Christmas has come and gone, and now it’s time to stow away all the mistletoe and stockings. A lot of homeowners store their holiday decorations in attics, garages or basements. This keeps them out of the way for the rest of the year, but these locations are also ideal places for pests to prosper. To prevent pests from getting into your holiday decorations, here are some quick storage tips to keep your décor pest free and frustration free.
Lights
This tip isn’t about staying pest-free as much as staying organized and frustration-free. String lights may be the worst thing about taking down decorations. They just get so tangled! To keep them as organized and tangle free as possible, you can use a power cord holder to wrap them up and keep them nice and neat until next year. This will save you a lot of time and frustration when the next holiday season rolls around. You could also use zip ties to keep them organized by wrapping the lights up using your hand and elbow and then securing them in three different spots with zip ties. This technique should keep your lights tangle free and is also relatively inexpensive.
Christmas Tree
If you have an artificial tree, use a sealable Christmas tree bag that zips. Cardboard boxes can be tasty meals for cockroaches and can also serve as nesting material for mice. If you decided to go with a real tree, get it out of the house before other pests notice it’s still hanging around.
Ornaments
Bubble wrap or recycled plastic grocery bags can help keep glass ornaments from breaking. But make sure to keep these ornaments in a plastic box with a tight lid. Plush ornaments can be a nice nesting material for rodents or meal for clothing moths.
Fabrics
Festive tablecloths are fun! And so are stockings. But you know what’s not fun? Mites and moths. These insects can infest your linens and ruin them by creating holes. To keep this from occurring, keep these items in sealable plastic bags and then place in a plastic bin with a tight-fitting lid for an extra layer of protection.
Greenery
Inspect your garlands and wreaths before putting them back in the attic. Especially if they have been used outside. They provide shelter for pests like mites and moths which can quickly turn into a problem if they are brought inside your home. To store these items, place them in a plastic box with a tight-fitting lid to keep other pests at bay.
Inspect and Clean Your Storage Space
Before putting your boxes back in the attic or basement, clean it out. Get rid of old boxes you don’t use and keep an eye out for droppings, nests, or other evidence of pests. If you utilize all the prevention techniques above, it will only go so far if there is already a pest problem. If you do see pest activity, contact us. We’re happy to help keep your home safe and pest free!