How to store your Christmas decorations safely and securely.

You’re sick of turkey, the kids are already claiming they’re bored and the new year is looming. At some point, you’ll also start thinking about taking the decorations down. Whether you leave it until the traditional 6th January or you have them all down as soon as the Next sale opens on Boxing Day, below are some hints and tips on how to take down and store your decorations so you’re not untangling lights, finding broken baubles at the bottom of the box or standing in the freezing cold loft next December, wondering where you put the wreath.

Storage 

If your pre-loved crisp boxes circa 2002 (which have been 75% sellotape for the past 10 years) have finally given up the ghost this year, now is the time to invest in a sturdy option that will not only keep your decorations safe and secure but will also last a lot longer. Single-use plastic is a big no-no in my eyes but plastic is strong, sturdy and long-lasting so sometimes has a place when choosing storage.  Another bonus with plastic storage boxes is that they are usually transparent, so you can quickly see what is in the box. You can also now get specific storage boxes which house each of your special baubles in its own little compartment from The Really Useful Box company. 

You can, of course, still use cardboard boxes, but I’d recommend heading to your nearest storage facility or IKEA and buying some strong, sturdy boxes that will hopefully last a long while. The standard shoebox is still on my list as the best storage item though so don’t throw these away just yet either as they're great for keeping small baubles together.  I’d also suggest keeping any bubble wrap or tissue paper that you get in amazon deliveries or presents, as these are a brilliant way of protecting your delicate baubles without having to buy anything.

If you have an artificial tree then getting it back in the box can sometimes be one of the trickiest challenges of the whole process. If you’re fed up of wrestling with the ‘magic shrinking box’ for another year then a waterproof, canvas bag with handles is a great long term purchase. Some of the bags mean you don’t even have to dismantle the tree which ticks a box off your 2021 list straight away! Smaller versions of these bags are also fantastic for storing odd-shaped items like outdoor decorations, wreaths or garlands.

Taking the decorations down

The best way to take your decorations down is the opposite to the way you usually put them up. This will stop your special ornament being at the bottom of a box when it’s traditionally the first on the tree.  Also, store items in categories that work for you: Tree Ornaments with Tree Fairy Lights and Tinsel, Garlands with Garland Ornaments, Decorations for Windows etc or, if you decorate by room you could have Kitchen, Living Room and Hallway boxes. 

Before packing up, make sure all breakable items are well wrapped and packed with bubble wrap or tissue paper or put back into the box they came in if it is secure enough. Pad any gaps in boxes so they can't move around whilst in transit to the garage or loft. 

As you pack items away don’t forget to label them. A good old sharpie does the trick or a label maker but make sure you label the top and one or two sides so you can spot them from any angle! If you are packing boxes within boxes, don’t forget to label those too so you can see what you have at a glance rather than having to pull everything out first.

Lights, tinsel and beaded garlands are a pain for becoming a tangled nightmare which no one wants to deal with after mulled wine.  I’m sure there are products out there that claim to stop this from happening but I have used either a cardboard square with notches in either side or a kitchen roll tube to wind them around and since then have never had a problem with tangled messes.

Last but not least whilst packing, is don’t forget to pack all the hooks, suction cups, wreath hangers and tree hangers away too!  There is nothing worse than coming down from the loft and spotting the wreath hanger still on the back of the door *facepalm.

Stock Take

Before packing items away do a stock take and see if any decorations didn’t make it up this year.

Is it because there wasn’t any space? If so do you need another garland, a bigger tree or something else to accommodate them? All Christmas items in the shops will be massively reduced now so this is the perfect time to keep your eyes open for a good solution.

Is it because they didn’t fit with your theme? If you enjoy different themes each year then maybe categorise your boxes by theme so you can see what items stick out like sore thumbs and gift or sell those that won’t be making a return next year.

Is it because you bought Frozen themed tinsel and ornaments last year and now your daughter is way too cool for that? There’s no point fighting this one. Either gift to a family with younger children or bag separately ready for you to sell/gift at the start of the holiday season next year.

Is it because you’ve moved house and items no longer work in your new space? In this instance, you may have to admit defeat with some items (that 10ft Christmas tree won’t fit in your low ceiling cottage sadly) but with garlands, wreaths, baubles etc it could just be about thinking outside the box. Rather than the garland going down the stairs - could it swag across a window, doorway or mantlepiece? Could you swap a few pictures for wreaths over the Christmas period or, could you hang some ornaments from the curtain poles or newel post rather than on that 10ft tree you’re having to say goodbye to?

Any broken or battered-looking items can be recycled or binned. Or, if you are sentimentally attached to an ornament that has seen better days then either look at the option of restoring it or wrap it carefully and add it to a memory box so you can see it all year round if you wish.

Be your future friend

As you’re staring at the huge pile of bags and boxes waiting to migrate to the garage for the next year, grab your phone and write a quick list in your notes section of how many boxes and bags you have. If you’re feeling even more clever, take a picture and attach it to the notes so you’ll know for a fact, when your husband says he has definitely brought everything out of the garage, you can prove him wrong!

My very last tip would be to make sure you have enough time to take all your decorations down in one go.  Having half-full boxes and bags hanging around for weeks will drive you mad and will inevitably mean you’ll lose or miss something until February when you find a bauble your cat has footballed under the sofa.  Try and make sure you have availability to get the boxes and bags to their storage place asap too so you can get on with planning a brilliant new year!

When do you take down your decorations and do you have any tips or hacks you can share? Leave your comments below, on my Facebook page or on my Instagram feed.

 *I am an Amazon Associate, so using any links in this blog may generate a small amount of revenue for me. If you would rather not use this link then please go to your amazon page and order directly that way. 

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