News Article

For: December Issue

To: Gulf Coast Womens News

By: Linda K. Bowman, Ext. Agt. IV - Family & Consumer Sciences

Santa Rosa County Extension Service

Telephone: 850/623-3868 or 939-1259, ext. 1360

Storing Holiday Decorations

Many of our seasonal decorations represent a great investment in time, money and fond memories. They deserve proper care and storage and should be cleaned and organized each year in a way that will best preserve them.

Look them over as they are taken down from display. Some washable decorations, such as tablecloths, should be laundered before storing. Dusty ornaments or other decorations should be wiped clean. Tree lights should also be wiped clean, but be sure to disconnect any electrical items before doing so. This is also a good time to check for and replace burned-out bulbs.

Since many holiday decorations are fragile, be sure they are well packed and stored properly. Use large, sturdy cardboard boxes for storing bulbs, ornaments and lights. Select boxes that are fairly shallow, but large enough so that two or three boxes hold all tree ornaments.

Wrap fragile bulbs and ornaments in tissue paper. Stack the remaining ornaments (from heavy to light) on layers of tissue paper. Tinsel can be stored between ornaments for added protection. Remove hooks and hangers from each ornament, and store them separately in a small box or envelope. Gather strings of tree lights carefully to avoid tangling. Wrap loosely around a large, flat piece of cardboard. Store the tree stand in its original box.

After the boxes are packed, clearly label the contents on the outside of each box and then fill the box with the same items from year to year. You will consider the time used in carefully packing the boxes as well spent when you get the ornaments out for the next holiday season.

Designate an area in a closet, basement, attic, or garage as holiday storage, and use the same space every year. Clean the storage area thoroughly each year before returning the decorations to it. Keep boxes off the floor to keep moisture out. If stored in an attic or outside garage, be sure that extreme temperature and humidity changes will not harm any of the items in the boxes.

For further information contact: Linda Bowman, Family and Consumer Sciences Extension Agent, The University of Florida--Santa Rosa County Cooperative Extension Service--IFAS, at (850)623-3868, between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. weekdays. Hearing-impaired individuals may call Santa Rosa County Emergency Management Service at 983-5373 (TDD).

Extension Service programs are open to all people without regard to race, color, sex, age, handicap or national origin. The use of trade names in this article is solely for the purpose of providing specific information. It is not a guarantee, warranty, or endorsement of the product name(s) and does not signify that they are approved to the exclusion of others.