my elves have to be put inn the same place as the milk n cookies for santa, as they go when santa delivers the presents on xmas eve.
xmas eve morning the elves haven't moved far or caused mischief but left "the xmas eve bag/box" which usually includes bubble bath, new pjs, a dvd, sweets or popcorn, a small craft kit (so i can get on with whatever), a story for bedtime and b4 we had a chimney santas magic door key.
as for putting them away i invested in plastic storage boxes that were blue in colour so not see through and they live on the wardrobe - there was a spare that we put hubby's old rc cars n bits in so when the kids asked what was in them we just said Daddy's stuff from his mums house (she dumped all his belongings in my front garden the day we got back from honeymoon - long story but basically hates me!) and they never asked since!!! as well as the elves being in the boxes all "things" for them are as well - clothes i have bought (school uniforms, army outfits, firemen outfits, doctor n nurse etc) plus the sleigh, and any bits i pic up throughout the year llike dvds, books, and such.
i can safely say that i was so glad they were in easily recognisable boxes when we moved house as a lady on 1 of uk sites moved about the same time and hers were only in cardboard box and she couldnt find them, they turned up mid dec.
about 2yrs ago i sat and went through the internet, google searching, looking at blogs and any elf site i could find and sat and added all mischief to a database (it puts them in alphabetical order. and as i find more i add them to it, so i have quite alot of ideas. in total it probably took me about 3days to do it all (half hr here and there etc).
as far as i am aware they will only be back at easter b4 xmas, but they have made other visits - the royal wedding we had a garden party for and they were found in the gazebo in garden in "posh clothes" not what they wear in dec. and they usually come back at easter wearing rabbit ears!