Putting away Christmas decorations after the holidays is always such a chore. Make it easier with these smart ways to organize and pack holiday decorations.
We usually keep our Christmas tree up until New Year’s Day. I don’t know why I do this, but I do. Every year I wage the same battle with myself the last few days of December.
The closer we are to New Year’s Day, the more tempted I am to pack away the tree and unclutter my house. Do you struggle to pack away your holiday decor too?
Maybe you’re the complete opposite and love the festive holiday decor so much that you’ll leave them up as long as you can?
Either way, we all have to deal with what comes next. Here is a list of smart ways to organize and pack holiday decorations for storage.
Brilliant ways to organize and pack holiday decorations
1. Storing Beaded Garland from Tip Junkie
Use a water bottle or Gatorade bottle for your beaded garland. Next year when you pour it out it won’t be a tangled mess. Genius!
2. Storing Christmas Lights from A Real Life Housewife
Use cardboard to wrap string lights to keep them from getting tangled. A slit cut on either end will hold the start of your lights and keep them from unwrapping. We used to use folded magazines for this, back in the day. I just dated myself, didn’t I?
3. Cheap and Easy String Light Storage from Gina Tepper
Recylce those wrapping paper tubes into string light organization. You could get two or three from each empty wrapping paper tube! Store them in a tote or bag for next year and they will be tangle free.
4. Wreath Storage from Anna’s Entitled Life
A hard case for your Christmas wreath will keep it from getting crushed. Next year when you pull it out it will be just like new.
5. Christmas Ornament Storage from Crafting Nook
It’s all about how you pack it. Plastic storage bins are a great way to organize and pack holiday decorations. Fitting them in in an organized way helps you next year as you decorate.
6. Ornament Storage from Green with Decor
Resealable bags replace the flimsy ornament containers you buy them in and take up less space. You can pack away more with this great way to organize and pack holiday decorations.
7. Hanging Wreath Storage from Worthington Court
Hanging your wreaths in an attic or even in a closet or garage is a great way to organize them and make them easy to access when you need them. Suzy has some other great tips to organize and pack holiday decorations so be sure to head over and check them out!
8. Vintage Ornament Storage from House of Hawthorns
You don’t want to break those vintage Christmas ornaments! If you don’t have the original boxes, cardboard egg cartons are a great substitute. You can use them for any ball shaped Christmas tree ornaments.
9. Ornament Storage Idea from Life on Summerhill
Pack away your ornaments using plastic cups. They keep the ornaments from banging together and possibley getting broken. These small cups easily fit in a clear tote or rolling bin and you can do multiple layers!
10. Christmas Wreath Storage from Organize and Decorate everything
You won’t have crushed wreaths when you hang them. Keep the dust and cobwebs from collecting on them by putting them in trash bags and hanging them from hangers.
Living in a small space and having downsized from a big family home means we battle for more storage, more room and organization on an ongoing basis. Storing seasonal decor definitely has it’s challenges.
These ten smart ways to organize and pack holiday decor will help you stay organized year after year.
Which on will you try this year?
Want more organizing ? Here are a few of my top organizing posts.
How to Deal With Sentimental Clutter,
How To Organize A Small Kitchen And Get More Space.
Lucy Wynne, Kent ~ England says
Hi Wendy, Sadly due to ill health my decorations didn’t make it up this year (ome to that nor have I, bedbound apart from 1 hr x 2 per day since 4th Dec until ?} 🙁 If they had they’d have come down on 12th night. My decorations go back to 1980 and these are my storage tips: The cardboard inner tube from loo rolls and kitchen towels I fold tinsel up and put it inside these rolls, put a notch in each end of the roll. Put end of lights into 1 notch (first couple of bulbs go inside with tinsel) then wind around tube and put cable with plug in notch. Baubles go in empty egg cartons. Small (flat) decorations go in empty chocolate boxes. everything else goes into empty shoe boxes. All are stored in a cardboard box, each year where Christmas was spent and who with is written on the box. Now I’m widowed it is lovely to look back and remember those other years with my beloved and know I’m keeping the tradition even though there is only me and my widowed BIL.
Hope 2018 holds lots of good things for you and yours.
Wendi says
Hi Lucy,
Thank you so much for your note and good to hear from you again! You are one creative and organized lady! I love how you’ve found new and better purposes for what others toss. Using loo rolls for tinsel and the lights are brilliant! Most of all, I love…absolutely love, your tradition of writing who you’ve spent the holiday with on your storage box as a keepsake. What a beautiful way to keep special memories of the holidays fresh. I hope 2018 brings better health and good times for you. Again, thank you so much for your note and sharing your special talents.
Benita Blake says
I keep my tree up till Jan 7th, the 6th is the Epiphany(Magi bring gifts) and it is the day that most Christian European Countries exchange gifts. I too wrap my lights around cardboard. love the plastic cup idea, am thinking of also using the smaller paper cups used in bathrooms to hold my smaller ornaments. Might even splurge and use small plastic shot glasses. awesome ideas. Can’t wait to see the clutter makeovers. My laundry room is a mess. Happy clutter free New Year! Benita
Wendi says
Hi Benita! My family in PR keeps their decorations up too. Cardboard is a fabulous way to keep those darn lights from tangling. I think that may be the part I dislike the most is untangling Christmas lights when decorating. All those little itty bitty lights getting stuck on each other! ugh… Yes, the cups are good too.. Go for the plastic shot cups and splurge on yourself LOL!! You should work along with us on your laundry room declutter… laundry rooms are the worst! They are always piling up! Thanks so much for your visit and Happy New Year and Happy Decluttering to you too!
Debrashoppeno5 says
Fantastic tips. I do wrap the lights around cardboard I really like the idea of the plastic cups. I usually start thinking about taking the tree down after Christmas. It is still up but it will be down by the 2nd. Happy New Year
Wendi says
Hi Debra… I’m usually chomping at the bit to take down the tree on the 1st at the latest. I’m keeping it up longer this year until after my daughter and her family visit. I’m wondering if that will drive me crazy or not! LOL I get the itch to organize this time each year! Wishing you a wonderful New Year filled with success, happiness and good health in 2018!
Marie from The Interior Frugalista says
Great tips Wendi! I already use the lights wrapped around cardboard idea but this year I’m definitely incorporating the beaded garland in plastic bottle idea – brilliant! I’m like you, my tree doesn’t go down until January 2nd. With the chaos surround Christmas preparations, we find that the week between Christmas and New Year’s the time to finally relax and enjoy the holiday season and our decorations.
Wendi says
So glad you liked them Marie:) I thought the garland one was brilliant too. I remember having tangled beaded garland for years, wish I’d thought of this then…LOL. Hope your getting enough relaxation and Happy New Year to you!
Patty says
Wendi, I have always left my tree up until new years, but this year I couldn’t wait to get it down, I really don’t know why, but it is down and I’m glad. What I started doing with my lights for storage years ago is I roll up news paper then wrap the lights around the news paper. they take up very little space that way and stack neatly in a plastic tote, and I re-use the same old news paper year after year.
I love your idea with the plastic cup glued to the cardboard that is so smart.
Wendi says
Hi Patty! Using a newspaper is so smart. I’m so glad you shared it because someone is going to read your tip and love it too! Happy New Year!
gail says
since I put my tree up so late… I may leave it up a little longer. However, I do have to rotate ALL of my furniture around the room in order to put it up AND take it down (have to do counter clockwise when I take the tree down) So, it’s a lot more than just dismantling the tree. lol
great tips Wendi!
gail
Wendi says
Hi Gail, Yikes, that sounds like so much work. I hope some of the packing tips will be helpful when you roll up your sleeves and start the task. Happy New Year!