The holidays are arguably one of the most exciting times of the year. They’re a great way for friends and family to connect and focus on the important things in life. While we all enjoy a meal shared with our loved ones, the holidays wouldn’t be complete without a few present exchanges or white elephant parties. As many of us know, the excitement of holiday mornings is only joyous when gifts are kept a secret until the big reveal. With more people than ever completing their holiday shopping early, finding somewhere to hide your presents is essential. Here are a few great ways to keep gifts a surprise this holiday.
Disguising Presents
The first step in keeping gifts a surprise this holiday is to make sure that you properly disguise presents. You can pick the perfect hiding spot, but sometimes the nosiness prevails, and your hiding spots are unveiled. Don’t let this ruin your surprise. By adding an extra layer of precaution, you’ll create a diversion that will send snoopers away in disappointment.
One way to do this is to put your presents inside of a file box with labels like “tax documents” or “bank statements” or “baby clothes” before storing them in your closet. By advertising contents that are unappealing to onlookers, they’ll be less likely to put in the effort and take them off the shelf. The better you camouflage your presents, the lower the chances of them being discovered.
Another easy way to disguise your presents, or at least hide them in plain sight, is to simply wrap them up early. Whenever you buy something new, wrap it as soon as you get home. You can place it under your tree or wherever else you usually have holiday gifts on display and eliminate the opportunity for your kids, or spouse, from sneaking around. As an added bonus, wrapping them immediately after you buy them means you don’t have to do it later.
Storing Them Out of Sight
After disguising presents, you’ll need to find a place to store them out of sight. Sometimes simple camouflage isn’t enough and will not deter serious snoopers. The following are some great ways to keep presents out of sight until the big day.
Put Gifts Away in the Attic
Attics are great for indoor storage, especially when you need to hide presents. If you have an attic, use it. Most attics are only accessible by a ladder, making it difficult for young children to reach. If your attic is easily accessible, just make sure that gifts are kept as inconspicuous as possible. Use the disguising tactics above for the best results. If you have a basement instead of an attic, you can use this too. Just be strategic where you place your gifts as oftentimes basements are used for play. Plus, basements are much more accessible to children than an attic.
Use Suitcases or Containers
Chances are you have one or more suitcases stored away somewhere in your home. Place your holiday gifts inside of these suitcases and then put them right back where they were. Unless you’re going on a vacation, your family members are unlikely to get your suitcases out of storage. They give you the perfect hiding place in plain sight. For the best camouflage, use suitcases that have hard shells so that the shape doesn’t give away contents inside.
Place Moving Boxes in the Garage
Another way to keep gifts a surprise this holiday season is to hide them in even more visible places. If you use your garage for storage, a few more boxes won’t draw attention. Get a few moving boxes, ones with a little wear-and-tear if possible and put your holiday gifts inside. Then simply place them in a corner of your garage. Make sure that the moving boxes are taped up and placed in an area that won’t draw too much attention. However, with the decrease in sports and outdoor activities during the winter, chances are no one is going to go opening up boxes throughout the garage.
Under the Bed
If your bed is risen, you have a valuable storage space that can be difficult to infiltrate by snooping eyes. Clean out under your bed and get rid of anything that you find that no longer serves a purpose in your life. Then replace your clutter with strategically placed holiday gifts. Make sure that they’re wrapped for an added layer of protection, then surround them with shoe boxes, suitcases, or whatever else you had stored there before.
Gift Swap with a Neighbor
If you’re looking for a more creative way to keep the surprise element in play this holiday season, consider doing a gift swap with your neighbor. It’s exactly as it sounds. If you have a neighbor you’re close with, swap gifts and then hide each other’s presents in your home. This creates an extra layer of fun because if your spouse or children end up finding the stash, they’ll be even more surprised when they open them and find completely different contents.
Stock up the Office
If you work in an office, use it to your advantage. While we don’t recommend bombarding your place of work with bulky packages and holiday gifts, it’s a great option for those looking to keep a few items 100% secured. Keep the small to medium sized gifts at your office to increase the element of surprise for the big reveal. If you’re ordering gifts from online sellers like Amazon, Etsy, or local businesses, have them sent to your office to avoid ruining the surprise. There are also plenty of options for Amazon pickup locations that you can choose based on your location.
Avoid the Closet
While the closet is a common place for people to hide holiday gifts, it’s predictable. Wandering eyes will check the closet first and the element of surprise is quickly lost. If you can, avoid the closet at all cost. If you have to store some gifts in a closet, consider putting them in your children’s room or on your spouse’s side. People that look for presents will never check their own closet first, so it gives you an advantage.
Invest in a Self Storage Unit
If you’re looking for the best way to keep gifts a surprise this holiday season, invest in a self storage unit. Having an off-site hiding spot for your gifts is a great way to make sure that no one finds a thing. If you think self storage units aren’t worth the investment for simple holiday gifts, don’t worry. The benefits of having a self storage unit will extend far past the holidays and can help you organize your life and keep you sane and serene throughout the entire year.
When finding the perfect self storage unit, just make sure that you take a few precautions. Not all facilities are created equal and you need to make sure that you’re choosing a place that prioritizes quality and security. First, make sure that your self storage unit is climate controlled. Climate controlled units not only regulate the temperature, they control the humidity levels too. This means that your things will be kept in pristine condition for as long as you need regardless of if you’re storing electronics, cosmetics, or delicate artwork. Climate controlled units also allow you to store valuable items for long periods of time after the holidays are over. Next, make sure that you choose a facility that has top of the line safety features so that you can rest easy knowing your things are protected. Look for locations that have perimeter alarms, gated access, individually coded entry, and video monitoring. This gives you peace of mind and keeps your things safe, regardless of their value. To make sure you’re getting the most out of your self storage unit, find a company that permits 24/7 access to individuals. This way, you can hide a new gift anytime of the day or night and make sure your friends and family are surprised this holiday season.
When searching for the perfect temperature controlled self storage unit to keep gifts a surprise this holiday, contact The Lock Up Self Storage. We offer a variety of self storage units in varying sizes for all of your needs, both pre- and post-holiday season. With our flexible leasing options, you can test out a unit with short-term rentals and extend into long-term rentals as needed. All of our units are temperature controlled and offer stable levels of humidity to ensure that your holiday gifts stay in optimal condition during storage. Our facilities are protected with top-of-the-line security features like perimeter alarms, gated access codes, and 24/7 CCTV. To learn more about our self storage units at The Lock Up, give us a call today at 1-866-327-LOCK or stop by one of our locations for a tour of the facility.
