Storing Holiday Decorations

Keeping Shape

Problem: Your stored candles lose their shape.
Solution: "Candles should be put away flat, out of light, and in a fairly cool area to prevent warping and preserve color," says Susan Stockman, a spokesperson for the Yankee Candle Company, in South Deerfield, Massachusetts. An alternative solution, says Taylor, is to use neutral-colored candles that you can leave out all year.

Problem: The holiday linens end up as wrinkled as a turkey's wattle.
Solution: Ironing a big linen tablecloth is probably the last thing you want to do after you've spent the entire morning cooking. "Use skirt hangers for all your tablecloths, place mats, and napkins so they don't become creased at the bottom of a box," says Hill.