In the United States of America, the average number of guests at a wedding is approximately 150. In some states, like Nebraska, it’s even higher – about 210 guests. But, no matter how many guests you share your special day with, gift opening begins after the wedding ends. You probably think that is an exciting thing to do. But, before you know it, you will be surrounded by tons of gifts. Some of them you do not need, some you already have, and some may be doubles. Before you start worrying about what to do with those, read this article. We will share with you some ideas for storing your wedding gifts based on The USA Moving sound knowledge and years of experience.
Keep What You Need and Get Rid of the Rest
Open up your wedding gifts with your partner to ensure you are on the same page about what you want to do with them. Then, sort them out. As mentioned before, you will probably get many things you do not need. Our advice is to keep what you need and get rid of the rest. This is not to say you should throw them away, no. You can do the following, for instance:
- Trade – if the wedding gifts came with a receipt, you can trade them for something else.
- Sell – if you need the money more than you need a particular wedding gift, you can consider selling it.
- Donate – you should always think of others! So, if you feel you have more than you need, give the wedding gifts you do not plan on using to a charitable organization.
- Regift – there is nothing wrong with regifting, especially if you got duplicate wedding gifts. Just make sure you do not give the gift to the person who got it for you.
Find a Place to Store Your Wedding Gifts
Should you decide to keep all of your wedding gifts because they are too dear to you, start looking for storage options. If you happen to have a garage, attic, basement, or some extra room in your home, great, your problems are solved. But if not, you have to look for some other storage solution.
Renting a storage unit nearby is a good option. But, be careful when choosing a storage unit for your wedding gifts. Depending on what they are, you may need a climate-controlled one or one that offers premium security, etc. It would be a good idea to do your research or seek advice from the storage facility owner.
If you have many gifts, or if some of them are too bulky and heavy, do not hesitate to look for help. You can hire experts to make sure your items are properly packed and safely carried away to a storage unit you found.
Gather Proper Packing Supplies
Once you know where your wedding gifts will go, it is time to start packing them. For this, it would be best to put them back into their original packaging and seal them. However, if you have lost the packaging, accidentally thrown it away, or even if you have torn it apart while opening it, do not worry; there is a solution for that too!
Go to your local hardware store or stationery shop and buy the following: cardboard boxes, plastic bins, packing paper, plastic wrap, packing peanuts, good-quality duct tape, scissors, and permanent markers.
In case you got some really expensive but at the same time fragile gifts, it would be a good idea to put them in custom crates. As the name suggests, those are sturdy crates made of wood or plastic, made especially for the item you need. You can ask a handyman to do this for you or even look for a moving agency that offers this kind of service.
Be Careful When Packing Your Wedding Gifts
This is the part all newlyweds hate – packing everything. Yes, it is a tiresome process, but it is something that must be done. The sooner you start, the better.
After dealing with the gifts in their original packaging, get them out of the way and prepare for some serious packing. Our advice is to pack each item separately. First, wrap it with packing paper, and then in plastic wrap. Once you do that, put it in a box filled with packing peanuts. Seal it correctly and label each box. This is the only way to ensure your gifts are safe and sound.
In case you plan on storing your wedding dress as well, it would be best to hang it in your closet and cover it with those plastic clothing covers. But, if it is too big, you can also get a custom crate made especially for it and keep it in a storage unit.
Make an Inventory Before Storing Your Wedding Gifts
You will probably be unpacking and packing your gifts again right after the wedding. But that will be a chaotic time. And, during that chaos, it will be easy to forget what you placed in each box. It will be easy to forget even what gifts you got. Thus, besides labeling each box, it would also be a good idea to make an inventory. As soon as you put something in a box, write the item’s name on your inventory paper. Or make a digital inventory; it is the 21st century.
It is practically inevitable to end up with a load of gifts you do not have a place for after the wedding. Therefore, it is useful to have a few tips for storing your wedding gifts at hand to know your options. It will give you time to decide what you want to do with them. You will also know they are safely waiting for you to need them sometime in the future.