by Elizabeth Wordsmith

Created on: December 26, 2008

Wouldn't it be wonderful to have a large closet dedicated for the Christmas tree? You'd never have to deal with removing the ornaments and unraveling the lights. Alas, few of us have that luxury. Facing the dreaded post holiday task of packing up our precious ornaments is something many of us put off until mid January or later. Another problem is finding room for all the new stuff we've acquired. Thus, we will be forced to squeeze out some additional storage space somewhere.

The following tips and Web sites should help you divide and conquer this dreaded task and make next year's holiday decorating easier and more enjoyable.

Storing the decorations:

1. Rubbermaid and other manufacturers have produced some wonderful containers for storing holiday decorations, artificial trees and wreaths, wrapping paper and ribbons, and even ceramic villages. Check out these Web sites to find just the right storage container: www.upshome.com, www.improvementcatalog.com, and www.treekeeperbag.com. Most of the home improvement stores and super stores such as Home Depot, Lowe's, Target, and WalMart also have these available for purchase. Not only will your ornaments be protected from moisture and critter damage, they will also be stored in attractive containers that will hold up over the years.

2. Dispose of old Christmas lights in an eco-friendly way. Ask your recycling center if they take used lights. If not, check out the following sites to keep this waste out of land

fills: www.holidayLEDs.com and www.Christmas-light-source.com.

3. Some other suggestions for ornament containers are: wine and liquor boxes with dividers, egg cartons, and disposable plastic cups. Lights can be wound around wrapping paper tubes, too. Save all that bubble wrap, tissue paper, and Styrofoam popcorn to give additional protection. Put a mothball in the box to keep insects and other varmints out of the boxes. When stacking, put the heaviest boxes on the bottom and label the contents of each box.

4. Store table cloths on hangers so they won't be damaged by moisture. In fact, all fabric decorations such as stockings, towels, tree skirts, and table runners should be stored in a well-ventilated place to avoid being damaged by mold or mildew.

5. Special care should be given to candles. Wrap them in old socks or something similar to keep them from being scratched. Then store them in a cool, dry place.

6. There are several systems of packing your ornaments. Some like to pack according to room. Others pack according

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