Decorations, Storage, and Rodents — What’s Hiding in Your Holiday Boxes

Christmas in North Texas is all about family traditions—time together at home, hosting friends, sharing meals, and making memories.With more activity in the kitchen and more cozy nights indoors, it’s also the season when rodents look for warmth and an easy food source.

Homes in Haslet, Justin, and Roanoke, along with neighborhoods such as Sendra Ranch, Timberbrook, and Briarwyck, see some of the highest rodent pressure in winter. Cooler temperatures push mice and rats indoors, and quiet storage areas become the perfect nesting spots.

Before you open another holiday box, here’s what you need to know — and how to keep rodents from turning your seasonal décor into a year-round problem.

Why Rodents Love Holiday Storage Areas

Attics, garages, and closets rarely get much traffic throughout the year. That makes them ideal hiding places for rodents because they offer:

• Warmth during cold nights
• Undisturbed space for nesting
• Hiding places inside boxes, bins, insulation, and shelving
• Easy access points, especially in new construction areas

Boxes filled with paper, fabric, or foam create ready-made nesting material. And because holiday décor is only used once a year, these boxes remain untouched long enough for rodents to settle in.

Homeowners in Sendra Ranch and Timberbrook often discover this during December — when they open a box and find shredded tissue paper, droppings, or chew marks.

Common Signs Rodents Have Been in Your Holiday Boxes

Before bringing decorations into your living spaces, look for warning signs such as:

• Shredded tissue, gift wrap, or insulation
• Small black droppings in the corners of boxes
• Strong musty or ammonia-like odors
• Chew marks on cardboard, plastic, or wiring
• Nesting materials built from fabric, paper, or packaging

If you find even one of these signs, investigate further because the problem may be bigger than it looks. Rodents rarely travel alone, and hidden areas may be harboring more rodent activity than you would like to think.

How Rodents Get Into Attics and Garages

Rodents don’t need much space to squeeze into your home — and winter weathermakes them persistent. The most common entry points we find in Haslet, Justin, and Roanoke include:

• Gaps along garage doors
• Roofline and cornice return separations
• Openings around AC lines or utility pipes
• Broken or unsealed gable vents
• Foundation gaps and weep holes

Once they’re inside the attic or garage, boxes of décor become instant shelter.

Why DIY Fixes Won’t Solve the Problem 

Many homeowners try sealing openings with foam or caulk before putting décor back into storage. Unfortunately, rodents can chew through both materials easily.

DIY traps also rarely fix the root issue because:

• They only catch a small fraction of the population
• They don’t address how rodents got inside
• They don’t reduce outside rodent pressure
• And rodents learn to avoid them

If holiday boxes show signs of chewing, droppings, or nests, a professional inspection is the best next step.

How to Protect Your Decorations (and Home) From Rodents

Here are a few proactive steps to prevent rodents from taking over your holiday storage:

1. Switch to plastic bins instead of cardboard: rodents easily chew through cardboard but have a harder time accessing sealed plastic tubs.
2. Store décor off the floor: shelving, attic decking, or hanging storage bags help reduce access points.
3. Keep attics and garages decluttered: rodents hide in cluttered corners where activity goes unnoticed.
4. Avoid storing food or scented items near décor: edible or scented items attract rodents from outside.
5. Schedule rodent exclusion: this seals every possible entry point using chew-proof materials — not foam or wood patches.
6. Add Rodent Maintenance for long-term protection: rodent bait boxes placed along the home’s exterior reduce populations before they reach your attic or garage.

This two-part system (exclusion + Rodent Maintenance) is the most reliable way to stop rodents from nesting where you store your holiday treasures.

How Myles Pest Services Protects Your Home Year-Round

Homeowners in Roanoke, Haslet, and Justin trust Myles Pest Services because we:

• Use products that are not harmful for kids and pets
• Provide professional exclusion with chew-proof materials
• Maintain Rodent Maintenance bait boxes throughout the year
• Offer recurring pest control plans that prevent year-round infestations
• Understand pest activity specific to our North Texas communities and construction patterns

When holiday storage boxes show signs of activity, the underlying issue is almost always a larger rodent population around — or inside — the home. We’re here to stop that before it becomes even more costly (think damaged air ducts or chewed-through water pipes).

Protect Your Home and Your Holiday Décor This Season

The last thing you want this holiday season is a pest problem. Whether you’re in Sendra Ranch, Timberbrook, or Briarwyck, winter is peak rodent season — and your storage boxes might already be telling you something.

Take action before rodents ruin your décor or damage your home.

👉 Visit MylesPest.com to estimate & buy your Rodent Maintenance and recurring pest control plan today!