Now that the 12 Days of Christmas have passed, taking down your decorations is acceptable (though Catholic Churches in the US will celebrate through Monday). You can take steps now that will make preparations for next Christmas much easier:

• Don’t even bother storing decorations that are damaged. Either fix it now or accept that it is gone.

• If possible, store all of your decorations in one place, rather than scattered about. Next November, you don’t want to try to guess where you put the creche.

• Make sure your storage boxes and bubble wrap are in good condition. Replace any that are too worn or damaged.

• Label the boxes clearly.

• If you use a few things from a variety of boxes, consider taking the time to reorganize things as youput them away. That way you won’t have to open as many boxes next year.

Do you have any other tips for storing Christmas decorations well?