How to Store Halloween Decorations So They Last for Years

The first of November always brings the same scene: a living room full of cobwebs, wreaths, costume pieces and tangled lights, and a strong urge to stuff it all into the nearest bin bag. It's worth resisting. Handmade decorations in particular take hours to make, and a little care when packing them away means they'll come out next year looking just as good.

This guide walks through a simple routine for putting Halloween away properly, with specific tips for the decorations that tend to get damaged most.

Step 1: Sort Before You Pack

Gather everything into one room and make three piles: keep, repair and let go. Be honest about the "let go" pile. Broken plastic decorations, sagging cobweb that's covered in dust and costumes nobody fits any more are better recycled, donated or thrown away than stored for another year.

Anything in the repair pile should be fixed now, while you remember what's wrong with it, or bagged separately with a note so it doesn't get forgotten.

Step 2: Clean Everything

• Wipe plastic and resin decorations with a damp cloth and let them dry completely.
• Shake out fabric decorations, table runners and costumes, and wash anything that's washable. Food, make-up and fake blood stains set over time.
• Brush dust off wreaths, paper fans and felt pieces with a soft paintbrush or a hairdryer on its cool setting.
• Empty and dry any potion bottles, vases and jars. Colored water left in bottles can stain the glass.
• Remove batteries from anything battery powered. Leaking batteries are the number one reason light-up decorations stop working.

Step 3: Choose the Right Containers

Clear plastic boxes with lids are the best all-round choice. They keep out damp, dust and insects, and you can see what's inside without opening every box. Cardboard boxes are fine in a dry cupboard but tend to collapse and attract damp in lofts, garages and sheds.

Useful extras include:

• Egg cartons and craft organizers for small items like ornaments and charms
• Zip-lock bags for small parts, screws, hooks and costume accessories
• Acid-free tissue paper for wrapping delicate and handmade items
• Silica gel sachets in boxes stored anywhere damp
• Labels or a marker pen for every box

How to Store Specific Decorations

Wreaths

Wreaths get crushed more than anything else. Store each one hanging on a hook inside a large bag, or in a round wreath box. If you have to stack them, put the heaviest at the bottom with a sheet of card between each one. Tulle and deco mesh wreaths can be gently fluffed back into shape next year, as described in our guides to tulle wreaths and deco mesh wreaths.

Paper decorations

Paper fans, banners and printables bend and crease easily. Store banners flat between two pieces of card, or rolled loosely around a cardboard tube. Paper fans can be folded back into a concertina and stored in a shallow box. Keep them in the house rather than a damp garage or shed.

Costumes and accessories

Fold washed costumes with tissue paper between the folds, or hang cloaks and capes on padded hangers inside garment bags. Hats keep their shape best when stuffed with tissue paper. Felt and foam pieces such as horns or masks should go in a box on their own so they don't get squashed. If you made a felt witch hat, store it upright with the brim supported.

Lights

Wind string lights loosely around a piece of stiff card or an empty kitchen roll tube, then tape the end down. It takes two minutes and saves twenty minutes of untangling next October. Test them before packing so you know which strings need replacing.

Glass and ceramic

Wrap each item in bubble wrap or several sheets of tissue, and pack them in a box with dividers. Never put heavy items on top of a glass box, and label it as fragile.

Faux pumpkins and gourds

Craft pumpkins are light but easily dented. Nest small ones in egg boxes, and wrap large ones loosely in tissue. Real pumpkins and gourds can't be stored for next year; compost them instead.

Cobwebs and fabric draping

Stretchy cobweb rarely survives a second year once it's been pulled apart, but you can roll unused or lightly used pieces back onto a sheet of card. Gauze and cheesecloth can be washed, dried and folded.

Step 4: Label and Organize

Label each box by room or by type, for example "Front porch," "Mantel," "Costumes" or "Craft supplies." It's also worth keeping a short list or photos of your displays, so next year you can set everything up in minutes instead of trying to remember where things went.

Put the boxes you'll need first (outdoor decorations and lights) at the front, and craft supplies at the back.

Where to Store Halloween Decorations

A cool, dry, dark place is best. Lofts and garages are fine for sturdy plastic boxes, but extreme heat can warp plastic, melt glue and fade fabric. Handmade paper and felt crafts, candles and anything with glue in it are happiest stored indoors, such as under a bed or at the top of a wardrobe.

A Quick Packing-Up Checklist

• Batteries out of everything.
• Lights tested and wound onto card.
• Fabrics washed and fully dry.
• Glass wrapped and boxed separately.
• Wreaths hung or boxed on their own.
• Repairs done or bagged with a note.
• Every box labelled on two sides.
• A short "buy next year" list taped inside the lid of the first box (more hooks, new cobweb, spare batteries).

That last note is the one you'll thank yourself for in October.

Frequently Asked Questions

Once everything is safely packed away, you'll have a head start for next year. Browse our DIY Halloween decorations for new projects to add to your collection, or see the full list of articles.