With the holidays winding down, it’s time to start thinking about putting all the bells, lights and decorations away. In order to ensure everything is safe and sound for next year’s festivities, it’s important to know the best way to preserve and store your favorite Holiday décor. Most importantly, remember that those decorations you pull out once a year can also become a home for pests. Holiday decorations normally stored in attics, garages or basements go undisturbed and unnoticed for most of the year. So unless they are stored properly, they can easily become an inviting new place for insects and rodents to find shelter.
Insects and rodent thrive in warm, moist areas, so always store your decorations in clean, dry spaces. Look for obvious signs of pest or infestation in the areas where you normally store things for the season. Sure signs to look for are spider webs, rodent droppings and dead insects. Also, make sure your décor is clean and debris-free before storing. Holiday plates, stockings or decorative shakers with candy residue, cookie crumbs or damp fabric could easily attract pests when packed away and out of sight.
When storing your decorations, always use plastic or metal containers in order to eliminate prime conditions for pests to live in, as cardboard boxes are known hosts for stowaway pests. Your holiday tree is also an often overlooked area that could become a potential pest haven. Properly storing your tree can save you from an insect nightmare when you open that box next season.
- Always dispose of natural trees
- Clean artificial trees with a vacuum
- Compress artificial trees carefully to preserve branches, lights and needles
- Store artificial trees in either a Christmas tree bag or plastic bin
- Seal containers airtight to protect from unwanted invaders
Last, it’s always a good idea to inspect your outdoor décor before bringing it inside your home. Inspect lights for spider webs and frayed wires. Check branches and limbs for signs of pests when bringing natural trees or wreaths into your home. Most of all, stay safe and secure throughout the holiday season by contacting a professional, like ScherZinger, for further advice on protecting your home from pests during the winter months.