When you are on the verge of “hoarder” status in regards to Christmas decorations, organization is powerful. Each year putting up my Christmas decor is a small part time job and putting it away is no different. But, when your decor is organized it can make the process so much easier! Most of my Christmas decor is also vintage, so packing it away safely is also an important concern each year. Here are a few of my tips that I use to keep our Christmas decor organized and safe.
1. Clear Totes
These clear totes by Sterilite are my absolute favorite. I love the red and green ones for the holidays but any color will do. The fact that they are clear enables me the ability to easily see what is inside if I am looking for something special. The 66 quart is my favorite size, but I like to incorporate larger sizes for bigger items. I have way too many of these totes to mention and I often buy them in bulk – this is a great deal.
2. Label, Label, Label!
Being able to see everything works wonder, but a label can be very specific! Labeling allows me know exactly what is in each tote. This is helpful too when I decorate the next year because I can easily place totes in their respective locations. Labeling also helps me keep a good inventory of items. This is the label maker I use and it is great for office use too!
3. Categorize Like Items
Grouping like items can be a great way to keep track of what items you have. I love being able to see what items I have a good amount of because it helps me determine what I need to be hunting for throughout the year! This time of year is also a great time to stock up on clearance items and with a birds eye view of what you have, you can determine what you may use more of for next year.
4. Ornament Boxes
I love original Shiny Brite ornament boxes, but I just never feel like my ornaments are safe in them. I have invested in these hard ornament boxes and I have been very happy with them. They are easy to store because they stack and they are very sturdy. These boxes also make putting ornaments up and away a breeze because of the open style format. I have two different styles, one with plastic dividers and one with ornament indents. I like the one with dividers to store smaller ornaments together and the ornament indents for bigger bulbs. I linked both styles below!
5. Storage Concerns
Where you store your decor is an important consideration. This will determine several key points of how you pack items. For example, I have a large collection of vintage Gurley candles and I would never want them to melt. I take careful consideration when packing these that they can get proper air circulation. I make sure to never store them in warm places. I am lucky that I store most of my holiday decor in a crawl space, where the temperature remains very consistent. If you are storing items in an attic, make sure you store items that are susceptible to heat damage in other locations. If you are storing in a basement, make sure to store items in plastic totes to protect from water damage.
I hope this gave you a few ideas to streamline your Christmas decor storage and to help keep you organized. Until we meet again my Christmas treasures!
