It’s impossible to own just one candle, isn’t it? There are so many scents, colours, shapes, and sizes available that many candle lovers have assembled a huge collection. Some even like to create their candles!
But if you want your candles to last, you must store them properly. Besides keeping them away from heat sources to ensure they won’t melt, you must keep a few things in mind if you want to make the most of your beautiful candles.
Whether you have a big collection or just a few candles, check out these eight ideas for storing candles:
Idea #1: Don’t hesitate to display your decorative candles
Do you have some just too pretty candles to be hidden away in a box or a drawer? Think about displaying them on a shelf or in a cabinet. Just be sure they will not be touched by direct sunlight during the day.
Candles make great decorative items, even when they are not lit. Plus, if you light them up regularly, displaying them in the room will make them much easier to reach.
Idea #2: Find a cool and dry spot for your candles
Unfortunately, candles that are displayed will gather dust. To prevent this and ensure they last as long as possible, find a cool and dry spot to store most of your candles.
Think about drawers, cupboards, and closets. You could also store them in your basement, as long as it is dry. Too much moisture might damage the wicks of your candles and make them difficult to light up.
Heat could melt your precious candles, and direct sunlight could fade their colours and erase the fragrance of scented candles.
Idea #3: Keep them away from children and pets
While searching for the perfect cool and dry spot to store your candles, make sure they will be out of the reach of children and pets.
You wouldn’t want them to think your candles are colourful candy or treats. Although most candle wax is non-toxic, it’s simply not healthy to eat candles or chew on them. Coconut wax candles come with many benefits, but edibility is not one of them.
You also wouldn’t want your kid to accidentally start a fire by trying to light up one of your candles while you are not around.
Idea #4: Store your candles in sturdy containers
If you have many candles, you shouldn’t just throw them in a drawer or at the back of a cupboard. Some of your candles might already come in their glass jar, but it’s a good idea to store all your candles in sturdy containers.
A metal box or tin protects your candles from moisture and scratches. You could also get small plastic bins. They are cheap to buy; if you get clear ones, you can instantly see which candles are stashed inside.
You could use a storage container for mugs to store your candles or some drawer dividers to organize them more easily.
Idea #5: Organize your candles by shape and size
Using drawer dividers or simply more than one storage container will allow you to organize your candles by shape and size. Store your taper candles, large pillar candles in the same container or compartment, and tea lights in another.
This makes it easier to find the candle you are looking for without digging through a messy box full of different candles.
Depending on the size of your collection, you could also organize your candles by colour.
Idea #6: Store scented candles in plastic bags
Is it possible to prevent a scented candle from losing its fragrance? If your scented candles don’t come in a container with a lid, place them in a Ziploc bag before storing them.
This will protect them from moisture and help them keep their scent much longer. You could keep your different fragrances in separate plastic bags if you want.
Idea #7: Consider wrapping them individually so they won’t stick together
If you want to keep your candles from sticking to one another, you can wrap each of them in a piece of tissue paper before placing them in their storage container.
Wrapping them individually will also protect them from scratches and friction, so they will look their best whenever you take them out of their container to light them up.
Idea #8: Help them keep their shape by laying them flat
Taper and pillar candles should lay flat at the bottom of their container. If you have many of them, you can stack them together in an offset pattern. This will prevent them from warping, which they could do if you stacked them upwards.
Finally, remember to store your candles close to their holders, which will simplify things next time you want to light one up.
