If you have the space, your garage may be the ideal place to store holiday decorations in the off-season. It will not only keep them more out of the way, but a garage is generally less dusty than a house. Here are a few tips on organizing and storing items in your garage.
If you’re storing an artificial tree, the box it came in is ideal, since it is not only the appropriate size, it’s already labeled for you. You probably won’t need any of the protective packaging it came with (if any), but you can re-use the plastic bags for individual parts. Just fold or tape the top down, and it’s good to rest until next year.
When storing ornaments, it’s a no-brainer to use extra delicate care in packaging and storing. Wrap individual ornaments in bubble wrap or surround them all with packing peanuts. Place hardier ornaments on the bottom, and the most delicate on top. Make sure to label the box correctly so that you and everyone else will know to take care when handling it.
Christmas lights can also be stored in the box they came in, and be sure to store them high enough so they won’t be stepped on and crushed. To keep them from becoming tangled, wind them between your elbow and the palm of your hand, making sure not to wind them so tight you can’t remove them from your arm.
A handy method to store your decorations is to form a stack, with the Christmas tree at the bottom, then the boxes of ornaments, and then the boxes of lights on top.
