Tips for Organizing your Christmas Decorations
With the Christmas season in full force, now is the time to organize your Christmas decorations. You know what you have, what you use, and what you don’t use. You will have it all out in front of you or at least out on the walls and doors. This is the perfect time to reorganize everything so it fits better, it’s labeled, and in one place.
This article will show you ways that will make Christmas next year so much easier when it comes to your decorations.
• Old and unused decorations
First thing you need to do is decide what you are going to do with the decorations you didn’t put up. Is there a reason why you didn’t use them? Could it be because you use a theme each year and they didn’t fit into the theme? Is it because they are old, brittle, or broken? Decide if you need and/or want to keep them. If you don’t either throw them out or give them to someone else.
• Decide on the number of containers
Once you have done that, you need to look at what you have left and decide how many containers you will need to store them in. You will need to get plastic boxes with lids. You will put your items in these boxes and get rid of all the cardboard boxes that you have.
You will need at least one container for your ornaments, one container for your lights, one container for your garland, one container for your figurines and other decorations, and one or two containers for your tree. The container for your tree may need to be bigger than the others or you may need to get more than one. Depending on how much you have, you may be able to put your garland in with your lights and save yourself a box.
Purchase your containers as soon as you can. That way you will have them when you take your tree down. When you are ready to put your items in your containers, you need to make sure they are organized so you won’t have to stress next year when you are ready to take them out and put them up again.
• Ornaments
When you put your ornaments in your container, you will want to be careful if you don’t have the boxes they came in when you purchased them. One way to protect them is to use the skirt from under your tree to put them on top of. You can put that down, then put a layer of ornaments in, then put your stockings in there and put another layer of ornaments in. You can also include pot holders, hand towels, and any other material items you may have to help protect your ornaments from being damaged. Another option is to get newspaper or packing material and use that instead.
• Garland
When you put your garland in your container, you want to figure out a way to keep them from getting knotted up. One way to do this is to cut a piece of cardboard about two feet in length by twelve inches in width to wrap your garland around. Do this for each strand that you have so they don’t get mixed in with each other.
• Lights
Put your lights around the two foot cardboard as well. It will be a little tricky to do this so you may need to go with a longer and wider piece of cardboard. Now depending on how many strands you have and how big your box is, you may be able to combine your garland and lights in the same box.
• Miscellaneous items
Now you are ready to take your figurines and other decorations down and put them in a container. This would be items that go on counter tops, entertainment stands, on the walls and floor, etc.
• Tree
Once you are ready to take your tree down, you will want to put each set of branches in the container to cover one level of the box. Keep stacking them in the box. I suggest you start with the top of the tree and work your way down. That way when you go to put it up next year, you can start at the bottom and work your way up.
Now you need a sharpie. Write on the lid and the side of the container that will be facing out what you have in the container. When you do this, it will be easier for you to find them next year. Now they are ready to be put away.
Christmas time is a fun and exciting time. Decorating your house is a great time with the family. Make it even better when your decorations are organized in plastic containers. Good luck and Merry Christmas!
