If you're decorating with outside Christmas decorations for the first time, you need to know a few things to maintain the decorations for the future. There are special considerations to make when you have inflatable decorations and outdoor lights to pack away.
Containers: Outdoor decorations are festive during the holiday season, but, during the other eleven months of the year, they can be a bother. You need to make some space to store them. You should hold onto the cardboard boxes that the decorations came in to do double duty as storage containers.
Another option is to find appliance boxes from a local store that you can use to store your decorations. If you want heavy-duty storage, you can invest in large plastic bins that will keep your inflatable decorations moisture-free. Make sure to wipe down plastic decorations with a damp cloth, and let them dry completely before storing them away.
Inflatables: Inflatable decorations require special care. After you deflate your decorations, you'll need to remove all cloth pieces from the item. This includes the tie-down strings. Wash the cloth portions and the strings, and let them dry completely before you pack them away. Wipe down the plastic parts of the inflatable decoration, as well as the motor casing. If your inflatable includes anchor springs, these should be cleaned as well. You should soak these in a soapy bucket of water, scrub them off and then let them dry completely.
Once you've completely cleaned the inflatable decoration and all the parts are dry, it's time to pack it away. Place the motor portion into the storage container first, followed by the cloth and plastic portions of the decorations. The anchor strings and strings can be stored in a plastic bag and placed on top of the plastic. Secure your storage container with tape or with the clasps that come with your plastic container.
Lighting: Christmas outdoor lighting can easily be stored with a piece of cardboard. Cut small incisions in both sides of the cardboard with a box cutter. Wrap the string of lights around the cardboard, and insert the string into the slots as you go. Wrap the string around and around, using a different slot each time and then go back up toward the top of the cardboard until there is no more left to wrap. When you unstring your lights next year, you'll have a much easier time.
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