Do You “Store Your Decor”?
Many of us have bins and containers to keep our favorite holiday decorations ready to be displayed. From October to January there seems to be plenty of religious celebrations such as Yom Kippur and Christmas to minor festivities like apple picking and Halloween. My first thought in organizing the “stuff” that goes with these special times is to keep only what you love, use and need. My second thought is “where will it live?” the rest of the year when you don’t need it? Then you can follow these tips relative to the physical storage:
Use Clear, Labelled or Special Color Bins: Store decorations in clear plastic bins so you can easily see what’s inside. Label each bin with its category and date, so you know easily what’s in the container and when you went through it last. Use colored bins if that helps you find the seasonal items you are searching for such as orange for Halloween/Thanksgiving, red for Christmas etc.- Keep Fragile Items Safe: Wrap delicate decorations like glass ornaments or intricate figurines in bubble wrap or tissue paper. Place them in separate boxes or bins to prevent breakage. If you have lots of fragile items, stop by a moving company and purchase a bundle of what they call “newsprint”. This is the cream-colored paper that all movers use when packing breakables.
- Organize by Theme or Type: Group similar items together such as all your summer decorations in one bin and winter items in another. This makes it easier to find what you need when setting up. I personally wouldn’t put my outdoor butterfly pillows that I use for my patio chairs with my solar snowman that I place next to my wrought iron bench with fairy lights. I would store these separately because one of my organizing principles is to keep (and contain) “Like With Like”.
- Avoid Attics and Basements: Sometimes we can’t avoid using these spaces because we truly do need this extra storage space but be aware that extreme temperatures and humidity can damage decorations. Store them when you can in a cool, dry place, like a closet area, to prolong their lifespan. Also, choose your containers carefully if the space is not climate-controlled.
- Check for Pests: Before storing decorations, make sure they are clean and free of any pests or mold. This helps prevent attracting insects or causing damage to other items in storage. I won’t scare you with the findings I’ve seen when going through my clients storage containers!
Side Note: A client of mine is putting in Magic Stairs to her attic because she needs this extra space in her downsized townhouse. This is brillant for those folks with the hard to access ceiling opening.
Hopefully, some of these tips will help keep your decorations in great shape for years to come! Should you desire help to get your storage into shipshape, do not hesitate to call me…201-406-9643.
Many of us have bins and containers to keep our favorite holiday decorations ready to be displayed. From October to January there seems to be plenty of religious celebrations such as Yom Kippur and Christmas to minor festivities like apple picking and Halloween. My first thought in organizing the “stuff” that goes with these special times is to keep only what you love, use and need. My second thought is “where will it live?” the rest of the year when you don’t need it? Then you can follow these tips relative to the physical storage:
- Use Clear, Labelled or Special Color Bins: Store decorations in clear plastic bins so you can easily see what’s inside. Label each bin with its category and date, so you know easily what’s in the container and when you went through it last. Use colored bins if that helps you find the seasonal items you are searching for such as orange for Halloween/Thanksgiving, red for Christmas etc.
- Keep Fragile Items Safe: Wrap delicate decorations like glass ornaments or intricate figurines in bubble wrap or tissue paper. Place them in separate boxes or bins to prevent breakage. If you have lots of fragile items, stop by a moving company and purchase a bundle of what they call “newsprint”. This is the cream-colored paper that all movers use when packing breakables.
- Organize by Theme or Type: Group similar items together such as all your summer decorations in one bin and winter items in another. This makes it easier to find what you need when setting up. I personally wouldn’t put my outdoor butterfly pillows that I use for my patio chairs with my solar snowman that I place next to my wrought iron bench with fairy lights. I would store these separately because one of my organizing principles is to keep (and contain) “Like With Like”.
- Avoid Attics and Basements: Sometimes we can’t avoid using these spaces because we truly do need this extra storage space but be aware that extreme temperatures and humidity can damage decorations. Store them when you can in a cool, dry place, like a closet area, to prolong their lifespan. Also, choose your containers carefully if the space is not climate-controlled.
- Check for Pests: Before storing decorations, make sure they are clean and free of any pests or mold. This helps prevent attracting insects or causing damage to other items in storage. I won’t scare you with the findings I’ve seen when going through my clients storage containers!
Side Note: A client of mine is putting in Magic Stairs to her attic because she needs this extra space in her downsized townhouse. This is brillant for those folks with the hard to access ceiling opening.
Hopefully, some of these tips will help keep your decorations in great shape for years to come! Should you desire help to get your storage into shipshape, do not hesitate to call me…201-406-9643.
