Getting the holiday boxes down from the attic is a fun tradition, until you open one and find droppings, chewed lights or a nest of shredded tinsel. If your decorations spend the year in the attic, basement or garage of your Somerset home, they sit in the same quiet, cluttered spaces that pests use. Below, we'll cover which pests move into stored decorations, what to check before you decorate and how to pack everything away so it stays clean. If you find signs of mice, our mice control service can find where they're getting in.
Which Pests Get Into Holiday Decorations
- Mice. Cardboard boxes, tissue paper, ribbon and fabric make soft nesting material. Mice may also chew wires on string lights and animated decorations.
- Silverfish. They feed on paper, cardboard, glue and starch, so wrapping paper and old boxes in a damp basement suit them.
- Spiders. Quiet storage areas collect webs and egg sacs on boxes and inside wreaths.
- Clothes moths and carpet beetles. Wool stockings, felt ornaments and tree skirts made from natural fibers can be damaged by their larvae.
- Pantry pests. Decorations made from dried corn, seeds, gourds or other food items can attract moths and beetles.
- Overwintering insects. Stink bugs, lady beetles and cluster flies that move into attics in fall may tuck themselves into boxes and wreaths.
Why Storage Areas Attract Pests
Attics, basements and garages are rarely disturbed. They often have gaps where pipes, wires or vents pass through, and they can be damp or drafty. Boxes stacked for eleven months give pests shelter, nesting material and privacy. Cardboard is the weak point. Mice can chew straight through it, and silverfish feed on it. Once pests settle into one box, they can spread to nearby storage, too.
Timing plays a part as well. Mice and many insects look for warm shelter as the weather cools in fall. That's the same stretch of the year when fall decorations go back into storage and winter boxes come out. Every time a box is opened, moved or left half-packed in a hallway, pests get another chance to slip in or out. A storage area that sits quiet from January to November gives anything that moved in plenty of time to settle.
Why It Matters
Most of the damage is to your belongings. Chewed fabric, stained ornaments and droppings in boxes are frustrating, and some decorations can't be replaced. The bigger concern is wiring. Lights or cords that mice have chewed can be a fire risk. Bringing an infested box into your living room can also move pests from storage into the main part of your home. That's why a quick check before you decorate is worth the time.
What To Check Before You Decorate
- Open boxes outside or in the garage. If something runs or flies out, it stays out of the house.
- Look for droppings and nesting material. Small dark pellets, shredded paper and fabric scraps point to mice.
- Inspect every cord. Run your hand along string lights and look for bare wire, nicks or chewed insulation. Throw out damaged lights rather than taping them.
- Check fabrics. Look for small holes, webbing or larvae in wool, felt and other natural fibers.
- Shake out wreaths and garlands. Do it outdoors to dislodge spiders and overwintering insects.
- Toss food-based decorations. Dried corn or seed ornaments with webbing or tiny beetles should go in the trash.
If you're also bringing in a fresh tree, our guide on whether Christmas trees have bugs covers what can come in on the branches.
How To Store Decorations Pest-Free
- Use plastic bins with tight lids. They keep out mice and insects far better than cardboard.
- Clean before you pack. Wipe ornaments, vacuum fabric items and make sure everything is dry.
- Skip food-based items. Don't store edible decorations from year to year.
- Keep storage dry. A dehumidifier in a damp basement helps keep silverfish and mold down.
- Raise boxes off the floor. Shelving makes it easier to spot droppings and harder for pests to hide.
- Seal gaps in storage areas. Look for openings around pipes, vents and the garage door.
When To Call A Professional
Call for help if you find fresh droppings, chewed wiring or nests in your storage boxes, or if you hear scratching in the attic or walls. Those signs suggest mice are still in the house, not just in last year's boxes. EcoFusion's NJ DEP-licensed technicians can inspect your attic, basement and garage, find the entry points pests are using and build a targeted plan to remove them and seal those gaps.
A few minutes of checking before you decorate, and a few good bins when you pack up, can keep your holiday traditions free of unwanted guests. Store smart this year, and your Somerset decorations will come out of storage clean next season.