After enjoying the holidays, it's time to pack up the Christmas ornaments for another year. Protect your decorations with these storage tips.After enjoying the holidays, it's time to pack up the Christmas ornaments for another year. Protect your decorations with these storage tips.Seasonal

How to Pack Christmas Ornaments

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After enjoying the holidays, it's time to pack up the Christmas ornaments for another year. Original boxes fall apart, and protective wrappings are nowhere to found. If it's been years since you organized the storage space, now's a good time to toss out the old ornaments and make room for the new.

Make an Inventory of your Christmas Decorations

Before you start packing, do an inventory of the decoration types and box conditions. Remember, Christmas ornaments are delicate and easily broken. Taking the time to select the right packing materials is going to give you years of enjoyment. Label the boxes; it will help to locate a particular decoration.

Storage boxes like everything else have a lifecycle, consider replacing the boxes when they start to show signs of wear and tear. New packing materials can revive the use of half-filled boxes in good condition.

Here some helpful storage hints to keep Christmas ornaments in good condition year after year.

Getting Organized After the Holidays

Sorting the ornaments by type allow you to pick the best wrapping material, box style and size for each group. Most of these ornaments are lightweight, but they are fragile and shaped differently.

  • Hanging glass or ceramics
  • Handmade fabrics
  • Customized wood, stained-glass or beaded
  • Metals, bronze, or gold-plated
  • Painted Styrofoam shapes
  • Tree toppers

The size of the storage unit is going to decide the arrangement of the storage boxes. It's a good idea to use shelving for storing Christmas ornaments rather than stacking boxes on the floor. Shelves tolerate storing lightweight and seasonal items higher with no worries about the boxes tumbling or crashing into each other.

Plus, shelves keep the floor space clear so you can move around the unit. When stacking storage with or without shelving, be sure to keep the heavy boxes on the bottom and lighter ones on top.

Packing Materials with Protection Options

Packing materials have one purpose -- to protect delicate and breakable items. Choose the wrapping material based on which one protects, cushions, and secures the object in place. Don't over pack; the boxes should close without any added pressure. If there's a bulge, there's more potential for damage to the inside contents.

A combination of packing materials can prevent damages since ornaments are made from different materials. Different sized bubble wrap may work for larger ornaments that need a little more cushion and air ventilation. Although paper and bubble wrap will protect most, some ornaments still need a thicker cushion like packing peanuts.

What to Use When Wrapping Christmas Ornaments

The most common choice for wrapping materials includes:

  • Bubble Wrap -- easy to handle, offering complete coverage with cushioning to prevent breakage.
  • Packing Paper -- works best for flat items. It protects the surface from scratches but needs some extra cushion (bubble wrap) around it.
  • Packing Peanuts -- ideal for solid and Christmas shaped items. It protects the ornament and prevents it from moving when placed in the box. You'll need a larger box to fit the decoration and the peanuts. Consider using a biodegradable packing peanut to be environmentally friendly.
  • Foam Wraps -- flat forms wrap or add cushion to the bottom and tops in the box (layering effect). Cup shaped netting is designed to hug circular objects to prevent damage.
  • Shrink Wrap -- works for set items that are stored together and need to stay in place -- no movement allowed.

Technology has found a place in just about every aspect of our lives -- even Christmas ornaments. There's an anti-static bubble wrap to protect the electronic products from the static induced conditions.

Choosing the Right Box Style to Last Season after Season

A box is no longer just a box. Ornament holding boxes are available with dividers to separate the ornaments. You can also make your own dividers by recycling old worn out boxes. Depending on the box size, you could customize the space sizes to fit different sized ornaments. The packing material is going to hold them in place.

Choose From a Variety of Box Sizes, Shapes, and Functions

  • Traditional quares, rectangle, and cubed shaped boxes.
  • Flat Side Sliders -- works for stain glass, Christmas pictures or TV screens.
  • Multi Depth -- tiered box designs offer height options for layering or bulk storage.
  • Wardrobe -- perfect for hanging ornamental wreaths.

If you need additional padding to make sure things don't move, consider placing a layer of bubble wrap on the bottom of the box, set the ornaments in place, and finish by covering the ornaments with another layer of bubble wrap.

Last Thoughts but Just as Important Is Climate Control

Storing Christmas ornaments involves preparation and decisions. Besides choosing the right packing materials, you need to consider the natural elements involving temperature changes. Consistent inside temperatures year-round is an advantage that you won't find in attics or garages.

As it turns out, the box's environment is just as important as the inside preparation. Inconsistent temperature, stagnant air movement, and settling dust can expedite the aging of boxes and the contents. Self-storage facilities have taken additional steps to safely protect family heirlooms and personal favorites year after year with climate control environments.

Over the years, self-storage units have become a convenient solution for storing seasonal items. Using the right packing methods and the best storage layouts is going to assure the Christmas ornaments are ready for next year.


We're Your Storage Solution!

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.

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