5 Brilliant Tips to Organize and Store Holiday Décor
Need some storage ideas for holiday décor? Holiday decorations have a habit of piling up. While they can be great when the season comes around, it can be a hassle to organize and store them for the rest of the year.
Decorations don't have to be the annoyance so many find them to be. Follow these tips so you can store holiday decorations in peace!
Tip #1: You Probably Don't Want Everything
This first tip is a bit of a cheat but it's important we mention it. The odds are high that you have some decorations in your home you don't want. Even if you have the space, there is no need to keep decorations you never intend to use.
We, of course, don't suggest you need to get rid of something with sentimental value. But what about decorations that have broken or gotten otherwise ratty? That stuff is junk (and we can help you get rid of it, too).
Consider Marie Kondo's frequent question of "Does it spark joy?" That question can often make for a good metric for choosing what to keep and what to get rid of.
Even an old decoration doesn't need to matter to you. Just keep in mind some decorations may be valuable or matter to someone else. In those particular cases, selling them or giving them away may be a better option than junking.
Tip #2: Take Inventory
Once you have purged the decorations you know you don't want, it's time to take stock of what's left. It's at this point we suggest taking a page from the book of office and warehouse managers. Build an inventory sheet!
Making an inventory sheet is easy, especially if you have Microsoft Excel or the equivalent. Note down every decoration of significance that you have. If it takes up space or you otherwise care about it, it should be on the list.
This may sound tedious but it's only hard once. After you've built your list, adding items takes much less time. It only takes a while in the beginning because you have to write down everything you own, rather than what's new.
You can even go the extra step and write down where items are located on the sheet. You may not need this if you only have a few things, but it can be a lifesaver if you've built up a big holiday décor collection.
Tip #3: Some Holiday Décor Is Fragile
Something being beautiful or meaningful to you does not always mean it is going to be hardy. In fact, some of the most beautiful decorations can be quite delicate.
Caring for Christmas ornaments and other glass decorations can be especially tricky. Even seemingly minor impacts can irreparably shatter certain pieces.
We recommend you mark anything with fragile decorations in it liberally. Don't just write "fragile" in small letters on the box. Make any lettering big and legible; you can also color code the boxes so they're even more obvious.
While storing decorations in cardboard boxes is tempting because they're affordable, fragile decorations should be kept in plastic containers at the minimum. Even better can be hardy wooden boxes, although they can be inconvenient at times.
You also should remember to pack items within those boxes carefully too. Make sure there is a lot of padding between fragile decorations and the hard walls of the boxes you store them in. You don't want to defeat the purpose of using a nice storage container.
Tip #4: Categorize by Type or Display
We recommend you categorize your decorations, grouping them in containers or particular areas of your storage space by type or the display you intend to put them in.
This can make it much easier when it comes time to take them out. You can even take your decorations out in steps, deciding to set up a particular display one day and waiting to put up another display when you have more energy.
Combined with our tip regarding an inventory sheet, this kind of grouping can make finding the particular decoration you're looking for very easy. It takes the guesswork out of trying to figure out where you put something a year ago.
Tip #5: Prioritize Your Space
For the most part, holiday decorations do not need to be front and center in a given storage space. After all, you only need to access them once a year.
While you should know where your decorations are, don't feel bad about keeping them in a distant corner of your attic or behind some of the stuff you use more often.
As long as the space is clean, most decorations should do fine almost anywhere so long as you're mindful not to crush them with heavy boxes. A few might be sensitive to temperature or moisture, but it's rare they're so sensitive somewhere like an attic would be a problem.
The caveat here is that you probably don't want to bury fragile goods. Keep boxes with fragile decorations in a place where you can bring them forward without too much risk of them rattling or banging other objects in the trip.
Moving, Junk Removal, and More
With only a little planning, storing holiday décor doesn't have to be hard. By keeping mindful of what you have and what may be sensitive to impacts, you can get rid of the hassle while keeping the fun of decorating.
If you need help moving or getting rid of anything, including around the holidays, we can help! Let us do the hard work for you. We will handle fragile items like glass and even antiques with a professional, steady hand.