If your Halloween wasn’t scary enough, it’s time (or actually past time) to start storing those plastic pumpkins, spiders, death masks, witches’ cauldrons, devil pitchforks, skeletons, tombstones, autumnal wreaths and mummies.
If you still have not yet packed your Halloween decor away, there is still hope.
Seasonal décor are hard-earned investments and should be protected! If the items are specific to Halloween, they should be culled, organized, boxed, bagged and labeled together as a grouping. Not only will you save time next year, but setting up will be fun and items will be projected from damage.
Post-Halloween décor organizing tricks:
- Decide now if you want your decorations color-coded in orange boxes. Color-coding makes sense if you choose a color that communicates the season (and the more you can understand the storage system; the more likely you are to maintain it). Colored plastic storage boxes are available at your local Wal-Mart and Target stores. However, clear bins allow you to see what’s in them without opening the box up and you can always add more. Some clients insist on attached tops so they don’t lose them.
- Snap pics of your decorations inside and outside as they sit decorating your house (so you’ll remember next year how embellishments were used). Create a “Halloween Deco” photo album online, in your computer, or print the photos out and store with the boxes;
- Review decorations and costumes for use, damage and over accumulation;
- Consider donating unused décor to your favorite charity;
- Completely dry out decorations and make sure items are reasonably clean;
- Wrap anything sharp and seal with removable blue tape;
- Use clear “contractor-size” lawn and leaf bags to contain giant-size outdoor décor;
- Use zippered baggies to contain hardware (label the bags);
- Remove batteries from animated figures (to avoid corrosion or leakage);
- Check for frayed wires on the fog machines and electrical units;
- Make use of cable ties to control unruly cords;
- Wrap fragile collectibles in packing paper or acid-free tissue;
- Collect scary music CDs or playlists and place with decorations;
- Store flammables (matches or lamp oils) away from your décor;
- Box Halloween plates, serving ware, utensils and trick-or-treating candy bowls with regular décor so everything is together in one place.
- Use labels on the outside of each box to identify the contents.
One special trick to know is that these overall suggestions are good for other holidays like Christmas, Easter and 4th of July too.
How Do You Handle Halloween?
What tips and tricks can you share for storing holiday décor and creating a less stressful holiday? Tweet your spooky thoughts and chilling challenges to @johntrosko or leave a comment below.
A shortened version of this piece above originally appeared as our first contribution to Perezitos, Perez Hilton's site featuring celebrity families and advice from pediatricians, parenting and lifestyle experts. Click here to read the article.
Sterilite orange storage box image courtesy Space Savers.
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