With the build-up to the festive season, there is a long list of things to do that wouldn’t be a consideration at any other time. Just think of all the presents, decorations, cooking, cleaning and preparing your home for visitors over the holidays. That is why we have compiled a simple Christmas storage and safety guide with some valuable, practical tips to ease your burden.
East-To-Follow Christmas Storage Advice For A Safe Holiday
We all love the festivities that Christmas brings but there are some safety concerns, especially involving the elderly, kids and pets. From tripping hazards and breakables to unnecessary clutter taking up too much space and poisonous plants. To make sure you and your guests have a jolly and safe festive season, here are some simple Christmas storage and Christmas safety tips.
Water Your Christmas Tree And Avoid Fire Hazards
Few things define Christmas more than a fireplace and a big tree but it can quickly go up in flames. If you have a real Christmas tree, make sure you water it regularly and don’t leave it too close to the fireplace.
The same can be said for candles as any fire source can ignite a real or artificial tree, presents, greeting cards and decorations. Keep your tree at least three feet from radiators or fireplaces and check that the label on your artificial tree states “fire-resistant.”
Clean Your Chimney
Another important, and often-forgotten, Christmas safety tip is to clean your chimney before building a fire. Homeowners should inspect their chimney before Christmas and use a wire brush to scrub black and flaky creosote deposits. Using a flashlight, look for loose bricks, blockages, or debris.
Be Mindful Of Where You Put Candles
Across the world, the three days of the year at the highest risk for home fires are Christmas Day, New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day. Make sure you keep candles at least one foot away from anything flammable and place them in stable holders. It may sound silly but you should never leave burning candles unattended as anything can happen.
Keep Valuables Safe With Christmas Storage
If you have any valuable items such as paintings, porcelain or fine China, be sure to pack them away correctly. Tackle one room at a time and look at it from an elderly person or a child’s perspective. Are there any items that someone can easily knock over and break? If so, place it in bubble wrap and carefully pack it into a suitable box or container.
While you can keep it in the spare room or garage, the best Christmas storage advice we can give you is to rent a small storage unit. You can use it for all of your valuables, extra furniture you don’t need, old pots and pans, toys, clothing or linen. Besides, if you have family or friends staying in the guestroom, you don’t want to add to the clutter by putting things in the cupboard or under the bed.
Speaking of clutter, you should also check for any trailing wires, cables or carpets with curly edges as these are dangerous tripping hazards.
Hang Breakable Ornaments And Decorations Higher Up
Staying on the topic of breakables, most Christmas decorations are shiny and far too tempting not to touch. If you have colourful or shiny vintage ornaments and little ones running about, make sure to hang these at top of the tree. That means kids can help decorate without having to worry about broken glass. Another helpful Christmas storage tip involves putting old or excess decorations into self storage. At Space Centre, you can rent a unit short-term or long-term with FREE insurance up to £3000.
Replace Old Christmas Lights And Follow The Instructions
Christmas lights add so much to the festivities but they can also be a safety hazard. If you have old lights with frayed wires and broken sockets, it’s time to replace them. When buying Christmas lights, be sure to read the instructions and only use indoor lights indoors and outdoor lights outdoors. As “safe” as they may seem, we always recommend turning them off when leaving the house for any amount of time and when going to bed.
Don’t Overload Your Electrical Circuits
Christmas time typically means more electrical requirements but be warned that all of the decorations and lights can overload your electrical circuits. Pay close attention to how much power your decorations, lights, figurines and applicants need before adding more. If you plan to use more power than the experts recommend, make sure to spread it across multiple circuits.
Christmas Safety Tips For The Kitchen
While you may have a well-equipped kitchen, Christmas cooking requires a lot more than other times of the year. When using your kitchen during Christmas, make sure you prepare for the worst as a grease fire can quickly break out and catch you off guard.
Also, many people understandably assume throwing water on a small fire will stop it but doing so causes the flames to spread. To be safe, do the following:
- Keep a fire extinguisher handy
- Clean your oven before using it
- Check that your smoke detectors are working
- Invest in a carbon monoxide detector
- Never leave food unattended when it’s cooking
- Don’t use a deep fryer indoors
Related: Know The Symptoms Of Carbon Monoxide Poisoning
Light Up The House And More Christmas Safety Tips
If some areas inside or outside your home are a little dim, add some more lighting. Consider using motion-detecting lights to brighten the driveway and your reception area. With colder and wetter weather in December, use floor mats inside and outside of the entryway to minimise the risk of people slipping.
- Look out for small items that could pose a choking hazard to young children
- Give yourself enough time to prepare and cook Christmas dinner
- Remember to wipe up any spills quickly
- To keep the exterior safe, get a small supply of grit or salt if necessary. If you’re a business, the same safety considerations apply
Keeping Your Pets Safe This Christmas
Along with keeping your guests safe and Christmas storage best practices, your pets are also part of the family and also need to be taken care of. Cats love to climb a tree, even if it’s a Christmas tree, and like to play with anything shiny. Dogs might want to mark their territory or chew on the pine needs, and sometimes decorations too.
Keep your pets safe by installing a foldable kid’s playpen or a doggy exercise pen. You should also work off some of your pet’s energy outside the house or in another room. Consider using Christmas decorations that are less attractive for a cat. A great way to keep them from climbing the tree is to place a foil cover around the base of the tree as cats don’t seem to like walking on it.
Be Mindful of Poisonous Plants In Your Home
It is common to have more plants in the home during Christmas and some can be dangerous for kids and animals. Poinsettias are a common plant brought into the house at Christmas and can cause vomiting in pets and children if consumed. It’s not fatal but they could get quite ill. Eating mistletoe is also toxic so it’s best to keep it away from pets, along with other potentially poisonous plants such as holly berries, Jerusalem cherry and amaryllis.
Tis The Season To Be Jolly (And Safe)
As festive as the Christmas holidays might be for most people, it also presents an ideal opportunity for burglaries. With expensive Christmas presents in the house and holiday travel leaving homes empty, the chances of break-ins are high. If you are going away, here are a few things you can do to improve your home security and give you peace of mind.
- Don’t share your holiday travel plans online
- Schedule packages to be delivered when you will be home to receive them
- Consider smart technology to protect your home such as plugs that use timers or are controlled automatically
- Ask your neighbours to keep an eye open for anything suspicious
- Redirect your mail to a friend, relative or neighbour
Christmas Storage With Space Centre
If you are looking for ideal Christmas storage, a secure unit at Space Centre is ideal. Whether you want to store excess furniture, large gifts or Christmas decorations, simply rent a small self storage unit or storage locker. They are available in various sizes which makes them incredibly versatile and affordable.
Get in touch with our friendly, experienced staff for more information and to reserve your Christmas storage unit today in Stroud, Bristol, Cheltenham/Gloucester or Stonehouse. From everyone here at Space Centre, we wish you and your family a safe and Merry Christmas.