Attic storage is ideal for delicate - and not so delicate - holiday decorations. Once largely limited to Christmas ornaments and lights, decorations these days may include fake skeletons for Halloween, Thanksgiving centerpieces and candles, and even Fourth of July banners and yard decorations. Themed decorating has become a part of just about every major holiday. To make sure your decorations stay in good shape the rest of the year, dedicate a corner of the attic to them. If you use decorations for only one or two holidays, just stack them in a column of boxes. If you have a bigger collection of holiday decorations, use standing shelves to keep everything in one place. Don't store decorations loose. You can find a specialized box or container for just about any type of decoration. For instance, wreaths can be put away in protective storage bags or octagonal boxes custom made for wreaths.

Ornaments: You'll find an amazing diversity of options when it comes to storing Christmas ornaments. Specialized boxes abound, most with individual compartments for each ornament. You can select from padded cardboard boxes, fancy molded-plastic units, or even wood chests. Choose ornament boxes based on how much you're willing to spend and how precious your collection is — wood chests offer the most protection but cost the most. Plastic is durable and will absorb shocks when the box is moved around, but if there is little traffic in the attic, a cardboard ornament box may provide all the protection you need. The most important element in your choice is buying a container that will store the number of ornaments you have.

Decorative lights: Strings of festive lights have long been a part of the Christmas celebration, and tangled masses of light strings have been the aftermath of many a holiday season. Keep your strings of lights tidy with a spool light-string organizer. If you have several strings, such as outdoor sets and the sets you use on the tree, you can buy special plastic storage boxes with slots for each organizer and cavities for extra bulbs.

For more on organizing clutter, see Good Housekeeping's The Complete Clutter Solution

Reprinted with Permission of Hearst Communications, Inc. Originally Published: http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/toolarticles/clutter-solution-attic-holiday-decorations-may07