How to Take Down Your Holiday Decorations Without Losing Your Mind (or Money)

Happy New Year!

We hope you enjoyed your festivities and had as much eggnog and food as you could handle.

Quite frankly, there’s one downside to the holidays: they have to end. And…

They just did.

Now, you have to start thinking about taking down that 12-foot Christmas tree. Without breaking grandma’s heirloom ornaments or making the house too dusty.

Well, today we’ve put together a guide that shows you:

- - How to plan your decoration takedown in a way that keeps them safe and requires minimum effort.
  - The best microfiber products that’ll keep your decorations as clean as possible until you need them again.
  - The only budget and time-friendly holiday decor storage advice you will ever need.

1. Plan and Execute an Efficient and Safe Takedown

If you’re anything like us, the takedown just isn’t as fun as the decorating process. But sometimes, you’ve got to do what you’ve got to do.

Here are some expert takedown tips that’ll make the whole process as smooth as possible:

- - Place a bunch of towels or a fleece blanket underneath the Christmas tree. In case any ornaments slip and fall while you’re removing them, they won’t fall and break, giving you even more work to do.
  - Use a strong magnet to collect any small hooks or metal pieces that drop while you’re working. The last thing you want is your pets or kids stepping on them, leading to an impromptu trip to the hospital.
  - When removing outdoor decorations in high places, use a bucket and rope to lower the items safely to the ground. No need to do a balancing act on the ladder with the items you took down. That will not end well.
  - To prevent the tree from falling on top of you, pair up with another person (or elf). Deconstruct the tree from the top down.

“I like using this (Fluffy Duster). It traps the dust very well, as opposed to a feather duster, which sends the dust flying. I use this on lampshades and other areas. It is an amazing little duster.”

- Susan Krech, Verified Buyer

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christmas tree with ornaments and decorations

2. How to Clean Your Christmas Decorations

As tempting as it may be to throw your decorations straight into storage (not literally, though), pause for a second.

Imagine yourself 10 or 11 months from now unpacking your decorations while “Let it Snow!” plays softly in the background.

The last thing you want is to run a finger over your decorations and have it come away filthier than The Grinch’s holiday spirit.

Here are some expert cleaning tips that’ll ensure your decorations are clean and ready to use next Christmas.

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- Barbara Pesselnick, Verified Purchaser

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How to Clean Your Ornaments

Here’s the thing: there are different types of Christmas ornaments, and it’s important you know which ones you own to clean them effectively.

Some common Christmas ornaments include:

- - Vintage ornaments (passed down for generations)
  - Globe ornaments
  - Finials (have a round body with a pointy tip)
  - Angels
  - Figurines (Santa or a nutcracker)

Essentially, the above can be categorized into two classes: painted and unpainted.

Painted ornaments, whether they have intricate details or are plain, must never be washed with water or any other liquid.

Use our luxuriously soft Multi-Surface Microfiber Cleaning Cloth instead. Its intensely plush microfiber technology will trap and hold all the dirt and dust on your ornaments without scratching the paint.

Our all-purpose towel also works great on unpainted surfaces, such as glass, plastic, or metal. Damp the cloth a little bit and use it to wipe them clean.

Additionally, you can opt to use a little mild dish soap to clean more stubborn stains. Just make sure the soap is mild with a low pH.

Never use commercial cleaners like Mr Clean, on vintage glass. It’ll chip away at the beautiful details that make it so special.

Christmas Fact: Ornaments were originally invented in Germany (same as the Christmas tree) by a blow glass artist. Immigrants brought them to the U.S. in the 1800s and they’ve been a hit since.

Dusting Artificial Trees

It’s quite surprising the amount of dirt and debris that can accumulate on a tree over a month.

Which is why you need to get rid of all of it before you end up looking like a powdered gingerbread cookie. And not in a fun way.

It is too tedious and maddening to clean the tree using a towel, even if it is microfiber. It’s better to use a Chenille Microfiber High Duster.

Whether you’re cleaning a 12-foot-tall tree or the mini trees outside your doors, this duster will remove them all.

With an adaptable design that bends at will, it can get into those narrow branches at the top with no trouble.

Moreover, instead of pushing dust off of the tree, it contains a magnetic charge that attracts 99% of dust and germs.

“I’m very happy with the Chenille High Duster over the Norwex EnviroWand. I used it to dust a high ledge - and besides giving me extra reach, it really grabbed onto the dust and I was able to get a few ceiling (13-foot ) cobwebs at the same time. Time and work saver! WOW.”

- Cynda Halin, Verified Buyer

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Cleaning Wreaths and Garlands

Wreaths and garlands can be delicate. If you don’t want to risk ruining the beautiful, intricate foliage and decorations, opt for a microfiber mini duster.

It’s 10" long and can be bent to get into the crevices and cracks of your wreaths and garlands. Get rid of cobwebs and dirt in a snap with this mini cleaning beast.

3. What’s the Best Way to Store Holiday Decorations?

Accidents happen.

If you don’t take precautions, your decorations may shatter, crack, or get nibbled on by raccoons.

The worst part is you won’t know till it’s too late.

Thankfully, we have some tips for keeping your Christmas decor protected during the off-season.

Wreath Storage Ideas

There are a large number of wreath storage solutions available.

Perfectly understandable, considering wreaths are used for multiple holidays, including Thanksgiving.

Whether you have two wreaths or 20 (we’re not judging), here are a few creative wreath storage ideas.

- - Wreath storage containers: Tupperware for wreaths? Yes, please. They’re made with durable plastic that keeps out debris and rodents. They range from as low as $14 to $50.
  - Hangers and garbage bags: Trying not to spend more money on wreaths? Place them inside a bag and tie the bag with a knot around the hanger. Hang them in your storage closet.
  - Garment bag: While the above tip is more DIY, garment bags follow the same concept and take less effort. Secure the wreath inside the bag and make sure it’s tightly closed. Hang it in the closet and it’ll be good as new next year.

Protecting Your Christmas Tree

As the New Year gets old, the 12-foot-tall Christmas tree in your living room starts to look a bit awkward.

With the right systems, you can have it disassembled and packed up in no time. All without having to worry about it getting attacked by rodents or damaged by humidity.

For starters, if you have a mini tree, pair up with a friend and have them hold up its branches. Wrap it in shrink film as you work your way from the bottom up.

When Christmas rolls around next year, you’ll simply cut open the shrink wrap and place it in its designated spot.

On the other hand, if your tree is on the larger side, consider purchasing a tree storage bag. They may prove to be a good investment as they may fit more than one tree.

Tree storage bags are available at your nearest Walmart or Costco. Moreover, they’re pretty affordable ranging from $10 to $30, so they won’t break the bank.

Alternatively, you can use the original packaging of the tree if you still have it. Manufacturers take packaging boxes through intense crush tests to ensure they can survive the harsh delivery process.

As such, they’re the safest and cheapest storage option of the bunch. They will keep your tree safe and snug until it needs to be used next Christmas.

How to Keep Ornaments Safe

Ornaments can be extremely fragile. Especially if they’re made with glass, porcelain, or delicate metal.

Quite frankly, it doesn’t matter whether you use a plastic bin, corrugated box, or storage containers with dividers.

If they have room to slide around and knock against each other, they’re done. Alternatively, you can:

- - Vacuum-seal them shut: If you have a FoodSaver, simply arrange the ornaments inside a bag and suck all the air out. Wrap the bags with tissue or bubble wrap and stack them inside a box.
  - Repurpose old packaging: Store your small ornaments in an egg carton, a shoebox, or the original packaging the ornaments came in.
  - Wrap the ornaments correctly: If you use bubble wrap to protect your ornaments, don’t let the bubbles touch them. When the bubbles start popping from impact, they may crack your ornaments.

Caution: Plastic bins retain moisture. Always ensure your ornaments are dry before you store them. Consider adding a silica gel packet to ensure they don’t get discolored or moldy.

Untangling String Lights

Take a moment to look at the photo above. How long do you think it will take you to untangle about five sets of these string lights?

You got the shivers, huh?

Prevention is better than cure. Here are some tangle-free and budget-friendly storage options for storing your string lights:

- - Cardboard: Cut a rectangular shape out of a cardboard box. Slit two triangle shapes on the short sides and wind the string lights around it. Plug it into the other end once done and store it inside a storage bin labeled string lights.
  - Hangers: Take one end of the string lights and hook it where a dress strap usually goes on the hanger. Wrap it vertically making sure it’s as straight as possible.
    Repeat on the other side with another set and hang them in the storage closet.
  - Cord reel: Looking to kill two birds with one stone? Buy a cord reel and attach all your connected string lights to the roller.
    Spin until every inch of the lights is wound tight. Next year, you’ll only have to unspool the lights and throw them on.

Save Time and Stress Next Christmas

Sometimes, you have to look out for your future self. Now, when Christmas comes around this year, you know where everything is. As a bonus, you’re also sure they’re all clean and safe.

Happy New Year from the Microfiber Wholesale family.

Visit our store to check out our catalog of premium microfiber products. We offer free shipping, free returns, and there are absolutely no minimum orders.

NO MORE GLASS STREAKS

EASILY CLEAN FLOORS

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Written by

Em Rey

Content Contributor at

Microfiber Wholesale

Em’s been writing about cleaning long enough to know what actually works.

Her focus is on sharing no-nonsense, effective cleaning tips that help pros save time, get better results, and impress their clients.

Deep Clean Hard Floors, Effortlessly.

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