How To Store Christmas Decor and Ornaments

If you still have your Christmas decorations up, it is probably time to hide them away. Here are some tips on how to store your Christmas decorations and ornaments so that you could use them again in 12 months.

1. Buy a Christmas tree bag.

Your artificial tree represents a sizable investment, so you might as well aim to reuse it year after year. Do not use the box that it came in. For one, you would be faced with a difficult task of trying to make everything fit into it again. For another, if you have had your tree for years, the cardboard box would surely show some wear and tear, allowing dust and insects to get into your Christmas tree and damage it. Instead, buy a Christmas tree bag that would make it convenient for you to store your tree year after year.

2. Egg cartons for Christmas ornaments.

For small Christmas tree ornaments, it's best to store them using cardboard egg cartons. You're bound to save money this way. For larger pieces, use an appropriate sized box that is big enough to hold ornaments of the same color, shape or pattern. You can then label these: personalized Christmas tree ornaments, red, silver, blue. This way, you can easily pull out the ornaments you want for the next Christmas season and not have to open everything. For breakable and fragile ornaments, stick some cotton or tissue paper between the spaces to minimize movement and breakage.

3. Buy a suitcase for your Christmas linens.

While keeping them in plastic might do the trick in keeping them clean, the best way to store Christmas linens is to fold them inside a suitcase. This would keep moisture and molds away. If you have extra space in your closet, you can store your Christmas tree skirts, rugs, towels, blankets or table cloth in that extra shelf, just make sure to line it with lavender smelling dryer sheets, which would keep them sweet smelling while keeping the moths away.

4. Old socks for your Christmas candles.

Wrap your Christmas candles using old stockings or socks, to avoid scratching them. If you store them in the attic, make sure not to place these candles under hot areas.

5. Store your Christmas lights right.

Using a piece of carton, wind your Christmas lights like a spool so that you do not have to contend with the tangles next year. Similar to Christmas ornaments, you can wind together similar lights and properly label them. Be sure to discard lights that are not working properly or have been damaged. It is better to be safe than sorry.

6. Label, label, label!

With Christmas decorations and just about anything that you store, it makes good sense to label the boxes properly. Make sure that you put a list of contents outside each box so you do not have to open them all. Order the boxes in the way they should be unpacked. For example, those things that you need at the start of the Christmas season such as the advent calendars, Christmas cards and Christmas stockings are to be found in Box No. 1, while those that you need at the end like Christmas ornaments would be at Box No. 12. Yes, some people do have 12 boxes of Christmas decorations.

7. Take pictures!

If you want a head-ache free assembly for Christmas decorations that needs to be reassembled, then take pictures so that you would remember how things look like and you would get an idea on how to reassemble it.

8. Storing Christmas Cards

Whether you have left-over Christmas cards, or you just want to keep Christmas cards you have received from friends and relatives, the best way to store Christmas cards is inside a tin can. Save those tin cans from chocolates and store your cards in it. For added protection, you can use a used Christmas gift wrapper to wrap you cards first before storing them.

9. If you buy a new set of ornaments, keep the boxes.

Manufacturers know what would protect their merchandise best, so they line their boxes with bubble wrap, or they make it into certain shapes. This is especially true for online retailers who take extra precautions in their packaging to minimize the chance of damage while shipping. Hence this is also the best way to store your ornaments.

10. Do not remove the ornament hooks and the strings.

Pack your Christmas tree ornaments with the hooks inserted. This would lessen the work you have to do the next time you hang these ornaments. Besides, taking out the hooks and strings and putting them together is one way to end up with a tangled mess next year.

11. Buy a storage bin.

You might want to buy a storage bin for your ornaments. Pick one that is bigger than what you need now to make room for ornaments you're going to buy or for those ornaments that people gift you with. Choose an airtight storage bin as this will protect your ornaments better.

12. Hold on to ornaments that come in different colors, sizes and shapes.

You may have bought a set of ornaments before and over the years some parts of this set has been lost, broken or thrown out. Do keep the good ones that are left. You can still use these for your wreaths during the next Christmas season. Or you could go with a more festive and varied ornament bowl. You can also use smaller orphan ornaments as a pretty addition to your gift wrapping.

Now you are set with a dozen ideas to save you time when the wonderful season of Christmas appears again (this year). We hope you will find these tips to be a helpful way to care for the special heirlooms and Christmas treasures so you may enjoy them for years to come.