Designate a special color marker, such as the Halloween color orange, to use when labeling the outside of your Halloween decoration storage boxes and containers. This color-coding technique will make them easier to locate.

When you buy plastic storage containers for storing Halloween decorations, ornaments or costumes, make sure that either the lids or the entire container is a Halloween color (usually orange, purple, black or grey). That's another easy way to find your Halloween items at a glance in your garage, closet or attic. Obviously, you'll mostly find these colors at walk-in retailers sometime between September and November. But if you look around, you can problem find them at some online retailers year-round.

Original boxes and containers, including the custom shaped Styrofoam, work best for storing Halloween decorations. But if you don't have these, you can still wrap items in newspaper, tissue or even soft paper towels. Store the really fragile or breakable Halloween decorations in smaller storage boxes and tins for extra protection. Then put those smaller boxes into your larger plastic container.

Store candles in a box with a lid in a cool, dark, dry environment so they don't fade or melt. Store long, tapered candles on their sides so they don't warp.

Halloween decorations that normally hang by cords, including fragile ones like thin cardboard scarecrows or even bulky ones, can hang from a wall hook in your garage. You can hang these decorations one in front of another. That will take less room because you'll be hanging several on the same "large" wall hook (such as a hook used to hold bikes, ladders or hoses). Cover these hanging Halloween decorations with old pillow cases and plastic trash bags.

If you're storing Halloween masks (or some Halloween costumes) that you plan to keep for a long time or that have sentimental value, be sure to check their care instructions or ask the store where you purchase them about this. If you don't do this, next Halloween you may be surprised to find your Halloween mask crumpled and cracked due to improper storage.

You may want to put all Halloween decoration hardware such as wreath hangers or other special Halloween ornament fasteners in one small box (that goes into one of your larger containers). Put it near the top for easy access and label it "Halloween Hardware--Open First". That way you can get started right away next year with your Halloween decorating.