I am a little slow at getting this article done. As you well know life can get in the way. With family visiting, baking and making gifts etc. It has not slowed down. But, I could not go on with more articles until I got this one done. You see for me, taking down the decorations is a slow process. It is like a slow walk down memory lane. I dust off each item and remember where and when each decoration was bought or made. It takes me longer to pack them away than it did to put them up. And as each year goes by I cherish so much more even the smallest of traditions that I still do. I know the day is coming when I will not have the energy to decorate any longer. It will become to much work and wear me out just thinking of decorating. It is already crossing my mind about downsizing with the decorations, the cooking and baking. I love the holidays very much and to stop doing any of it, is very hard.
I have been changing the boxes I put decorations in, to plastic bins. I feel that this way I can keep them dry and mold free, not to mention keep mice out. I feel if you plan how you take down and store your decorations, next year will go smoothly putting things up.
I am using plastic bins that are as square, not angled. They fit better in the shelves. The lids have handles that fold into the lid. This make it so the bins can actually be stacked if need be and you will not pop off the handles. A big problem with the last bins that I bought. For Christmas I use only red lids. I still have a few more bins to go before they are all red. For each holiday I use a different color. This makes it easy when looking for decorations for any season.
I created an inventory list for each of the boxes that is taped to the inside of each of the bins lids. I do this to help me keep track of what is inside of each boxes. I have three floors that I currently decorate. To make it easier to take down the decorations I pack up one floor at a time and label which floor that the decorations are in.
I wrap all the decorations with tissue paper and pack them in the bins like I am going to move across country. My thinking on this is, if we had to move to a new home someday, I won’t have to re-pack the holiday decorations. They are packed and ready for a move.
I also group the boxes on the self by holiday. This way as each holiday
comes I work my way down the shelf. I know exactly where each holiday bin is
and which floor each box goes to. I know this seems like a lot of work but,
when the holidays arrive it goes so fast in setting up. It really feels like
from September to February is crazy with decorations, gifts, baking, eating
tons of food and candy to the point of exhaustion. I hope you find something of
use in this article and wish you success and happiness in all that you do.
Roxanne