When Christmas is over, we always dread the thought of packing away our Christmas decorations. While it may not be the most enjoyable task, it doesn’t mean it should be avoided. If you take the time and properly pack away your decorations, they will last you for years and years, and also save you a ton of money down the road. If you are at a loss as to how to efficiently pack away your Christmas decorations, here are some tips and tricks that will help you get a yearly packing routine down.
- Invest in durable, clear plastic containers. You want to be able to see what you have at a glance so clear containers are the best way to go. Make sure they’re not too deep or large. You don’t want to over pack them and be unable to lift them.
- Sort your decorations. Once you get the boxes, do not throw everything into together. You’ll be spending hours the year after trying to figure out what goes where. Instead divide and categorize your decorations. For example, your outdoor decorations and lights should be together while your tree ornaments and lights should be separate. Once you have figured out and divvied everything up properly, label your containers accordingly.
- Clean your decorations. Fabric pieces such as linens, stocking, or your tree skirts should be laundered before you put them away. You’re probably wondering why you would even want to do this step. Well, if you have any stains or dirt on these items, it’ll be easier to get rid of them now than a year later. Plus, it preserves the quality of the fabric and provides longevity.
- Type out an inventory list of everything you have. Make a spreadsheet of all your decorations according to which container they are stored into. The list should also be taped onto the container so you can quickly glance over it. This allows you to avoid repetitive purchases and helps to keep the organisation.
- Untangle your lights and place them in their own individual bag. The last thing you want to be doing the next year is sitting on the floor with a mess of tangled lights. Take the time now and untangle each one. Once you’re done, place the lights in a sealable bag. Do this for each strand you have that way you dramatically decrease your chances of another tangled mess.
- Don’t throw away packaging for ornaments. For fragile ornaments, it’s best to keep the packaging. This will provide enough protection. If you happened to toss the packaging, don’t stress, just use tissue paper or bubble wrap and carefully wrap each one. Then you must make sure to place these ornaments on the top so they do not get crushed or broken at the bottom of the container.
Yes it can be a little sad knowing the Christmas season is over, but think how easy it will be to unpack and decorate your home the following year after following these tips and tricks! Don’t worry, it’ll be the holiday time before you know it.
