Storing Holiday Decorations

Double-Duty Storage

Problem: Plastic lawn ornaments and other large, oddly-shaped decorations take up too much space when boxed.
Solution: Save the zippered garment bags you get when you buy a new suit or dress, and use them to protect bulky plastic figures, such as sleighs and reindeer, suggests Hill. Then hang the bags in a closet or on a nail in your attic.

Problem: You need to store your decorations in the basement, which is always damp.
Solution: Use plastic storage containers with tight seals, and place them up off the floor on shelves or palettes, in case of flooding. To help keep boxes free of moisture, Hill recommends dropping in a few silica packets (often found in new shoe boxes, or available for purchase at the Preservation Station, preservesmart.com).