Mastering the Art of Holiday Decor Storage
The holidays are winding down and it will soon be time to store our beloved Christmas décor for next year. With a bit of planning and organization, you can streamline the process and make next December’s decorating easier (and merrier!). Here are some tips to smartly store your decorations…
Photograph Decorated Spaces. Take photos of how you decorated your home to serve as reference when decorating next season.
Declutter. Do you have decorations you didn’t use? Are there broken nutcrackers, strands of lights with a broken bulb, a giant bow that has seen better days? Donate, throw out, and/or recycle those items. Next season you will be left with holiday décor you love and want to use. Isn’t that merry?
Sort. Now that you have the decorations you use and love, sort them by type (or room if you have an extensive collection of items). Unpacking and putting up festive trimmings will be faster next year when grouped appropriately.
Storage Solutions. Invest in sturdy storage with secure lids for your decorations; they will be protected from dust and pests and come out ready to go next season. My personal preference is clear containers so you can easily see what’s inside. With Christmas and holiday décor being popular in our corner of the world, manufacturers have created storage solutions for specific items – ornaments, wreaths, and lights, to name a few; I linked some storage solutions below as a reference.
Take Care of Fragile Items. For goodness sakes, wrap those family heirlooms with bubble wrap and don’t put heavy things on top of grandma’s crystal ornaments! In all serious though, priceless items from past Christmas’ need to be treasured so use tissue paper, bubble wrap, or old newspaper to protect them. Egg cartons for small ornaments work well.
Label. Yes, labeling storage containers is essential. Very few of us remember what each box holds – it’s 11 months of not thinking about Christmas decorations after all! You can get as detailed as you want with labeling – by room, by type of décor, etc. You can also take a photo of what’s inside the bin and tape it to the outside for easy reference. A past client sent me an Instagram reel where someone printed a QR code for the outside of the box, and when scanned you were taken to a list of what’s inside – Genius!
A few extra tips:
If you have children, store their Christmas and holiday books.
Do you have Christmas pajamas? Store those and other Christmas clothing with your holiday decorations so they don’t take up closet and dresser space while not in use. No judgment if you wear them all year!
If you aren’t using that Christmas tree cookie cutter until next year, store it away with other holiday bakeware to free up kitchen space.
Store those holiday platters, linens, and glassware.
If you reuse your exterior or interior lights, take a piece of tape, affix it to the strand, and label where the strand goes. No more guessing which strand goes on the tree vs. the garland.
If you use holiday wrapping paper, bows, labels, and gift bags, store those away for next season.
With these tips, you will be on your way for a stress free take down of Christmas decorations, and be doing your future self a favor when it’s time to decorate next year. Happy Organizing!
xo
-Anne
STORAGE PRODUCTS (I do not receive commission if you purchase).
Ornaments. Before purchasing, think about the ornaments you have as you might require adjustable dividers.
2-in-1 Christmas Ornament Storage Box (has area for figurines and pockets!)
Lights. I recommend staying clear of light storage with cardboard, especially if you are storing exterior lights since any remaining dampness might weaken the cardboard.
Wreaths. Measure your wreaths before purchasing – these fit specific sizes.