Time To Un-deck The Halls in Houston TX

With the New Year arriving shortly, you may be of the mind to bring Christmas to a close. If you are still sitting amidst piles of ribbons, bows and wrapping paper or still have your tree up and adorned don’t worry, you are not alone. It takes time to clear out after unwrapping presents, feasting and spending quality time with family and friends. The Houston pest control professionals here at Holder’s Pest Solutions have a few tips that we think may be helpful when you are ‘un-decking’ the halls.

Decorations in storage (really anything in storage) may not be as safe as you think. In fact, depending on how and what you pack items in, they could be damaged or infested by pests from mice, spiders, silverfish and other insects and rodents commonly found in Texas. Unfortunately, our holiday decorations make great shelter and sometimes a great food source (edible ornaments or popcorn strings anybody?) for pests to thrive. At Holder’s Pest Solutions we have seen it all when it comes to holiday pest problems, which is why we want to help homeowners avoid these problems so that when unpacking the holiday boxes next year, there are no surprises.

While it seems logical and more resourceful to reuse the same cardboard boxes year after year for storage, this is not a good idea. Mice can easily chew through cardboard and even begin to chew your precious holiday ornaments while boxes that aren’t sealed well are an open invitation to insects. Instead, store all of your decorations in large totes made from durable plastic with tight closing lids. This will ensure that no critters can get inside. Also, for added protection of delicate ornaments, use an ornament case that is designed to keep them intact while in storage. Table cloths, napkins and other seasonal linens should be washed to remove any food debris and always stored in sealed bags first to protect against mold and mildew from moisture.

Once the holiday bins (no boxes) are in storage, many think out of sight, out of mind. But it is a good idea to check your storage area often for pest activity. Keep an eye out for spider webs, mouse droppings, live insects and rodents, and be sure to contact Holder’s if you identify a problem as these are signs that your home is not properly pest-proofed. Left unaddressed, pests may take over your storage area and damage ornaments and other decorations that you love to bring out year after year.

Our last piece of advice in regards to packing away holiday decorations is to begin or continue year round pest control services. At Holder’s Pest Solutions, we offer home pest control in Houston that are designed to give you the peace of mind that comes with knowing your family and property are protected. Ourplan includes quarterly services to keep your home pest free.

Until next year, keep your decorations safe and contact Holder’s Pest Solutions at the first sign of a pest problem or to learn how you can prevent pests from infesting your home all year long!