Removing Holiday Lights and Decorations
Can you believe that the holidays are already behind us? After so much anticipation, planning, shopping, cooking, traveling, and gathering, it's over in a flash and here we are in a new year.
As they say, "out with the old and in with the new", which also applies to our beautiful holiday decorations. After the first of the year, our decorations start to lose their luster and can feel out of place. Plus, many neighborhood HOAs have policies about the length of time or the deadline at which all exterior decorations must be removed and stored away. Get ahead of the game and take some time this weekend to remove your decorations and put them away for safe keeping so you can enjoy them again over the holidays later this year.
Here are some tips for removing and storing your exterior holiday decorations:
- Before removing any items from your outdoor display, ensure that they are dry. Moisture on your decorations could lead to mold or mildew, and could permanently damage your decorations.
- Store items in an enclosed, dry location such as your garage, attic or shed.
- Place artificial garlands and wreaths in a plastic container with a lid to avoid breakage, water damage or animal/rodent damage.
- Practice good ladder safety if you need to utilize a ladder to remove exterior lights. Check out this comprehensive ladder safety guide provided by the Texas Department of Insurance.
- When removing lights, be sure to unplug all electrical sources well in advance of touching the lights. This step will help avoid potential shock and is particularly important for C7 light bulbs, as they generate heat and can be very hot to the touch. Roll lights up around a large spool or in an otherwise uniform shape with a rope or bungee cord tied around the lights to keep them together and avoid tangling.
- If you know some of your lights are no longer working, do yourself a favor and replace them before putting the lights away. Your future self will thank your present self for this "gift" when you don't have to worry about it next time you decorate!
- Place all light clips in a sealable plastic bag for future use and keep this bag in the same container as your lights. Do the same for light stakes but be sure to shake off excess dirt before storing.
- When taking down inflatables, store in a heavy duty plastic container with a lid to keep animals and other pests from nesting in your decorations.
- Take your time! Rushing through the take-down process can lead to costly damage and perhaps even injury.
Thank you for your time and effort to safety and efficiently remove your decorations!
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Tiffany Krenek has been on the My Neighborhood News team since August 2021. She is passionate about curating and sharing content that enriches the lives of our readers in a personal, meaningful way. A loving mother and wife, Tiffany and her family live in the West Houston/Cypress region.
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