By Lovelihood (Flickr)

The one thing I love most about Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas is the decorations hung on the doors mixed with the special colors the seasons bring. Once the big day comes and goes, I am always left a little sad. The decorations must go and be put away for an entire year. Then it’s time to clean. I always feel accomplished when I take a messy room and make it sparkle, but it can be a little sad when it involves putting away exciting and spooky decor. It can also be hard trying to fit awkward candles and wreaths in boxes, but with the right tips, you can store your stuff quickly and neatly.

Plan Ahead

The first step starts at the store before a holiday. While looking at that wicked witch on Halloween, ask yourself “do I have room to store this?” If your storage space is already lacking breathing room, squeezing in another decoration isn’t going to be easy. I understand the temptation to add to your Halloween or Christmas collection; who can turn down that adorable Advent countdown calendar? If you must buy it though, and I know you must, go through your old ones and donate items that no longer fit your style or are usually left in the box anyways. Plan ahead so you will have room for new things.

Organize

Once you have decided which items to keep or donate, it is time to clean-up and organize. Buy totes that match for Halloween; such as orange or black, or Christmas with red and green. I can’t tell you how many times we have opened box after box looking for holiday decor. Trust me when I say it isn’t easy opening 23 boxes of Christmas, Easter, and Valentines hoping with each one to “please be Halloween this time.” Clear boxes work great too and always, always label. Keep awkward items, that can’t fit in totes next to all the Halloween decor so they are easy to find. Label entire shelves and sections for specific holidays so you don’t have to go looking through closets or storage space. If space is still an issue, take items out of individual boxes to open up room in the totes. Use specific holiday rags, towels, rugs  as packing paper. With the right arrangement and a little work, you can get your holiday decorations organized to fit nicely in your storage space.

There are many different ways to organize; check out these links for more ideas to get your Halloween decorations packed up and stored neatly.

• Storing Seasonal Decorations This blog post goes over how she organizes even the most awkward holiday decor that is only used once a year.
• 3 Easy Tips for Organizing and Storing Holiday Decorations Organizing doesn’t have to be complicated or overwhelming; follow these easy tips to get your Halloween stuff put away quickly and neatly.
• Organize and Go Green for Your Halloween Scene Before you buy another adorable witch or spooky door wreath, ask yourself these questions to see if you have room to store it.
• 10 Unique Holiday Storage Ideas Decorations come in many different sizes and incredibly awkward shapes. Check out these creative storage ideas to help open up room in your garage.