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Packing Christmas Decorations

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 Packing away Christmas decorations can be nerve-racking and daunting.  Do you want to know how to pack Christmas decorations well enough to survive a military move?  I’ve moved our Christmas decorations 13 times to 10 states and overseas 3 times.  Our decorations have come through all those moves with no problems (other than old age).  So if you want to know how to pack holiday decorations well enough to survive a military move, here are a few of my tips. 
 
two stacked containers with title reading Pack Your Decorations To Survive a Military Move.
 

 Packing Christmas Decorations 

Keep items in their original boxes when possible.

Whether a miniature tree ornament or a full-sized lighted yard decoration, I keep items in their original packaging. The manufacture created that packaging to make sure the item was protected during shipping and so far that same packaging has protected everything from a delicate Elvis tree ornament to a 2 1/2 foot tall animated pilot Snoopy decoration in moves overseas twice and to 7 different states intact. 
small cardboard boxes of A Christmas Story movie decorations with text overlay reading Use Original Boxes.
 

Wrap items in tissue paper or bubble wrap. Wrap fabric items in plastic.

 I wrap every single item that I pack. My preferred wrapping materials are bubble wrap and tissue paper. I use bubble wrap for highly fragile items.  I collect bubble wrap throughout the year from mail order items and product packaging. I like to use white tissue paper to wrap other less fragile items. White tissue paper is key, because you don’t want the ink from colored tissue paper to fade onto your ornaments during the often extreme temperatures of summer cross-country moves. I wrap all fabric items in plastic bags to minimize bug or vermin damage. 
two Christmas ornaments covered with bubble wrap and text overlay Use Bubble Wrap and Tissue Paper.

Pack items tightly in boxes or bins.

If you’ve ever seen how movers pack your crates for overseas moves or on a moving truck, you know that items are packed tightly so nothing can shift or move.  The lightest fragile items are always packed on top. That’s exactly how you want to pack your boxes and bins. Damage occurs when items shift and rattle around. Packing them tightly will prevent shifting. Adding layers of bubble wrap or white paper on the bottom of the box and sides will help provide added cushioning. Be careful to pack items tightly but do not cram them so tightly that the box is bulging or the bin won’t close properly. 
cardboard box with square compartments filled with wrapped and tightly packed Christmas ornaments.
printable Christmas packing labels and gift labels.

Grab these printable Christmas Organizing Labels and Gift Tags in my shop. You can print unlimited copies for your personal use. 

I hope these tips help you pack away your treasured Christmas decorations well enough to survive a military move this year (whether you’re moving or not).

What Christmas decoration packing tips do you have to share?

These tips were featured in Military Families Magazine Winter 2013.

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3 Comments

  1. These are really great tips! I have followed many of your tips for years. I always keep the original packing. I feel that if the manufacturer put it in that box, it was for safe keeping!

  2. Hi Susan – These are great tips for packing up and ensuring that nothing gets broken. and congrats on the feature – that is awesome news! I can barely get through packing up Christmas to the attic… I can’t even imagine moving the decorations 13 times! I thought my Father was going to fall off his chair when I bounced one of my ornaments on the floor like a ping pong ball… I love the new fangled materials that are much less fragile!

    Here are my tips on the logistics of “reverse engineering” the Christmas clean up.

    Happy New Year to you and your family! Hugs, Holly

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