Holiday Storage Ideas

Holiday lights can become a tangled mess once they're down. You can attempt to store lights in their original packaging or on reels. You can also purchase specially designed light storage containers with fasteners to secure the cord and dividers to prevent tangles.

Here are some tips for storing strings of lights:

• Take down the holiday lights carefully, without pulling or twisting them.
• Plug the light strands in before storing them to make sure they're still functioning.
• Replace malfunctioning bulbs and fuses so the lights are ready for next season.
• Coil the strand loosely and secure it with twist ties so it does not tangle with other strands in storage.
• Place the strands in their original packaging or a light storage container and store them in a dry, safe area away from children and pets.

Many have experienced the problem of buying and unboxing an artificial tree, then trying to fit the fluffed tree back into the box for storage. Tree storage bags are like luggage for your artificial tree. Bags are sized to fit most standard sized trees without using tape. Look for compression straps to tighten around the tree for the best fit.

Bags with wheels are easy to maneuver into the storage space. Reinforced, padded handles are comfortable to carry.

Some tree bags come with extra compartments for ornaments, tree skirts and figurines like nutcrackers.

Wreath Storage:

Artificial wreaths can be an investment like a tree, and many do not come in boxes. Use wreath storage bags to protect wreaths from dust and moisture during the year. Remove ribbons and bows prior to storing in bags. Many times, you can store bows made of wired ribbon on top shelves in closets or in boxes where they will not be crushed.

Be careful storing wreaths so that they’re not stacked. This can crush them. You can fluff faux evergreen wreaths to revive them. Look for wreath storage bags with an internal hook or carabiner that allows them to be hung up in storage.

You can use a small bin or a ribbon storage box to store tape, scissors, a pen and gift tags. Homer buckets are handy for storing tubes of gift wrap, and the carrying handle makes it convenient to move around to your preferred gift wrapping station.

At the end of the holiday season, box up the wrapping paper, tags and bows for the next year. Look for wrapping paper storage bags and boxes that will keep your leftover rolls of wrapping paper and tissue safe for another season. You can store the rolls underneath a bed or in a closet.

Keep the tape and scissors handy for birthday and other gift needs during the year.

To store holiday inflatables, first wipe down the material.

Store the inflatable in the box it came in or place it in a new storage bin with lid. Keep all instructions and cords in the bin and label it. Painter's tape and a marker are convenient for labelling. Store inflatables in a cool, dry location.

Learn more about How to Care for Holiday Inflatables.

Taking down the holiday tree is not nearly as magical as decorating the tree. Still, put on the after-holiday music and take time to carefully store your holiday ornaments. You can wrap individual ornaments in tissue and stack them in storage bins. If you saved the original ornament boxes, you can tuck them back in their containers.

An organized solution for safekeeping is an ornament storage box. These compact cubes can store up to 120 ornaments safely for another year. Padded divider inserts eliminate the need to individually wrap ornaments.

Many boxes are collapsible for convenient storage when not in use. Just tuck it into a closet while the ornaments are displayed.

Storage for Collectibles:

Holiday collections make our homes more festive. Whether it's holiday villages or nutcracker collections, you'll want to store your holiday collectibles so they look new every year when you pull them out.

Before storing, carefully wipe down the decorative figurines, then store them in their original boxes or in padded storage bins with dividers to protect them.

If you have a nutcracker collection, look for a nutcracker storage box that holds up to nine 16-inch tall figurines. The dividers keep pieces attached to the figurines from being broken in storage.

If you decorated a real tree with roots this year, either in a container or balled and burlapped, make plans to plant it in your landscape.

You can recycle your live (cut) tree in ways that will benefit wildlife and your garden.

While tree recycling is a great way to say goodbye to the season, in some areas it simply isn’t possible. In that case, safe holiday tree disposal is the best option.

Read more about Christmas tree recycling.

The holiday houseplants in your home can live on past the holiday season. Poinsettias last for a few weeks. You can keep watering them and plant them in your landscape in spring. If you live in a very warm region, your poinsettia may continue to grow outdoors. Otherwise, treat it like an annual plant by composting it.

Amaryllis bulbs can be planted in the garden. They are hardy in zones 7 to 8 and higher. Christmas cactus will live for many years in your home. Get tips for growing Christmas cactus, including determining which holiday cactus you have.