At Home: Organize ornaments upon repacking saves time next year

Posted: January 3, 2014 - 6:33pm

One of life’s dreaded chores is putting away the holiday decorations. The process seems like such a let down after all the previous weeks of celebrating. However, professional organizer Rebecca Miller of Space for Life suggested, “Take some time when putting away decorations this year to make it easy for next year.”


A good way to start is by following the three rules for organizing your holiday décor recommended by professional organizer Rhonda Cathey of Love Your Space:

1. Categorize as you pack by putting like items together, or by area, such as all the decorations that go on the mantel are packed together, as are outside decorations or and Christmas villages.

2. Containerize your decorations. “Plastic storage containers do work best to protect your collection and they will stack better,” Cathey said, “There are several commercial storage container systems but you don’t have to go to a great deal of expense.”

3. Label each box.


Miller also suggested other helpful tips:

■ For decorations that come out first, such as an advent wreath or holiday countdown calendar, make an “open first” box.

■ “Save zippered garment bags or bedding bags that you collect throughout the year to hold larger decorations like wreaths or lawn decorations,” Miller said. “Hang in a closet or from a nail in a rafter in the basement, attic or storage area.”

■ Keep those little silica packets that often come inside new shoes or purses to place in storage containers. They will help protect against moisture.

■ For easy light storage, wrap each strand around a piece of cardboard or large can. Tape the replacement lights that come with each strand to the holder and label the lights to show where they go, such as the tree, house eaves, mantel, etc.

■ Wrap fragile items in tissue paper and store in food storage bags. The air in the bag can act as an extra cushion to prevent breakage. Or return the ornaments to their original packaging before storing.

■ “Food-based ornaments should be sealed if possible then stored in food-storage bags and in a metal container,” Miller said.

■ Label the boxes either with a label maker, permanent marker, or an envelope or index card taped securely to the box. Miller suggested, “Label the outside of the envelope, such as ‘Christmas Ornaments for Family Room’ and then tuck a piece of paper inside with short list of what’s inside, like ‘hand-made ornaments, lights, garlands, star’.”

“Create a storage zone in your home for all the holiday décor to be stored together,” Cathey said. “Give yourself permission to downsize your decoration collection. If the number of holiday decoration tubs is becoming too much, set limits for yourself. Determine how many boxes of decorations you truly have space for and sort and purge until you have your most favorite holiday memories packed into a manageable number of containers.”

Cathey also suggested a way to make taking down decorations a bit more cheerful. She said, “Make it a fun family event. Pop popcorn, make cocoa, put on cheery music or watch a favorite movie while taking down the decorations. I personally have a tradition of taking down the tree while watching the New Year’s Day parade.”

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