SOS: Smart organized solutions

Now that the holidays are over and the last piece of fruitcake has been finished off, what do you do with all of the decorations? Also, what about the ones you bought at the after-holiday sale?

According to James Echols, assistant manager at The Home Depot on West Tropical Parkway, you have to get organized. "If you organize it as you put it away, then next year it will be a much more enjoyable experience."

Echols, along with his right and left hands Laurie Parker and Bev Berry, recently held court in the aisles of the store in the northwest part of the city to discuss holiday storage solutions.

"You have to separate what you have and categorize it all so that you know where it is," Echols said.

According to Sabrina Soto, Target style expert for home and HGTV designer, "Staying organized during the holidays is easier than ever when you have the right tools. Organizational pieces come in so many shapes and sizes, that you can store almost anything. Target has inexpensive storage solutions for every holiday item including gift wrap, ornaments, lights, Christmas trees and wreaths. Each can easily save you time, money and stress year-after-year. One of my favorite products is the Household Essentials 36-piece holiday ornament chest in red. What I like about this chest is that it has a clear panel so I can see what is inside, which is a must!"

Echols displayed several general-use plastic "totes" or containers with tight-fitting lids, as well as many special-use containers, such as the spools to wind up the strands of lights, which then fit into the general-use ones.

"Everyone has their own storage issue. One of the biggest frustrations can be untangling lights, or worse, buying new ones year-after-year because of careless storage," Soto said. "There are affordable light reels that come with a canvas storage bag to protect the lights and save you time and money next year."

Other specialty containers are stackable units with multiple levels that come with cardboard dividers to keep the ornaments from banging together and breaking.

The tree storage bags are a marvel of modern-day engineering. Similar to a golf bag, or duffel bag on wheels, they are made of tear-resistant material. The bags are designed to hold your artificial tree in sections and roll into the corner of the storage area out of the way.

"After you use the box for a couple of times it is destroyed," Echols said.

According to Parker, "There are color coordinated totes for the holidays and also many others for all kinds of valuables. The stackable units are great for hobbyist and crafters. They also work great for children's supplies and fishing gear."

"We can provide all of the storage solutions a consumer needs," Echols said.

When asked about the perils of storing holiday decorations, Soto said, "Some mistakes people make in trying to organize their holiday items are forgetting to label the boxes or use clear bins, and also not grouping seasonal items for similar occasions together. There is nothing worse than organizing your items and then forgetting what is in which box. It will save you time and the hassle of rummaging through all of the boxes to find what you need when it comes to decorating next year."

When asked about the best time to take decorations down Soto replied, "As much as I love Christmas decorations, I always try to take them down shortly after New Year's. This gives me enough time to enjoy my decorations, and determine what I should keep or what I should donate to start fresh.

"Pay special attention to ornaments that have any sort of sentimental value attached to them. Decorations that are particularly fragile or made out of glass should also be carefully stored. Coil your lights, so they don't get tangled. Also, if you have an artificial tree, be mindful of where and how you store it. This will ensure that when you pull it out next year, its branches are still perfectly symmetrical and ready for trimming," she said.

When it comes to staying organized after the holiday, don't just think about your decorations. Remember all of your treasures can be safely stowed away until it's time to enjoy them again and again.