Ornament Storage Tips
- Proper storage will preserve your ornaments for years to come.decorative balls for christmas-tree image by Maria Brzostowska from Fotolia.com
Nothing takes away the spirit of the holidays faster than unpacking a favorite ornament only to find it broken. Whether your ornaments are made of glass, wood, fabric or metal, they all need care and protection. The time you take now to organize and protect your collection will make next's year's decorating faster, easier and worry-free. - Proper storage starts with wrapping. Wrapping keeps dust off of your ornaments for the 11 months they are boxed up and protects them from rubbing against each other. Ideally, you should store ornaments in their original packaging. If you don't have the original packaging or if your ornaments didn't come in a package, wrap them loosely but neatly in white or acid-free tissue paper. Never use colored tissue or newspaper because the dyes and inks may bleed. Other acceptable wrapping material is plain white paper towels, dish towels, bubble wrap and even old socks. Flat or small items, such as snowflakes or icicles, can be stacked or rolled up together, but take care to separate each one with a layer of tissue. Extra-small or delicate items should be wrapped and then placed inside a container such as an egg carton or jewelry box.
- Discount, home improvement and home organization stores sell plastic containers specifically for ornaments. These containers come with dividers to separate ornaments into neat rows and stacks. The spaces are the right size for most ornaments, and two or more compartments can be converted for large or odd-shaped ornaments. The containers are clear or come in holiday colors for easy organization and identification. You also can get cardboard boxes with dividers. They cost less and sometimes can be had for free from grocery or liquor stores. The drawbacks to cardboard is that it's not airtight or see-through and its strength could be compromised if it gets wet. Purchase more containers than you need so your containers will match as your collection grows.
- Put heavy and odd-shaped ornaments on the bottom and lighter ones on top. Group similar ornaments together; if you have a large collection, separate ornaments into different containers by group. You can put two small ornaments in one compartment, but be sure to place tissue between them so they don't rub against each other. Ornaments should fit snugly but not tight. After packing a container, make a list of what is inside and place it on top or facing out from the side if your container is see-through. Mark containers in large letters on all sides, including the top.
- Busy-Moms-Online advises against storing ornaments in the attic, basement or garage. Excessive temperatures can break delicate glass balls, dry out paper or wood or cause wax or colors to run. These spaces also are susceptible to moisture, insects and rodents. The best place to store your collection is in a closet or other storage space that is temperature- and humidity-controlled.
