'Still Some Wrapping Left'

Say 'goodbye' to all your holiday decor

Sleeping in, shopping, munching on brownies, boycotting the gym, visiting family, partying one last time at the Tavern… this past holiday I managed to do all of my favorite things.

But the holiday is over, and with it comes the last of holiday wrapping.

All the initial excitement from unpacking ornaments and decorating the tree is gone. Putting the decorations away is not nearly as fun as taking them out.

Yet with a few tips on how to best tackle the storage of your holiday décor, the process will seem less painful.

All Together Now

Ever lose 30 minutes of your life rifling through boxes of wires and adapters and not finding the cable you need? For the perpetual nomads (myself included) that change addresses every few months, this happens all too often.

The solution: Keep your holiday décor all in the same place. Be it Christmas lights, inflatable snowmen, a menorah, or plastic reindeer, it will be easier to find come next year if you store these pieces in one central location.

*Certain items like dishes and heirloom items are better stored in the home where temperature can be controlled, away from the garage or basement.

Put a Label on It

Or else you will be opening a lot of unmarked boxes before getting to the one you need.

Make sure to write on each box a list of its contents. Place an itemized list inside the box for further specification.

Another suggestion – and one that 99 percent of the population do not practice – is to attach tags ($4.49) to cables and cords that explain their purpose. Wouldn’t it be nice to know that the green cord connects to the singing Santa Claus and not the light-up archangel?

The Right Stuff

Everyone loves bubble wrap and Styrofoam peanuts. But if you want to protect and better organize your holiday decorations, you’ll have to do better than that.

Find a quality container that will protect against accidents, pests and the occasional water damage. For ornaments, a container with cubbies (example below) and loaded with tissue paper will best separate and shield your ornaments from bumps and spills.

Until next year…

-S. Gonzalez

*Photo courtesy of countryliving.com; www.rodandjess.com; amazon.com; 2.bp.blogspot.com