|
 How many times has this scenario happened to
you. Its the day after Halloween and you look around your
yard and the inside of your house and think, "Now I've got
to put this stuff all away". You're tired from the day's or
even weeks of preparations, so you proceed to toss and cram
all your Halloween decorations into boxes like a madman.
Believe me, we've been there...
But think about it, you have a great deal of
time and money invested in your Halloween decorations, so
shouldn't they be protected for years to come? By taking the time to organize
and pack them with care will save you time next year, giving
you more time for Halloween decorating.
Packing
Materials
Try to keep the original boxes when
possible.
Cardboard
boxes work well for packing, but are susceptible to moisture
and can deteriorate,
particularly in humid climates.
Plastic
storage containers have the advantage that they come in
transparent so that you can also see what's inside. When
stacking your boxes, try to make stacks of similar sized
containers, starting with heavy boxes on bottom and working
up to light boxes at the top.
Try to avoid using newspaper.
The ink can rub off and cause damage.
Tissue or butchers paper works well.
Bubble wrap
and foam chips are great for items that are breakable and
need to be cushioned.
Labeling
Use large permanent markers to label Halloween storage boxes. Describe
clearly all pertinent information including the contents of
the box, whether its for indoor or outdoor use, if its
fragile, etc.
HALLOWEEN
DECORATIONS
OUTDOOR LIGHTS & EXTENSION CORDS
Halloween Lights
 Its a lot easier to store them properly now, than opening
the box to find a giant headache next year. Strings of
Halloween lights should be wound around plastic holiday light spools
or wrapped and tied with twist-ties and placed into separate
plastic storage bags, otherwise you'll end up with one big,
tangled ball of lights. Spare bulbs should be stored with
the correct string of lights.
Tableware and Kitchenware
Everything you had on your serving table or tables such as
Halloween tablecloths, napkins, utensils, plates, bowls,
punch bowls, etc., should all be kept together in one or
more well labeled boxes. Glass or fragile plastic items such
as punch bowls should be wrapped in a protective material
such as paper or bubble wrap for there protection. Cookie
cutters, cake pans and the like should all be packaged
together and labeled appropriately. Inexpensive paper
napkins work well for separating dishes.
Crushable
Decorations
 Halloween wreaths should be stored in a box that will
protect the wreath, but also to keep its shape. Don't use a
box that's to small and will crush the wreath. There
actually boxes made for storing wreaths, usually available
during the Xmas season. Write " Do Not Crush" on the box.
Foam tombstones, as with other flat decorations, should be
packed together with bubble wrap between each one. Halloween
collectables such as ceramic villages, toys and ornaments
should be re-packed in there original boxes.
Halloween
Costumes
Halloween costumes should definitely be stored in plastic
storage containers to protect them from dust, moisture pests.
Wash or dry clean the costume if needed, then carefully fold
it just as you would when storing any other piece of
clothing. We place ours individually in extra large plastic
zip top storage bags for extra protection and label the bags
with a black permanent marker.
You can also store Halloween
costumes in plastic garment bags and then hung in garment boxes
available from moving companies. Keep specific costumes and
there accessories together by using smaller storage bags.
Once you place them in the storage container, seal it by
running packing tape all the way around the lip of the lip.
Halloween masks should be stored them properly so that they can be used year after year. The
worst thing you can do is just toss it in a box as the mask will not hold its natural
shape. The best way we've found to store latex masks is on a Styrofoam wig stand. These
are shaped like a human head and only cost a couple of dollars at beauty supply stores.
Masks should be store in a cool, dark, dry place. Exposure to sunlight or excessive
temperatures for a prolonged period can cause the colors to fade and damage the
latex, causing the mask crack.
Hats should
always be stored in a suitable size box, or more often than
not you will find it crushed the next year.
Halloween Candles
Didn't use all those creepy Halloween candles you bought
this year, well be careful how you store them for next year.
First, store identical candles together in there own zip top
plastic storage bags and place these in a plastic storage
container just for candles. Candles are temperature
sensitive and if they get to warm will melt together into a
blob. Store candles in a cool dry place.
Manuals and Instructions
Keep the original manuals and instruction sheets with the
original items. If
you can't do this, keep all manuals in a box marked
"Halloween Manuals". Before we disassemble complex
decorations we always take a few pictures of it from
different angles with a digital camera. Next year we
use the pictures as a visual guide for reassembly.
|
