How to Store Christmas Decorations

Christmas decorations can range from the brand new to the old, slightly yellowed hand carved or paper ornaments the children made in grade school. All of these Christmas decorations are important to the owner and should be handled with the care deserved.

• Storing Christmas decorations that are not easily broken an old shoebox or those old boxes that have been saved from moving are the perfect places. Any boxes that have ripped seams can be mended with tape. Wrap the ornaments or decorations carefully. Bubble wrap or tissue paper will be needed to wrap these decorations. Each item should be placed in order of size and stability in the box. The box should be closed with tape or the lid and can be stored in the attic or closet.


• Using cardboard boxes and old shoeboxes might not be ideal for some people. Purchasing or using Rubbermaid or other plastic totes will help in this endeavor. The same steps as when using cardboard apply. Wrapping the decorations and ornaments in bubble wrap or tissue paper is best. Stacking the decorations from largest to smallest, from sturdy to easily breakable will keep anything from being broken or lost in transit.


• Using old shoe box tops to wrap loose garland is a great way to store the stuff. Garland can be a bit messy; try to wrap the string so it can be easily removed next Christmas. Having garland that is wrapped tightly or in a zigzag pattern may cause more trouble than it is worth.  Strings of lights can be wrapped so it will not tangle. The trick is to use zip ties or bread ties to keep the strand from wrapping around itself while it is being stored.


• Using store bought plastic application to store lights and garland is easy. These handy and quite useful items can be found around Christmastime and come in a variety of sizes.


• Storing breakable ornaments can be a pain. There are several catalogs that sell specifically made boxes to hold expensive or breakable ornaments. It is best when these specifically made boxes are unavailable to place these ornaments back in the original boxes. This way the ornaments are safe from breakage and there is a compartment for each ornament.


• Melting a candle is not a good idea. These should never go in an attic; it's way too hot. Candles that are expensive or worth saving should be wrapped in tissue paper and place them in a box whether it is cardboard or plastic it should be stored in a cool dry place.