Now that the holidays are over, the first task on your to-do list is storing your winter home decor. As experts on personal storage and living room organization, we’ve put together a few tips that will make the packing process easier and save you headaches along the way. Best of all, you’ll keep your decorations in prime condition for next year — no broken baubles, menorahs or Mishumaa Sabas in sight.
Hang — and Bag — Your Wreaths
To avoid accidentally crushing your wreaths, it’s best not to store them in a bin or box. Instead, hang them up in your closet on a hanger. We recommend you cover it in a trash bag or dry cleaning bag to keep the elements — and insects — at bay.
Keep Candles Away From Heat
Your extra Hanukkah and Kwanzaa candles can last for years if you store them properly. This year, take a leaf out of Martha Stewart’s book and store your tapered candles in toilet paper or paper towel rolls stuffed with tissue. Remember: warm temperatures can melt the wax of your candles, so it’s best to keep them in a climate-controlled space.
Know How to Store Your Wine
Got more bottles of wine than you know what to do with? Many wines (particularly whites) improve with age, but only if they’re stored under the right conditions. Check out our article for the best tips on the right temperature, humidity, light level and storage position to let the flavors of your wine deepen and come to life.
Protect Your Seasonal Linens
Wash or dry clean your winter linens before stowing them away. Like clothing stains, oil and food stains on your tablecloths get harder to clean the longer they sit, and even attract moths and beetles. After inspecting your linens, fold them neatly and keep in plastic bins or vacuum-sealed bags to keep them free of dust.
Wrap (and Separate) Your Ornaments
Few things are more frustrating than opening up a box of tangled or shattered ornaments. With a little DIY magic, you can find creative ways to store even the most fragile items without buying special bags. For Christmas tree ornaments, craft individual caddies by gluing plastic party cups to pieces of cardboard that are trimmed to fit into a storage bin. (These cardboard layers are completely stackable, too.) Protect delicate items like menorahs or kinaras with bubble wrap, and store in shoeboxes or other small containers.
Shrink-Wrap Your Artificial Tree
Sure, you can take apart your artificial tree and put it back in the box, but that’s a lot of work you can easily skip. With a roll of cheap cling wrap, you can bundle up your tree to save on space and make it dust-proof. When the next holiday season hits, all you’ll need to do is cut through the plastic and fluff up the branches. For foolproof step-by-step instructions, head to Epbot.
Organize Your Wrapping Supplies
Propping your wrapping paper tubes against the wall is yesteryear’s rookie mistake. Instead, stick them in a laundry hamper, folding chair bag or garment bag. You can keep your other wrapping accessories — such as ribbons, tape, tissue paper, gift bags, tags and more — out of the way by storing them in small boxes that fit on the shelves of a hanging wardrobe organizer.
Keep Your Winter Decor in a Storage Unit
Your holiday and winter home decor can take up valuable space, even if you have a way of organizing it. When you live in a small space, such as an apartment or tiny house, your home will feel cluttered even faster. Here at SmartStop, we offer a range of climate-controlled and secure storage units that are ideal for keeping your seasonal wares safe until you need them. Learn more about our amenities and storage tips on our blog!
