Pack Up Christmas For New YearsNew Year's Christmas decorations usually make me a little sad. So this year I have decided to make a new tradition. Throughout the week between Christmas and New Year's, we are taking down some of the decorations we have throughout our home.
Keeping Christmas Wrap Rolls from UnrollingWhen putting my Christmas wrap, ribbon, bags, etc. away I noticed the rolls wouldn't stay rolled up without the aid of tape (which ruins the paper). I'd just removed a pair of knee high nylons, with a run in one of them.
Store Ornament Hangers on Bread TabsLast year, I put my ornament hangers on bread tabs and it worked out great. They were not tangled up, which was a big help.
Packing Christmas Decorations and StorageIf you have an empty closet that you can use to store your Christmas decorations, use the walls and the rod to hold items and stack boxes on the floor in a very organized fashion in order to accommodate all the Christmas decorations. Put them away very carefully and organized with electrical cords and other items.
Apple Containers for Storing Christmas OrnamentsI recently got some fuji apples from a store in this marvelous container. It hit me almost instantly that these could be used for balls of yarn, thread, or ornaments.
Storing Open Wrapping PaperCut open a toilet paper roll and use it as a cuff to save your wrapping paper and keep it from unrolling.
Storing Christmas Tree Decorations in Popcorn TinsOver time, we have been gifted several themed popcorn tins. They have worked great for storing our Christmas tree decorations in. The one with angels on it, holds all our angel ornaments, while the one with snow covered homes stores all our special homemade ornaments.
Use Clothespins To Protect Christmas OrnamentsHave you seen or made any of those cute Christmas "clothes pins" as decorations or advent ideas? Well here is another use.
Keeping a Christmas Journal to Plan for Next YearThe Christmas season moves by so quickly. Oftentimes I come across ideas that I would love to do, but I run out of time. This year I have started a Christmas journal. I've added my Christmas card list to it, along with new craft ideas and recipes that I will try next Christmas!
Rubbermaid Boxes For Christmas DecorationsYears ago I bought two of those Christmas Rubbermaid type boxes. You know the kind, red with a green lid. I then went to the package store and asked for a couple of empty boxes with dividers.
Storing Christmas Ornaments and...Do you have several "stray" ornaments that you want to store safely but don't want to spend a lot of money on storage units? Use a box that you may have around that house that had drinking glasses in it.
Storing Artificial Christmas TreesMy artificial Christmas tree has "colored" ends on the limbs, which you match up to the base of the tree as you are putting it together. When I take my tree down, I rubber band or otherwise secure all the limbs of one color together.
Store Old Rubber Gloves in Christmas Tree StandPack an old pair of dish washing rubber gloves in with your Christmas tree stand. Leaky ones are fine. Wear them while handling your Christmas tree. No sap on your hands!
Organize Christmas Decorations with Ziplock BagsNow that we are all packing away our Christmas decorations, there is a way to help with packing it away more neatly. I use zip lock baggies (gallon size) to store most of the items.
Artificial Wreath and Garland StorageIf you have purchased a comforter or large blanket that comes in a plastic bag with a zipper, reuse the bag to store your artificial wreaths and garlands.
Store Christmas Decorations In Garment BagsLarge swags or garlands can be stored in the zippered garment bags you can get in the dollar store. You can tie them to a hanger for storage in a closet or lay on a shelf. Easier than trying to put in a box or wrapping in paper to store.
Store Ornaments In Christmas TinsI collect a lot of tin cans with Christmas and winter scenes and sit them throughout the house. Well guess what? A light bulb came on and, this year, I stored ornaments in them and packed them in a tote labeled "tree".
Make Rules for Next Christmas NowStart new rules for Christmas gift giving... now! Now is the perfect time to discuss with family and friends that maybe it's time to rethink gift giving for next Christmas.
Pringles Cans For Christmas Light StorageUsing Pringles can to wrap Christmas lights is even better than tubes they don't bend. And you can store extra lights inside.
Storing Christmas OrnamentsTake the cardboard egg crate and use it to store ornaments from the tree before you place them into a box. It separates them from banging into each other and protects them from being crushed.
Pack Up Artificial Tree With Ornaments OnFor those who have bought those little pre-lit artificial Christmas trees and painstakingly decorated them with small ornaments, etc., here's a tip to make it easier for next year, and there after.
Holiday ClosetI converted a closet into a Holiday Pantry area. I have a large 3 drawer plastic bin unit to hold Christmas ornaments.
Use Holiday Ribbon Year RoundNot all your holiday paper/ribbon has to be put away. Red, green, gold, etc. can be used by themselves for other occasions throughout the year.
Prepare Christmas Lights For Next YearGet ready for next Christmas while you pack away the decorations this year. Start with your Christmas tree lights, replace non-working bulbs. Wrap strands in a loop, sort of like wrapping up the garden hose, and rubberband each strand.
Pack Up Cards, Wrap and LabelsNow that the holidays are drawing to a close and you pack everything up, include unused Christmas cards, wrapping, labels and so on, in with your decorations, so they will be there to use for next year.
Good Use for Holiday MagazinesI finally found a GOOD use for all of my holiday magazines, and I will know where they are next year when I want them! I rolled them into a tube shape and wrapped my tree lights around them for storage.
Make A Tube for Storing Christmas LightsRoll up a thin section of newspaper to use as a tube to wrap your holiday lights around. They stay organized, compact, and it makes it easier to string lights right off the 'tube'.
Decorate for Christmas Over TimeHere is a great Christmas decorating idea to try. Try decorating ahead of time, I love this. We all get busy and tired the nearer Christmas gets. To stay stress free and get all the decorating done I do it SLOWLY, a little everyday, starting around the 3rd week of Nov.
Start Christmas Lists in JuneMake a list of all the names on a large sheet of paper. Leave room for notes and check-off marks. Grandparents can use stamps and envelopes and cute return address labels.
Clean Up For Next ChristmasI don't know about any of you but for me the holidays are so busy it is almost impossible to get everything done. Well, the holidays are now over. Through the course of the season, we may experience a broken but fixable ornament (or two) or you get a brainstorm of a gift you might want to make for next year.
Store Wrapping Paper Inside the RollAfter Christmas, if you take your leftover Christmas wrap off the roll, roll it back up, and place it inside the cardboard holder it will keep better for next year.
By Sharon
Collapsible Chair Bags for Storing Wrapping PaperIf you don't keep your collapsible chairs in the pouch they came in, you can store your rolls of wrapping paper in them. It keeps light and dust from ruining the rolls of paper.
Gift Wrap HangerWith boxing day sales ahead of me I know I'm going to have a lot of extra wrapping paper that needs to be stored away until next Christmas. I recently saw a gift wrap organizer that hangs in the closet and I thought it was a great idea - except that it cost almost $25.