Storing Holiday Decorations

After Christmas and during the beginning of January is the best time to get organized. After all, you have more now than you did just a month ago, so it is time to make room for the new. I hope these tips will give you answers and solutions to your situation. 

• Contain the chaos!
  Purchase specialty containers for storing your holiday decorations. Remember to buy extra containers to store your decorations for all of the seasons like spring, summer, and fall, and even smaller holidays like Valentines Day, St. Patrick's Day, the Fourth of July, and Halloween. There are containers for ornaments, wrapping paper, wreathes, trees, lights, and more. Stackable containers give you more options and allow for maximizing the space where you choose to store your decorations. Grouping items together helps too - all of the Christmas tree decorations together, the village scene items together, etc... Be sure to put labels on the outside of the containers and you can also put a handwritten list of the contents inside the container as well for quick reference - especially in the containers that have the contents wrapped in tissue paper.
  
  
• Birds of a feather...
  Keep similar things together in a way that works for you - by room, arrangement, style, or theme. 
  
  
• Where did I put it?
  Take the mystery out of where you put last year's special item you want to use this year. Designate a section on a closet, kitchen cabinet, linen cabinet, and garage for seasonal decor. You may want to add extra shelving or have a garage sale to clear out some room in the garage. 
   
  
• Let's wrap this up.
  Each year I buy a big package of white tissue paper at Costco for gifts and for storage after Christmas. The colored paper may discolor items it comes in contact with. You will also want bubble wrap and little boxes that provide extra protection for your breakable items. Wrap holiday lights around a large spool or a card board tube to keep them from getting tangled.
  
  
• Tag it and bag it.
  Be sure to put labels items to distinguish similar items like a garland that fits the mantel and another that fits the railing. Ziplock bags are great to store and label items too, such as small berrie clusters for the garland on the mantel or large berrie clusters for the garland in family room.
  
  
• Save the wrapping!
  Original packaging helps to protect your decoration - especially the odd shaped items, while providing a label at the same time. It also makes things easier when your husband or children are helping you put things away, trust me!
  
  
• A picture is worth a thousand words.
  Take photos of everything you decorated, room by room, and save it on your computer for quick reference next year. This will save you time next year when you try to remember just how you displayed your favorite things.