I wrestled three Christmas trees from their stands and into storage or out the door last week.  Only one was mine.  This time of year, I spend a lot of time helping my clients put holiday stuff away.  We de-decorate, de-forest, call it what you would like.  Let me share tips I have learned!

1. Create a First Out, Last In box.  Our FO/LI box holds the decor items that come out around December 1:  Advent Wreath, Christmas card display ribbon and basket, countdown calendars, table runners and our Creche and lights.  These are the first items we put out in December, and also the items that stick around through the holiday season and are last to put away (hence the name).  It is easily distinguishable in the crawl space, and always on top of the pile of containers.
2. This is one of the few times I will say this – Cardboard is not your friend.  Plastic is your friend. My husband and I were reminiscing about our childhood holiday decor.  He has clear memories of putting away the cardboard boxes in the garage rafters every year.  Sometimes that works, but sometimes it doesn’t!  Plastic is better for long-term storage.  It’s sturdier, water and bug resistant, stack-able and reusable.  Bonus – lots of home improvement stores have plastic containers on sale right now!
3. Choose your themes, and pack accordingly.  Choose to store your decor by room (meaning, all the items you display on the mantle or in the dining room go in the same box) or by type (meaning, all the snow globes go in the same box, regardless of where they are displayed).  This is your choice to make, but please make it.  Putting away this year and unpacking next winter will go much more smoothly!
4. Purge now, not later.  Any decor items you didn’t use this year – Why didn’t you?  Is it broken? Outdated? Not looking too great? These characteristics will not change, so you may need to purge these items.  If you rotate your decor annually, and your stuff looks fine but just didn’t make the cut this year, go ahead and keep it.
5. If your decor is already neatly stored away, there are still a few things you can do to make the process go more smoothly next time!
   • Label  EVERYTHING.  Make your life easier next December, and label everything clearly this year.  Maybe, just maybe, people will even be able to help you since stuff is easy to find and access… (maybe).  And if your labels never stick, try this:
     Post-IT Note + Sharpie + Clear Packing Tape = a label that will actually stay on.
   • Leave yourself some notes fir next year!  What worked? What did not? What was a hit with the family? I’ve made lots of notes of “favorite cookies” that I make, so I can spread the cookie love as a surprise come next December.

Happy DeDecorating!