6 Easy Holiday Storage Solutions

With retailers selling a wide range of décor for almost every holiday imaginable, people spend a great deal of time and money transforming their homes with festive displays inside and out all year long. It makes perfect sense that all these holiday decorations be put away in an organized fashion to be used again year after year. We’ve compiled a list of six easy holiday storage solutions that will help you keep all of your holiday items organized and looking like new.

This may sound like a no-brainer, but it’s surprising how many people try to “make do” with containers they already have or place items inside containers that are either too large or too small. It might be somewhat of an investment initially getting the right bins and containers for the things you want to store, but once you have them, you’ll be glad you do. Try to choose bins that stack easily and fill up your available storage space as much as possible. This way, you don’t waste your valuable space. To make organizing and identifying contents easier, opt for clear containers that allow you to see what’s inside without removing the cover.

It’s not enough just to categorize your bins in general terms. You should categorize them as detailed as possible to make it easy to find what you’re looking for. Instead of having generic categories like “Christmas decorations” or “Halloween decorations,” break them down even further (using appropriately sized containers, of course) into smaller categories such as “Christmas lights,” “Christmas garland,” “Halloween lights,” and “Halloween candles.”

No one says you have to spend a lot of money on storage bins and containers to store your holiday items. In fact, there are many great storage-related items lying around your house. For instance, Ziploc baggies come in extremely handy when storing things. They not only protect their contents from moisture and dirt, they also keep those small items separated and organized. You can also use things like cardboard and elastic hair ties to wrap and secure light strands and other tangly décor.

For the majority of holiday décor, generic storage bins of various sizes will do. Buy the least expensive ones that serve your purpose well. For any breakable items or those that hold sentimental value for one reason or another, opt for more expensive containers with individual compartments and/or padding to organize and protect these items better.

This may be Organizing 101, but it bears repeating. Always label any and all storage boxes, bins, and containers with exactly what’s inside. Vague labels only lead to the opening and rummaging inside bins only to realize what you’re looking for isn’t in there. The clear bins should help, but it can still be difficult seeing everything inside. Label, label, label.

If you’re like a lot of people, you have a wealth of collectible holiday items you love to place around your home. To keep them in tip-top shape, the easiest and best way to store them is in their original packing. Once back inside their Styrofoam and/or bubble wrap containers, you can then place them in an accurately-labeled storage bin.