Let’s be honest: once the holiday season has come and gone, the last thing anyone is looking forward to doing is taking down and putting away the holiday decorations. Whether you can’t wait to get your tidy house back or you’ll mourn every single week you spend without twinkle lights, actually getting down to it and packing everything away is a big job. Now is the time to organize as you put everything away. It’s the perfect opportunity to give your future self the gift of carefree decorating next year.
Start by paying attention to all the pieces that make up your holiday decor. You may have big things to store, like an artificial tree, delicate heirlooms like great-grandma’s holiday dishes, and many small items that need to be corralled and kept safe. Don’t forget to include the holiday decorations on your doorstep or in your yard. It might be too cold in some parts of the country to take lights out of the trees right now, but you will need to store everything eventually, so don’t forget to think ahead.
Now is the time to take an honest look at all the decorations you used this year—and all those you didn’t. Don’t store a bunch of things you don’t enjoy and don’t intend to display or use during the next holiday season! Set aside decor that has run its course in your life. If it’s in good condition, make a trip to drop off donations at a nearby thrift shop you support. If you’ve glued and re-glued a broken item year after year, so it’s now more glue than decoration, maybe now is the time to dispose of it.
Once everything is taken apart and wrapped in bubble wrap or tissue paper, you need to find a place to put everything. Perhaps this year you’ve acquired some new decorations, or maybe last year’s storage solution was already inadequate. If getting your ornaments, lights, dishes, and decorations out of storage this year was frustrating, vow not to put it all in the same bins and push it all to the back of the same closet. Remember, it’s you who will have to deal with it again when the holiday season rolls around.
Making your space work for you could be easier than you think. Rather than stacking heavy plastic totes one on top of another, consider installing shelves in the storage space you already have. Wire shelving is relatively easy to install and can hold up to 75 pounds per foot when properly installed. The difference between a stack of bins three high and three rows of shelves holding individual totes is that you can get to each one without moving every one to get to the bottom.
If you think you might need some help, consult an organizing professional. Professionals can make space appear seemingly by magic because they know how to use every inch. That empty space in the corner could be holding a corner-shaped item you just couldn’t envision fitting there.
As you’re taking stock of the space you can dedicate to holiday decoration storage, in the house and the garage, remember that different types of decorations will fare best with varying types of storage solutions. Outdoor decorations are obviously tough enough store outside (and maybe big enough that you don’t want to bring them into the basement). Utilize the vertical space in your garage to hang reels of lights overhead, if possible. Holiday decor is an ideal category for out-of-sight storage because you know you won’t need to use it again for nearly a year.
Your indoor decorations likely require a more delicate hand. Make sure the handmade gift from your kindergartener receives as much care as blown-glass ornaments. Consider the types of things you need to store. Think of your storage space like the closet in your bedroom or the pantry in your kitchen.
If you have the right amount and variety of storage solutions, then holiday decoration storage will be a snap. Invest in clear plastic bins or totes. These will make the difference between looking through all the containers to find one thing, which is always in the last bin, and starting with the right bin.
If you’re storing heirloom linens or turkey serving platters that people expect to inherit from you, do some research or consult an expert to make sure you’ve laundered and cleaned them properly. Wire shelves can also be an excellent solution for items that shouldn’t be stored in plastic bins, such as linens. Open shelving allows air to circulate. Design the arrangement of shelves that works perfectly for you.
It can be tempting to toss everything into the back of the storage room. You won’t have to deal with it for months and months! It doesn’t have to be that way, and Harkraft can help you create holiday decoration storage that will be the holiday gift you give yourself. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help organize your holiday decorations or any storage spaces in your home or garage.
