Women’s Independent Press

By Dottie Coll
412-881-1111

Pittsburgh, PA — Gifts are given, treats are eaten and, before you know it, another holiday season has come and gone. It’s time to pack it all up until next year.

Preparing for future holidays can be made easier with a little thoughtful planning when packing at the end of the season.

“Carefully packing and organizing items can prevent damage or even worse, breakage,” said Dottie Coll, franchisee of the Pittsburgh locations. “Take the time to make sure the job is carefully done in order to preserve decorations for next year.”

Here are some tips from TWO MEN AND A TRUCK® when packing away seasonal decorations:

Delicate items
• Wrap breakables in tissue or packing paper. Do not use newspaper –- the print may wear off on ornaments. Shred used paper run and recycle it as packing filler.
• Decorations with photographs or food should be sealed in a bag to keep them intact and prevent insects or mice getting to them.
• Boxes with dividers are best to pack ornaments. Check with local moving companies for these kinds of boxes with adjustable inserts.
• Keep extra hangers, hooks and ornament parts in a labeled bag or box.
Lights
• Wrap lights around empty wrapping paper tubes to keep them from tangling.
• Leave the plug accessible by taping the ends of the light strands to the end of the tube. That way you can quickly test the lights before unwinding them next year.
• Store colored lights in a dark place to prevent fading, especially blues, greens and purples
Wrapping paper
• Hanging garment bags provides good storage for wrapping paper rolls. Use outside pockets for gift tags, cards and tissue paper.
• Cut an empty wrapping paper tube from end to end and slide it over a used roll to protect it until next year.
• Save ribbons and bows by packing them loosely to keep their shape.
Miscellaneous
• Wrap holiday candles individually in cellophane. Store in a cool place so they don’t melt.
• Pack an “open first” box for the decorations needed right away, like extension cords.
• Take special care if items are stored in a damp area, such as a basement. Keep boxes away from sources of heat and moisture.
• Most importantly, label every box. The more detailed the description, the easier it is to find. Use different colors to distinguish different holidays, such as orange for Halloween, brown for Thanksgiving, and red or green for Christmas.

TWO MEN AND A TRUCK® is the largest franchised moving company in North America. It includes more than 200 locations and more than 1,400 trucks on the road. Each location is independently owned and operated, and sells boxes and packing supplies. Locations complete both home and business moves, as well as packing and unpacking services.

For more information, call) TWO MEN AND A TRUCK® at 412-881-1111 or 412-259-8777 or visit www.twomenandatruck.com.