It has come to that time of year when you may have started to think about taking down your holiday decorations.
Many people consider the 5th or 6th of January the traditional day to take down Christmas decorations.
While it is all personal preference when you take down your decorations, the important thing is that when you do put them away, they are in the same great condition when you go to put them up next year.
Purge the pieces you don’t need
Whether it is something that was damaged this season or something that no longer fits your style, it is time to get rid of it. While you are putting things away, consider if it is in high enough quality to put up again next year.
Decluttering is great but It Is okay to hold on to things with sentimental value if you have the space. Don’t feel pressured to get rid of things right away if you think you may want it in the future and you have enough storage to keep it.
A few questions to ask yourself when deciding whether to keep something or get rid of it (consider donating pieces that are still high quality but no longer your style)
- Is it broken?
- Do you have too much for your space?
- Does it fit your style?
Organize everything
When putting things away it is best to categorize them and keep similar decorations together. Keeping all of the lights in one box and all the ornaments in one box is a simple way to keep things sorted and easy to find when you bring them out the following year.
If you like to keep your decoration layout the same year to year you can try organizing your decoration boxes by room. This way you will have everything simply laid out for you when you go to put it back up next year.
Keep lights and garlands tangle free
One of the most annoying things to do is untangling lights and garlands. This can lead to electrical issues or changes in their appearance.
To minimize any tangles and simplify putting them up next year, you can wrap them around squares of cardboard. You can add a bit of masking tape to label how long the strand is or where you like to use that piece for the following year.
Use Air-tight containers for soft goods
By putting all of your seasonal blankets, pillows and tablecloths into airtight containers it will help them to stay fresh for years to come.
Storing them in the basement or attic can lead to them getting musty or moldy and using an air-tight container can help to prevent this. Keeping your soft goods in good condition for many more years to come.
Label your Containers
When you put things away you may not be worried about how you will find them next year, but I can guarantee you will thank yourself later if you label your boxes!
Dragging everything in and out to look for a specific decoration can be an easily avoided hassle. You can use an index card taped to your storage boxes or a piece of masking tape to create labels for your boxes.
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