10 Easy Ways To Enjoy Pest-Free Holiday Shopping

10 Easy Ways To Enjoy Pest-Free Holiday Shopping

Summary: The holiday shopping season is here, and everyone is trying to find the best gifts for their loved ones. This blog gives 10 easy ways to prevent pests from ruining the holiday shopping and gift-giving experiences. Each task’s section starts with a list of the pests that are most likely to be found in that activity or area if the task is not done. Pointe Pest Control provides year-round pest control that protects homes and businesses from invasive species.

Now that Thanksgiving is over and everyone’s halls are decked, it’s time to turn our focus to the overwhelming task that is holiday shopping. This is the time of year when we get to show our appreciation for our lived ones by giving them gifts in the spirit of the holiday season. This tradition seems as old as time itself, but our modern shopping methods are definitely products of the 21st century.

Whether you prefer to pick out gifts in person, buy supplies to DIY, or scour websites for the best gift ideas, holiday shopping is a thorough process. One gift that we don’t think anyone would want to give — unless you’re really into gag gifts — is a pest infestation.

So let’s dive into the 10 best ways to prevent pests from ruining your holiday shopping experience and gift-giving activities, as well as the naughty pests that might sneak in if you don’t complete that task.

Check The Car

Pests on the Naughty List: rodents, ants, bed bugs, roaches

Before you even hit the road for some holiday shopping, you need to be sure you’re not accidentally driving a pest-mobile! If you have pests in your car, they could ruin the gifts or sneak inside without anyone noticing. Check your car for any signs of a pest invasion, like a musty odor, droppings, chewed items, and live or dead bugs. Pay special attention to the trunk of your car, as it’s easy for pests to hide here since it’s dark and isolated.

Keep Your Extra Items On You

Pests on the Naughty List: bed bugs, spiders, clothes moths

Once you’re in the stores, we recommend keeping your extra items — bag, coat, etc. — on you at all times. This is an easy way to prevent your items from being stolen, but it’s also helpful in lowering the risk of pests crawling into your bag or coat when you’re not looking. Bed bugs are notorious hitchhikers that hide in clothing, bags, shoes, and furniture until they find a safer hiding place in close proximity to their food.

Inspect Items Before Buying

Pests on the Naughty List: silverfish, mites, pantry pests, bed bugs

Another way that pests can accidentally come home with you is if they were already in the items you purchased, either from the manufacturing process or the time spent sitting on the store shelves. As you’re considering whether or not to buy an item, check it for any signs of a pest issue. The usual signs include small holes, chewed edges, droppings, torn paper, broken pieces, or bugs. If you see any of these on the item, we suggest choosing something else.

Don’t Let Gifts Become Clutter

Pests on the Naughty List: spiders, rodents, ants, roaches

It’s incredibly easy to let clutter accumulate in our homes, especially when we’re busier than usual. So we understand how overwhelming it can feel to not only complete your holiday shopping on time, but also to find a place for everything instead of leaving it all in a big pile in your car or house. All we’ll say is that it’s easier for pests to hide in clutter than in organized spaces, so try to organize your gifts any way that you can until you wrap them.

Store Treats In Good Containers

Pests on the Naughty List: rodents, ants, pantry pests, roaches, flies

Homemade treats and fancy desserts are great gifts, especially for people who don’t take the time to bake for themselves. There are many hungry pests that would love a bite of your edible gifts before the recipient has the chance to enjoy it themselves! To reduce the chances of an invasion, keep all food-related gifts in one area (the kitchen, ideally) and don’t open the packaging. Store homemade desserts in airtight containers until you plan to gift them.

Hide Gifts In Secure Places

Pests on the Naughty List: spiders, roaches, rodents

The last thing you want is an overly-curious child (or significant other) finding your hidden presents, so a great hiding spot is in order. As weird as it sounds, don’t make your hiding spots too good if you want to keep pests away. By this, we mean that you don’t want to hide presents in the deepest, darkest corners of your house. There are plenty of pests that lurk in these isolated shadows, and they could easily slip into a gift if it’s left there for too long.

Take Packages Inside

Pests on the Naughty List: roaches, silverfish, rodents, spiders

We haven’t forgotten about all of you online shoppers! The most important pest-preventing tip we can give you is to take your packages inside ASAP. The longer that a box or package sits outside, the more likely it will be invaded by a chilly pest. That being said, it’s not a big deal if the delivery sits outside for a few hours while you’re out for the day. Just give the package a quick inspection to make sure there aren’t any surprise guests wanting to get into your home.

Don’t Let Boxes Pile Up

Pests on the Naughty List: moths, rodents, silverfish

Once you’ve started taking the online-ordered gifts out of their boxes and packaging, it’s amazing how quickly the pile of discarded cardboard grows. As with any other time of year, you don’t want to let empty boxes sit out forever. Certain pests use cardboard as a combined shelter and food source, especially if the box is untouched for a long time. Once you’re done with the boxes, break them down and recycle them.

Take Out the Trash

Pests on the Naughty List: ants, rodents, silverfish, flies

Speaking of trash (a strange subject for a festive blog), the garbage situation can get out of control during the holidays. Between the home-cooked dinners and the holiday shopping, we go through a lot of trash bags this time of year. Make sure all packaging and wrapping materials make it into a garbage can, and take out the trash when it’s full. The random scraps and packages are trash to us, but they’re a whole new world for small pests.

Check the Christmas Tree

Pests on the Naughty List: praying mantises, spiders, beetles, aphids, mites

Before you put your wrapped gifts under the tree, you want to be sure that there aren’t any sneaky pests that might drop out of the tree to explore the interesting objects below it. Real trees run the risk of housing egg-laying pests, while fake trees can hide independent pests that claimed their new habitat during one of the other 11 months. Whichever type of tree you have, check it for any webs, eggs, and live or dead pests before placing your beautiful gifts underneath.

Put Pointe’s Efficient Solutions On Your Christmas List

Shopping for your loved ones is a fun experience, but searching for reliable pest control is a different story. Well, look no further than Pointe Pest Control! Our experienced, licensed technicians are dedicated to solving each pest issue as efficiently and safely as possible. We thoroughly inspect the property before creating a treatment plan that targets your pest problems. Pest control isn’t a “one-size-fits-all” experience, so our services are personalized to fit your needs. We understand the importance of a pest-free home, so we provide long-term solutions that continue working long after the service ends. For a free quote on our year-round services, contact us today!

Citations

Richardson, E. (2021, December 22). Keep your holidays pest-free with these tips | Opinion. The Tennessean. Available at https://www.tennessean.com/story/opinion/2021/12/22/tips-keep-your-home-pest-free-during-holidays/8997441002/ (Accessed on November 13, 2024).

Tips for a pest-free holiday. (n.d.). Pest World. Retrieved November 13, 2024, from https://www.pestworld.org/news-hub/pest-articles/tips-for-a-pest-free-holiday/