Holiday Décor Storage Solutions for Any Budget

Learn How to
Store These 5 Common Holiday Decorations, Saving You Time and Money Next Season

Fast
forward to next year’s holiday season and upon opening your stored Christmas
decorations, you’re
heartbroken to find boxes with damaged ornaments, tangled string
lights, and chipped glass and ceramics. It’s safe to say that we have
all experienced the horror and frustration of improperly packed supplies. The
good news is your decorations can be saved by using proper storage techniques and can be done on a
budget.

Depending
on the size of your home and
whether you have the benefit of a garage or shed, storage methods differ for
everyone! Check out some of the tips below to start brainstorming how you can
store your decorations properly and enjoy them for years to come.

Artificial Trees

Artificial
trees are a great alternative to a real tree, but when it comes to
storage, they can be a pain! The best way to store your artificial tree is in
the box that it was purchased in! When returning it back to the original box,
try to pack it in the reverse order or steps you took to unpack it. Getting the
branches straight and back in the box can be tough but it is manageable.
Try using objects already found in your home, such as rubber bands, to help
keep them together.

String Lighting

First
things first — when it comes to holiday
lighting, it’s important to keep lights separate to prevent tangling.
Nothing is worse than spending an excessive amount of time untangling string lights. Try
wrapping lights of the same type around a rectangular piece of cardboard and
securing them with a rubber band. For extra protection, wrap them in a paper
towel or wrapping tissue before placing them in a box with other lighting
elements. This way you can prevent them from getting tangled or breaking and
still have them organized while in storage.

Ornaments

For
sentimental, or fragile ornaments, it’s best to return them to their original
packaging. For extra support, wrap them in bubble wrap, newspaper or tissue
paper. Plastic, or less
expensive ornaments, can also be stored in original packaging but won’t
necessarily require the added protection. If you no longer have the original packaging
for those fragile ornaments, they can simply be wrapped in gift tissue.
Keeping gift tissue and bubble wrap after opening presents is an easy way to
save material and money.

A plastic
container is ideal when storing your ornaments together, but a leftover
cardboard box will work in a pinch. It is important to keep in mind where you
will be storing this box. Cardboard boxes will not hold up in damp locations,
like a garage or basement, and may start to break down if stacked upon. You can
also create organizational dividers for your ornaments out of objects already
in your home, such as egg cartons, solo cups, corrugated boxes, or drink
holders.

Glass and Ceramics

We all know how fragile any glass or ceramic object can be. When
handling these decorations, always wrap them in bubble wrap or newspaper to prevent chipping or
breakage. If they do break, the shards of glass or
ceramic will be contained within the packaging and can be easily recycled or disposed
of.

Outdoor DÃ©cor

With
a variety of outdoor dÃ©cor options comes a variety of storage solutions. For
large inflatable decorations, always ensure that they are fully dried and stored in a tightly sealed container to prevent
molding. Similarly, wreaths and outdoor Christmas trees should be stored in
air-tight containers. Other items, for example wooden dÃ©cor or sculptures, may
not need to be wrapped and can be stored separately in the original packaging
or a storage box.

Bonus Tips:

· For organizational
purposes, try packaging similar items together.

· Always
label boxes, especially those with fragile contents. This can be done
with a marker and tape.
No need for fancy label makers (unless you want one!).

· Store
items in a location where the temperature does not fluctuate.

· Don’t
be afraid to add extra padding with tissue paper, newspaper, or bubble wrap.

· For
tiny items, use sandwich baggies.

· Store
wrapping paper in large cardboard tubes to prevent tearing.

· Remove
batteries from decorations, as they can leak or degrade.

It’s
important to always be mindful when taking down your holiday dÃ©cor. By using these storage tips, you’ll not
only save space, but also save time putting them back out next year! Now that you’ve got
your Christmas decoration storage under control and are in the mood to
organize, check out the link below to learn how to make the most out of a small
living space!