box
Nothing is more dismaying than a pile of unmarked boxes. Avoid having to open every storage container to find the item you want. Color-coded labels are handy for identifying ornaments, garlands, table linens and so forth.
Enjoy some extra holiday peace of mind. Organizing your holiday storage now will make decorating easier, this year and in future years. It will save wear and tear on you and on your holiday decor.