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Christmas is still the busiest time of the year for different reasons. Does your garage or spare room look like a Christmas workshop? The timing couldn't be better to start organizing your holiday decorations. If you do your part and follow the storage, packing, and organizing guidelines without taking shortcuts, self-storage solutions will diminish decorating frustrations and keep the ornaments in good condition. Here some storage tips to make the holiday more festive for you.

Organizing Christmas Cheer

If you're wondering how you accumulated so much, you're not alone. Most of our storage comes for growing families or acquiring new stuff without discarding the old. Organizing your holiday decorations will make good use of every square inch of storage space. It isn't as difficult as it sounds. The hardest part is getting started. First, you need to sort everything -- lights -- ornaments -- displays -- gift wrappings. Sorting out everything has three purposes. One you get a chance to inspect and discard old outdated or broken decorations. Two it helps to figure out the number and type of containers you need. Three it identifies what packing materials you'll need to put it all away until next year.

Choose your cardboard, special box or plastic container by shape, width, and height. The deciding factors depend on the size of the storage unit and how you plan on arranging the space. One idea is to utilize shelving for easy access to frequently used and seasonal items. Shelves also free up the floor space so you can move around in the unit.

Using the Right Box for Storing Christmas Decorations

Whether the Christmas ornaments are family heirlooms, unique gifts that were passed down or your first Christmas away from home, they need to be packed with precision. Keeping your decorations looking great and in one piece happens only when they are stored correctly.

You can purchase ornament holding boxes with dividers to separate ornaments or wrap them individually with packing material to hold them in place. Bubble wrap, tissue paper, shredded paper, or foam are protective stuffing materials. Just be sure that the final storage container is sturdy enough to avoid being crushed and potentially damaging the ornaments.

Here some suggestions for organized packing:

• Cardboard Boxes -- Linens, tree skirts, bead trims, wrapping paper, inflatable yard displays
• Plastic Bins -- Candles, fragile decorations, tabletop, and centerpieces, lights
• Dust Covers, Bags, and Custom Boxes -- Holiday wreaths, garland, baskets, Christmas figures
• Shrink Wrap or Tree Bags -- Artificial trees

Store Christmas Lights Tangle Free

Nothing can ruin holiday cheer faster than stopping to untangle Christmas tree lights. This is one thing you should not rush to put away after the holidays are over. If you still have the box the lights came in you can wrap the lights on the outside of the box instead of shoving them inside. As a bonus, you can use the inside of the box to store delicate ornaments.

If you do not have a box, you can use a wire hanger. Bend the wire hanger so it looks like a square then wrap your lights around it. As a bonus you can use the hook to hang it in your closet.

You can also buy a cord reel that's typically used for storing extension cords. These are perfect for storing multiple strands of lights without getting them tangled.

Storage Safety for Next Year's Festivities

Collecting Christmas decorations throughout the years is a tradition. Luckily, today, self-storage climate control offers a solution for protecting holiday items sensitive to inconsistent humidity and temperatures. The feature maintains a consistent temperature year-round. Add the right combination of packaging and storage containers, and you'll enjoy your ornaments year-after-year.

Ornaments really should not be stored in attics, basements, or garages. Here's why. All of these locations experience changes in humidity and temperatures triggering oxidation on metal, silver and some glass ornaments causing discoloring, fading or breakage. If you've got an artificial Christmas tree, you may still have the original box or the storage bag. If not, disassemble and shrink wrap the tree for storing. Clean out the storage containers to get rid of any dust or insects that may have taken up residence. If you are using the original bag that's been cleaned, climate control will prevent a musty odor making Christmas more enjoyable. Pick a cool, dry spot on the shelf or stand the tree against the wall clear from any foot traffic in the unit.

Cleaning Out Storage for Another Holiday Year

We've given you a few tips to keep the holiday preparations fun, festive and safe for you and your family. Remember, nothing last forever. Use Christmas as a time to clean out the old and welcome the new. Cardboard and original ornament boxes are usually good for a couple of years. If you notice mildew, rips, and tears, it's time to discard and replace the boxes before putting them back into storage for safekeeping. Get rid of holiday decorations you don't use or things that no longer work like crushed ribbons and bows, broken or worn light strands, and old gift bags. If you have ornaments that are still in good condition, consider donating or giving them to a friend.

Keep the light strands untangled because twisting can cause wire and lighting malfunctions. You can use flat cardboard pieces, wire spools, or cylinder rods to wrap the lights neatly. After wrapping the lights, place them in a plastic bag, and store them in an airtight container. Each year as part of the preparations, test the lights and replace any burnt-out bulbs before hanging the strands. Safety precaution -- never hang light strands with missing or broken bulbs.

Most of us make promises each year to be more organized and prepared for Christmas. Are you ready to pick your climate control self-storage unit? Do you have any unanswered questions? Call our office.

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Storage Rentals of America is your convenient self-storage solution. So come into our office or give our storage experts a call at 1-800-457-5678. Our call center is available 7 days a week and can help determine which storage unit size best fits your storage needs.