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Okay folks... how many of you serious collectors can put your fingers on a particular ornament at a moment's notice? If so, please press the delete button NOW. You obviously don't need to read this article. There, now that we’ve weeded out the meticulous minority, we can address the messier majority.
Last year in a valiant attempt to organize my Keepsake treasures, I armed myself with Rubbermaid storage boxes, a brand new computer database program designed for ornaments, and a book on how to organize your life, which was probably written by one of the previously mentioned minorities.
When it came time to take my 'baubles' off the trees, wreaths, mantles, curtains, and shelves, I was ready! I skimmed over the book (Hey, how much time do you think it takes to read a whole book on organizing? ...and it's dry reading to boot!) Then got out the storage boxes. Next step... turned on the computer and started up the Yulelog program, which my guru husband had already installed. I was READY!!!!
I decided to separate according to
series. That seemed to make sense. But my Puppy Love
series didn't take up a whole box, so I added in the Cat Naps as
well. Still not full. Okay, tried putting ALL of the
ornaments with dogs and cats on them in the box. Now I'm
cooking! Have two of the 1997 Dalmatian ones, and want to
either sell or trade one of them. Let's see... do I put
both of them in the cat/dog box or should I put the ones that I
want to sell in another box? Surely if I mark it on Yulelog
that I have two, I can remember that one is in the 'extras'
box. I had a Santa holding a kitten, but decided against
putting it in with this group due to space failure. That's
okay. It can go in with some other Santas, can’t
it? Yeah, that will work.
Boxes... oh goodness...
Hallmark boxes. Egads! Flattening them out and
tucking them on the bottom of the appropriate storage box would
work. Of course, the ones with the plastic inserts will
have to stay intact. In that case, it's just as easy to
store the ornaments that come that way in their original
box. BUT... if they are only for my own personal
collection, and I am never going to part with them due to
sentimentality, I can toss the annoying pieces of plastic
away. Arghhh. What just came out of my mouth?
Blasphemy... guilt attack!!! We KNOW we can not toss any
part of the wrapper away. 
It's easier with some of my older
ornaments [BBBB... Before Boxes Became Boss]... they don't have
boxes anymore, and that is that. DARN IT!!!
Ball ornaments have to be stored upside down so condensation doesn't leave age or water spots on them. These have special containers with cardboard sections in them for the boxless ones. Do you think if I put them in their own box upside down, I can skip this step? Maybe it would be easier to put them in by year? Let's see how that works out. 1973... now which ones were 1973? Great, I have over 1,000 'active' ornaments that get displayed at some time or other during the year and I have to figure out which years are which? Not a chance. My magnifying glass and I would go bonkers checking over every single teeny, tiny date.
Okay, okay... this is supposed to be a fun hobby and I have downed 8 aspirin and am sitting in the middle of all kinds of ornaments in, on, or by their respective boxes waiting for their final resting place. Storage boxes are in various stages of being filled. My husband poked his head in the living room to ask me if I am still having "fun." Reminds me that Super Bowl is coming up in another couple of weeks and he really would like to watch it on our big screen TV. There just might be a box around here big enough to put him in. Not sure which category he should be listed under… although I do have some definite ideas.
Putting ornaments in groupings is an
idea. Patriotic ones for 4th of July, spring ornaments for
Easter. You know I have enough 'office' type ones, (e.g.,
Cranberry Copier, VP of Important Stuff, and the one with the
raccoon on the stapler) that I could do a Secretary’s tree
for my office room. Another box, please.
Fishing in the summer is a big deal around here, so a display with a fishing theme would be ideal. Which ones should I use? Gee, if I put the display in an aquarium, I could store the fishing ornaments right in there! Smart. Should I put in all the fishing stuff? How about Mr. and Mrs. Claus on Vacation? They're going fishing... close enough. Maybe winter ice fishing should be a different theme, but then where would I put ice fishing? Under Christmas? No... a box for winter fun? I like that! I could add a few of the animals that are playing outside. Okay, dilemma time... if you have animals doing people things, should you have people doing people things too? Perhaps yet another box is necessary. Need one for bells, Kiddie Cars, trees, snowmen, etc. Maybe I should compromise? At this rate, Easter will be over before I get things arranged. No! I must persevere. After two more trips back to the store for more boxes and fourteen trips upstairs to pack them away, I'm looking good. Being a smart consumer, I have one of those 'tall' beds. Do you have any idea how much more you can put under these kinds of beds? I personally advocate them to all serious collectors. It also saves dusting - no place for the dust bunnies to gather! Closets are full. Spare room is history. Eaves get extra 'insulation.' DONE!!!
That wasn’t too bad.
Unfortunately, the Spring collection, Swap/Sells and Internet
bargains have to be duly noted. Let's face it, motivation
is not as high in July as it was right after Christmas.
Some ornaments were picked up for gifts, some were picked up for
friends, and some were picked up because they were there at the
right time. Bought yet another storage box for these
'impulse' purchases.
Now that it is almost Halloween time, a black tree with a few of the Wicked Witch of the West on it could be fun. Can add a couple of the ghouls from the Hunchback of Notre Dame. These brainstorms are tough, because I know what will come next. You guessed it. Finding those particular ornaments. Hmmmmm, let me think. Could they be under 1996? No, I decided against the 'years' for the most part. Okay...maybe under trade/sell? Got luckier there - found three of the Witches and one of the ghouls. Where are the miscellaneous? Not 100% sure, but I know I have more of the Witches and at least one more ghoul trio. I say so, Todd says so. But WHERE ARE THEY?
ARGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!! WHERE IS MARTHA STEWART????
