Be honest, the time for storing your Christmas decorations has finally arrived. Oh I hear ya, I know it can be a real chore, but I’ll show you some clever tips on how to store Christmas lights and fragile ornaments so they don’t get lost or broken.
Do you take enough time when you are storing Christmas decorations? If you approach storing your Christmas decorations in a ‘haphazard fashion’, you could risk breakage, water damage, or just the stress of not being able to find anything the following year. Opening up shattered Christmas decorations or broken lights can be incredibly frustrating, especially if the decorations had sentimental value or were expensive.
Christmas Tree Storage
If you store your artificial tree in the garage, these tricks below will keep it clean and protected all Winter, Spring, and Summer long. When you’re ready to decorate it next year, just slice up the side of the wrap with scissors and fluff the branches into shape. You can even re-use the box that your tree came in. Keep in mind cardboard boxes can get crushed and are particularly vulnerable to water damage. Use tape, plastic wrap, or a tree bag to add a protective layer to the tree.
Disassemble the tree and store in a plastic tote
If you don’t mind taking a little extra time to assemble your tree each year, certain artificial trees can be taken down in parts. You can store the pieces in plastic totes for simple storage.
Purchase a storage bag for your tree
Most major retailers have tree bags or boxes available. Some containers may even be large enough to include the tree and the decorations.
Keep your tree in a climate controlled environment
Trees can be extremely heavy, so it might not be feasibly to haul the tree into the attic. I recommend storing the Christmas tree in a storage facility (like My Storage) where you can drive up to the unit and unload the tree without lugging it up a flight of stairs or lifting it into an attic or even onto garage rafters.
Sew storage for your fake tree
Use dust sheets to create bags for the top, middle and bottom pieces of your artificial tree. Then you can store them in your garage all year long without worrying about them getting flat or dirty.
Wrap lights around cardboard
When you wrap your lights around pieces of disposable cardboard before putting them in storage, you can write handy reminders that can keep you organised for next year. Lights and garlands can easily get tangled and knotted if bunched up. Purchase inexpensive rollers or storage bags that include rollers. Another simple and cheap option is to wrap the lights and garland around an empty wrapping paper roll. There’s no sense storing Christmas lights that won’t make it through the off-season. Check that the lights work before you pack outside lights. If you can’t fix strands that have gone out, don’t waste any time packing them up.
Storing Christmas Ornaments and Decorations
You’ll know your ornaments are ready to be hung as soon as you pull them out next year if you loop the ribbon on to wooden rods in a plastic bin while they’re in storage. This tip works well for ‘shatter-proof’ balls — but consider storing your favourite glass heirloom ornaments in individual containers.
Use clear resealable bags
If you want to keep all your ornaments in the same container, but sorted by colour, use clear bags from your kitchen. Then next year, it’ll be super easy to assess your stash.
Use the original packaging unless it’s flimsy
Keep the boxes and protective foam that decorations come in, especially if they’re breakable like snow globes or porcelain items. Wreaths and ornaments are best stored in rigid containers that cannot get crushed. If your wreath is very large or brittle, wrap it up in plastic and hang it while in storage.
Keep anything that’s wooden out of the basement
Wooden decorations like music boxes and ornaments need to be stored in climate-controlled environments. Humidity and high or low temperatures can damage these items over time.
Take the time to label everything
Clearly label the boxes containing your Christmas decorations. A little bit of work labelling things properly can make finding decorations a lot easier especially if you store them in a storage unit.
Install hooks to hang awkward Christmas decor
Not every decoration like holiday lawn stakes or homemade holiday decorations fit neatly into boxes. Install hooks in attics and garages to hang these decorations. You can also purchase large watertight bins for outside storage through most large home improvement retailers.
Store blow-up decorations separately
If at all possible, save the original box and place the blow-up decoration like a lawn inflatable back in its original box. If you don’t have the box, make sure you keep the blow-up decoration in a separate bag or box to prevent tearing and ensure the stakes that hold them in the ground won’t get lost.
Don’t wait too long to take down outdoor decorations
You might feel a little like Scrooge if you take your decorations down immediately following the holidays, but the longer they’re exposed to the weather, the more likely they are to break. Saving your tree and decorations from the weather’s abuse a week here and a week there can make a big difference after a few years.
Handle Christmas decorations with care
Always handle your decorations with the utmost care and remember that just because your decorations are packed away doesn’t mean they are safe from damage. Make sure the decorations are safe from getting crushed and in a place where the climate won’t cause damage. Be especially wary of places where decorations get exposed to extreme temperatures or high-temperature swings like attics.
Keep garland in water bottles
Nothing is more frustrating than when long strings of garland get twisted around all of your holiday decorations. Prevent that mishap by storing your beads in a plastic water bottle — each container will hold two strings of beads!
Don’t let ornaments get crushed
Use leftover plastic cups from holiday parties to keep your ornaments safe while in storage. Each cup can be glued to a piece of cardboard and provides a protective shell to delicate decorations – you can even stack multiple layers on top of each other in a plastic bin.
Salvage storage containers from your home
If your original ornament boxes are dented disasters (or you just forgot to save them), don’t worry. Ask your local liquor store for wine boxes with cardboard dividers, which you can fold and cut as needed. Then layer two to three ornaments wrapped in tissue paper into each slot, placing heavier ones on the bottom. Try egg cartons for tiny trinkets, plastic produce containers or shoeboxes for bigger baubles, and paper-towel tubes for garlands.
Keep wreaths in your wardrobe
This handy wardrobe organiser is often used to hold more hangers than your rod can handle — but it’s even better suited for multiple wreaths. By hanging them in your wardrobe you’ll prevent your favourite Christmas decoration from going flat.
If you go big when it comes to wreaths (we’re talking every window, inside and out!) and don’t have space in your wardrobe for storage, invest in a clothing rack and keep them wrapped in plastic in your basement or garage.
A small storage unit is an ideal place to store Christmas Decorations and seasonal items. Contact us at My Storage on 03.544.4393 to discuss which storage space / unit would be suitable for you. Or come see us in the office at 68 Gladstone Road, Richmond. You can always fill out the form below and we will be in touch with you..
Do you have any Christmas decoration storage tips to share? Let us know in the comments. The more time you take to put everything away in an organised fashion, the less stressful decorating will be next year!
For more tips on Christmas decorations storage .. visit the DIY Network
Bye for now ..
