How to Safely Store Christmas Decorations
How to pack, organize and store Christmas decorations easily to save time and money and make decorating next year so much easier.
When the Christmas season is over it can be either kind of sad for some who don’t want to see it go or for some people, including me, it’s a time to clean, organize and start fresh! Either way, it needs to be put away and if you’re taking down your Christmas decorations and just throwing things in boxes, you may want to think twice.
Now is the time to organize all of your Christmas decorations so next year it’s easy to find and easy to decorate. You don’t have to spend a fortune on fancy containers but you should invest a little because if you store them properly, your decorations will last a lot longer which in the long run will save you time and money.
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Here are my tips on how to store Christmas decorations.
- First things first, PURGE.
If your style has changed over the years and you didn’t use some items this year or haven’t used it them a while, donate them. There is a church thrift store near me that saves the donated Christmas decorations, gift bags, wreaths, Christmas dishes, you name it, that are donated throughout the year and they have a giant sale every November where they raise a ton of money for community members in need. I’ve been on the donating end, the shopping end and have gotten some great stuff there and it’s a great cause. Win – Win!!
If it’s broken or worn too much, throw it in the trash. The less you have to store the better because you won’t waste space and you won’t waste time rummaging through extra stuff when you go to decorate.
2. Use Clear plastic bins/totes.
We don’t have an attic so everything we need to store goes in our basement. To make the most of the space, my husband built some super simple shelves out of 2×4’s and plywood for storing bins a few years ago. I recommend the clear bins when possible so you can see what’s in them and in all the same size and type if possible with matching lids that are interchangeable. I learned the hard way that if you get different styles, it can be hard to match the tops. Having the same style also makes it easier to stack them neatly so you can take advantage of the height if you’re limited in space.
It’s not super pretty, but really functional!
3. Label everything!
Although I use mostly clear bins, I still like to label everything. I use clear plastic page protectors, packing tape, plain white printer paper and a sharpie, It’s super inexpensive, you can change out the paper when you change items in the bin and it creates a consistent look and makes everything neat and easy to find.
If you want to keep it really simple, use masking or painters tape and a sharpie instead.
I recommend, keeping like things together in one bin where you can. For example, all of the “Tree” stuff goes together, the small tabletop trees, etc.
Berry stems, small berry wreaths… Lay everything flat and put smaller pieces in baggies.
4. How to store Christmas ornaments
Ok, I’ll be the first to admit it, we have a TON of ornaments but that’s what happens when you’ve been married 25 years. 🙂 We collect ornaments on all our vacations and my mother-in-law gives each of our children a personalized ornament every year. Most are fragile if you’re storing glass ornaments try to store them in the original boxes in their own tote.
Side note, I try to make sure to label each of them which year it was and if it has a special meaning like something they had done together. 🙂
As a blogger, I also like to change up our looks each year to give our readers different ideas to try so when I see dirt cheap ornaments at a garage sale or thrift store, I scoop them up for less than a few dollars and it gives me options. You can see more ideas in my post 20 ways to decorate for Christmas on a budget.
When possible, store the same color Christmas ornaments together.
Again, keep the original packaging if possible.
For less fragile ornaments, I use shoe boxes stacked inside the plastic totes.
If you haven’t saved the original boxes, you can use this handy cup idea…
Or, you can try something like this. It’s holds 64 ornaments, is stackable and comes with a spot to label it.
5. How to store Christmas lights
How do you store Christmas lights so they don’t get all tangled? Simply cut a piece of cardboard (I used a section of the top of a box) and cut a small groove on one end. Tuck one end of the lights into it to hold it in place and then wrap around the cardboard, careful not to bend the lights too much. Store each cardboard piece in a plastic bin vertically (so they are not laying on top of each other) separated by newspaper, plastic bags or cheap paper towels.
You can also wrap them around an old plastic hanger.
For smaller fairy lights, wrap them around a toilet paper roll…
6. How to store wrapping paper
I like to switch up my wrapping paper every year to match my decor. This means I have some left over from other years and it will get used eventually. I also keep every gift bag we’re ever given and the bows too, as long as they are in good shape. (I’m not a hoarder, I swear) How you choose to store wrapping paper depends on what type of space you have. For our space, it works best if it is stacked vertically so I use long narrow plastic bins to hold all of our wrapping paper. One of these could also fit under the bed if needed. You can find similar bins here.
If possible, store your Christmas wrapping paper separately from other wrapping papers.
Another idea is to use an old paper towel roll slit down the side to keep the wrapping paper rolls all rolled up instead of using tape which can rip the paper when you pull it apart.
If you have more space to hang things, you could use a garment bag to store your wrapping paper.
I also have one thin tote for gift bags, one for tissue paper and one small one for ribbon.
If you want to keep it all together in one spot, you can get something like this which would also fit under a bed:
7. How to store Christmas linens.
Another Christmas decoration storage tip is to hang tablecloths folded lengthwise on a hanger and tuck them away in a closet instead of folding them or cramming them in a bin. They won’t wrinkle as much. (Bonus tip – if they do end up having wrinkles, simply toss in the dryer with a damp towel to remove the wrinkles, remove immediately and spread out on the table).
I store Christmas pillows in a big bin…
Another tip: opt for pillow covers instead of pillows where possible as they are a big space saver.
8. How to store Christmas wreaths or other wreaths
I have a few faux green wreaths I change out every year for Christmas by tucking in inexpensive picks of berries or pinecones. I keep one flat in a box which I can pile on top of the plastic bins and hang the other on a single “L” shaped shelf bracket with my other wreaths. These are a great space saver if you have some wall space available. Just make sure they are “L” shape and don’t have any brace in the middle or the wreaths won’t fit.
I’ve also seen where people have put them in garbage bags or garment bags to hang them on a hanger or you can buy plastic wreath shaped containers.
9. How to store Christmas garland
Take one end of the garland and put it in a plastic bin. Slowly wrap the garland around the bottom while piling it on top of itself in a circle. This way it won’t bet flat and will stay semi fluffy in storage.
10. Store other Christmas decorations by room.
If you decorate by room, where you use the same items in the same room each year like the dining room or kitchen, or you use specific pieces on the mantel, store those things together and label it as such. “Dining Room”, “Kitchen” or “Mantel decor” on the paper in your plastic sheet protector. Then when it comes time to decorate, you simply bring that tote to that room without having to dig for each of the pieces.
11. How to store a faux Christmas tree.
We actually just leave the one artificial tree and larger table top tree open in our basement because we have a spot were the two fit perfectly. If you don’t have the space, you can shrink wrap it nice and tight to tuck it in a corner. and if your storing Christmas decorations in the garage, basement or attic this will also keep any critters out.
You can also wrap a belt around smaller faux Christmas trees…
You can also buy large plastic artificial tree storage bags. Make sure you check the size before you buy one as some hold up to 7.5′ trees and some holder taller trees.
Make sure if you have more than one artificial tree, and they are around the same size, that you label them with the room each goes in so you don’t waste time trying to figure that out next year.
Pin it for later!
So whether you’re a “take your Christmas decorations down the day after Christmas” person or “well into January” person, I hope you found these Holiday decoration storage ideas and tips helpful. If you’re on to winter decorations, visit my post on easily transitioning to winter decor after Christmas.
Happy organizing!
Col
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As an extreme over the top organizer I had never thought about the belt around the faux tree, brilliant idea. Last year I found that many thrift shops wouldn’t take my Christmas decorations even though they were in great shape. Said the wrong time of year to donate Christmas decorations. That being the case I reached out to neighbors who wanted my decor because it fit their theme. So that is always an option to.
Really like the visuals of you shared.
Happy New Year!
Thank you, Jayne! Happy New Year!
What were the red cups used for? To store ornaments? Thank you.
Hi Lisa! Yes, to store ornaments more easily. Stacked in a plastic tote separated by cardboard works great!