Simple Storage Ideas: Light strands around cardboard

Published July 19, 2012

When the  holidays are over its time to put away the decorations and other items that we may not use until next year. It’s always a little sad but it’s probably time your husband’s heated, Santa toilet seat cover that plays holiday carols was safely stored.

Too many times we tend to rush this process and end up regretting it the following year. This year if you take a little more time and follow some of these tips you may find next year’s experience at little more pleasant.

 

Lights

If you would like to avoid a tangled mess of lights simple cut out the large sides of large cardboard boxes and cereal boxes and wind your indoor and outdoor lights around these boards. Each board should be able to accommodate two stands of lights. Once you have finished winding the strands simply stack them in a rubber tub for next year. Label the tub “indoor” or “exterior” lights for easy retrieval.

Speaking of rubber tubs, they are the most useful storage tools for everything. Purchase a stack of these tubs and a box of self-adhesive labels. If you really want to be organized, purchase the tubs in colour-coded shades for easy identification such as green for Christmas, blue for summer, etc.

 

Ornaments

If you can remember, save all the bubble wrap and foam chips from parcels you received during the year. These make fantastic wraps and stuffing to protect your ornaments. Tissue paper and Ziploc bags are also great for wrapping and storing. Use the Ziploc bags for the non-breakable baubles and wood ornaments while the tissue paper should be used for the glass and crystal varieties. Rubbermaid tubs and small rubber containers are great for fragile items in addition to your leftover cardboard boxes from Christmas morning. The more you can place in the rubber tub, the less mess and more organized you will be.

 

Wall Decorations and Wreaths

These items are always the trickiest. I find that the dry-cleaning bags are the best for wrapping these items and store them in any extra garment bags you may have around the house. These fragile items should be placed on top of the tubs in the storage area. Some varieties of wreaths that are made from real materials such as birch trees, and salal leaves do better with a little air so it’s best not to seal them in a tub for the year.

As for items such as the bohemian crystal moose ear egg- nog mug and your faded rooftop Santa…well…I’m afraid I can’t help you there.

And even though fruitcakes appear to be storable for one year…they’re not.