How To Keep Mice & Other Pests Out Of Your Holiday Decor

Are mice and other pests really a threat to holiday decorations in storage?

Mice, rats, and even insects can indeed be a threat to holiday decorations in storage. Rodents are known for their gnawing habits and often chew through cardboard boxes, flimsy plastic containers, and even fabrics. Leftover candy canes, ornaments made from dough or other food can be particularly appealing to some pests.

How to store holiday decorations

Sure, it’s tempting to throw everything in cardboard boxes, plop them in the attic, a closet, or even the garage and call it good until next year, but this line of thinking has its pitfalls. To protect your holiday decorations from mice and other pests, our local pest control specialists recommend the following tips:

• Clean & inspect decorations before storing
  Before stowing away your holiday décor, wipe them down, inspect for any signs of damage or pest activity, and remove anything edible. This includes shaking out your tree skirt to dislodge anything living (i.e., spiders) in the fabric and throwing away popcorn and cranberry garland.
• Use sturdy containers with tight-fitting lids
  Opt for durable plastic containers with tight-fitting lids instead of cardboard boxes. You’ll want totes made to withstand rodent gnawing.
• Don’t leave wrapping paper exposed
  Rather than store your wrapping paper, bows, and other accoutrements in garbage bags, laundry hampers, or other storage solutions that leave them unprotected, invest in airtight containers that can accommodate their length.

The best way to keep pests out of your decorations is to keep your home pest-free.

In addition to packing up your holiday décor as noted above, don’t forget to pest-proof the rest of your home. Really, it’s the best way to protect all your belongings and even your family from pests and the problems they cause. Here are a few pest prevention tips to implement before the new year and really all year-round.

• Keep your kitchen spotless
  Since food is a major attractant to insects and rodents, it’s essential to keep your kitchen clean. Clean up spills and crumbs as soon as they happen, disinfect kitchen counters and appliances regularly, and vacuum and mop floors often.
• Clean & organize your pantry
  To deter mice and other pests from feasting in your pantry or kitchen cabinets, be sure to throw away expired items, store food in airtight containers instead of their original packaging and clean up spills on shelving and floors.
• Keep the rest of your home picked up
  Unfortunately, the kitchen isn’t the only room in the house that attracts pest activity. To prevent pests from infesting the attic, bathrooms, or other parts of your house, establish and maintain a cleaning schedule.
• Seal entry points
  Inspect the outside of your home for potential entry points that mice and other pests could use to slip inside. Once you’ve located gaps, cracks, and openings that could be exploited by pests, be sure to seal them up using caulk, expanding foam, wire mesh, and other pest-proofing material. You may need to replace roof shingles, broken siding, or repair larger holes. We also recommend installing a chimney cap and covering vents with material that keep pests out but that allow the air to flow properly.
• Keep your gutters clear
  If leaves, twigs, and other debris are not removed from gutters, they can cause ice dams in the winter that lead to serious damage and that can also attract pests. To prevent this from happening, clean out your gutters, consider installing gutter guards, and make sure the downspouts diver water away from your foundation. 
• Pest-proof your property
  Cut back tree limbs so that they do not touch the sides of your home or the roof, trim back shrubs and bushes, and remove leaves and other debris that have accumulated in your yard. If you store firewood on your property, do not store it in the garage or anywhere else inside, but rather several feet from your house and up off the ground.

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