6 Great Storage Ideas for Your Christmas Decorations

6 Great Storage Ideas for Your Christmas Decorations

It’s the most wonderful time of the year, and we spend a lot of time and effort making our homes look and feel festive, especially if you have little ones running around. Once the presents are unwrapped and the holidays are over we’re always left with the same dilemma… where to store everything! So whether you’re just trying to make some space for new toys and gadgets or you’re wanting to keep your Christmas decorations in good order for next year, we have a few handy hints and storage tips to keep your home feeling fresh and uncluttered in the New Year!

1. Protect your baubles!

Everyone likes to keep their baubles in good working order and leaving them to float around in boxes can crush them or cause them to shatter. A great way to store your baubles is to use an egg carton. It’ll keep them nice and tidy, and make them easier to box up safely for storage through the slightly less festive months. If you have particularly large baubles you can use cardboard drinks holders, most frequently found at fast food restaurants.

2. Funky shapes? No problem…

If the shape of your tree ornaments is a little less than regular you can use tissue paper and takeaway boxes to keep your precious decorations in tip-top condition for next year. Clear containers make for great storage solutions… you won’t need to tip everything out to find what you’re looking for! It will also make them easier to store in larger containers with your egg cartons full of baubles!

3. Wrap your wrapping paper 😉

Ripping open presents is probably the best feeling in the world… but rolls of wrapping paper flopping around in a closet for the rest of the year is a bit of a pain. We’ve found that the best way to store it is to fire on a cheeky elastic band to keep the rolls nice and tight, then put them into a garment bag on a hanger. It’ll keep all your rolls together and ready to use. If you feel like you’re ready to take it up a level you can chuck in your ribbons, sellotape, and a pair of scissors. That way you’ll be ready to wrap ‘n’ roll whenever the mood takes you!

4. Do your fairy lights always tangle during the summer months? Fear not, we have the solution!

Cables have a life of their own. From headphones, to guitar leads, to fairy lights, you can coil them as perfectly as possible and it will never be enough. Whip them out and they are a tangled mess. “How can I prevent this?”, I hear you cry. Well, we’re going to use a material that is in abundance at this time of year… Cardboard. Get yourself a sheet of the stuff from the side of a box or a board from a gift, and wrap your lights and cable around the sheet. Not only will it prevent it from tangling, but you can write little notes to yourself to identify missing or faulty bulbs or strands. Perfect.

5. Tangled Tinsel Trouble?

Tinsel is funny stuff. It looks great, but it seems to have a life of its own! How can we store it and prevent it wrapping itself around everything else in the decorations box? Two words. Pringles tube. You can keep your tinsel nice and tidy by storing it in Pringles tubes or even water bottles.

6. Tree-mendous Storage Solutions for your reusable Christmas Tree

How can you keep your tree looking fresh for future festivities? Cling film. Shrink wrapping your tree not only makes it skinnier and easier to handle, it will also protect it from damage and prepare it for storage during the 11 months you don’t need it in your life.
Where can I keep all my Christmas stuff?

Here at Aabsolute Self Storage we can provide safe and dry self-storage all year round to keep your home clutter free and your decorations in great condition, ready to use next time Santa rolls into town.

 

From everyone here, have an Aabsolutely fabulous Christmas =)

Selling your home? Store your collectables. Prt 3 of 4

Artwork

Our lives are always changing and evolving in different ways, whether you’re moving home, going travelling for a while, renovating your property, or even had a change in taste. For whatever reason, you may not want to leave your artwork hanging on your walls. Instead of selling it or risking damage during a move or renovation you could pack it away safe and sound to protect your artwork and keep it in great condition for future use.

Step 1: Cleaning and pre-storage care

Cleaning and light maintenance goes a heck of a long way toward preserving your artworks and keeping them looking tip top. Make sure you gently wipe down the surfaces with a microfiber cloth before working a little oil into metal components to prevent rusting or oxidization. Polish will also protect wooden frames from light damage and moisture whilst in storage.

Step 2: Preparing your artwork for storage.

Frames and canvas can be easily damaged. To prevent knocks causing chips and to protect the structural integrity of your framed artwork you can cover and tape down the corners of the artwork with cardboard to reduce the risk of damage in transit or from contact with the floor or shelving units in storage. For additional protection, you can also use blankets or bubble wrap.

If your artwork is unframed, resist the urge to roll it up for storage! Rolling your paintings can cause creasing and cracks in the paint, ruining the work. Instead, wrap it in sheets of glassine to provide air and water resistance, then place the work between two protective layers of thick cardboard, foamboard, or plywood to prevent unwanted damage or bending.

Once you’ve wrapped your artwork to protect it from knocks and scrapes the next step is to prevent moisture damaging your paintings while they are in storage. The best way to do this is to place the piece into a plastic bag and sealing it before putting it into a storage box. You can find boxes for packing artwork easily on Amazon or most art stores like Millers on Stockwell Street, Glasgow.

Step 3: Storing your Artworks.

So, you’ve packed up your artwork and now you need somewhere to put it…

There are three major factors to consider when you’re choosing your storage solution. Moisture, light, and temperature. A unit within a climate neutral environment will be required to maintain a low level of humidity and dramatically reduce the risk of significant fluctuations in temperature.

It’s also important to ensure that your artwork is kept in an upright position when placed in storage – NEVER stack or store paintings flat. That’s just asking for trouble!

To find out more about Aabsolute’s storage solutions for artworks you can contact us here.