Handy Tips for Storing Holiday Items
Every holiday, many of us find ourselves digging through miscellaneous boxes and bins trying to find ornaments, decorations, special holiday-oriented items, and holiday paraphernalia, often including the Christmas tree. If you use a faux Christmas tree during the holiday season, you may also discover that the tree is missing pieces, including limbs, the tree’s legs or stand, tree skirt, and more, and when a pre-lit tree is improperly stored the result could be a catastrophe with the lighting. It can be a messy conglomeration of decorations, which can easily be broken, destroyed, or lost in the jumble without some simple holiday storage tips.
Tip: Separate items that are breakable or valuable to avoid losing, damaging, or destroying precious decorations or ornaments.
As parents, most of us have keepsake items belonging to our children or in memory of specific holidays for each child that we hold precious. Without the proper storage, these can easily be lost or broken, and many cannot be replaced. No one wants to think about precious items from our children’s childhoods being irreparably damaged, and the thought of a lost item is even sadder to many parents. Make sure that you keep these items in a storage container that has a seal, such as a plastic storage bin, and ensure that it is properly marked and kept in a safe, dry place. It is also a great ideal to label these items by date, so that you remember the year or season when your child created the keepsake.
Tip: Group similar items together in the storage container.
Loop strands of Christmas lights to keep each strand tidy and able to be separated easily, but store items that belong together in the same place. Instead of tossing things in the bin and hoping that you find them next year, store items that are the same or similar in boxes, bags, or bins together. Label each one accordingly for easy reference next season.
Tip: Make sure that electrical items-such as lights or bulbs-are stored in a waterproof bin.
No matter how carefully you package Christmas lights, if they are not in a place that is waterproof or moisture resistant you run the risk of serious damage to the lights. It may be as simple as a few blown bulbs or present a much more serious risk such as a fire or shock hazard. If you notice water in the storage bin, do not try to use the lights or electrical items. Throw them away to avoid potential injury or even death.
Tip: These rules do not only apply to Christmas decorations.
Some people decorate for more than just the Christmas holidays, and this means more decorations and seasonal items that will need to be stored once the special occasion has passed. Package each item and store in a safe place, but be sure to label boxes or bins so that you can remember which item is in a given box and avoid confusion. This is a great way to keep up with birthday banners, greeting cards, pictures, party decorations, and much more.
7 Easy Steps for Organized Holiday Storage
The Author:
Jessica Ackerman
