6 Clever Hacks for Storing Holiday Decorations

When the last Christmas cookie has been eaten, and the calendar has turned over to a new year, it’s time to pack up the seasonal decorations. However, getting everything packed back up in boxes is a pain. Things get broken, items are misplaced, and, of course, string lights get wildly tangled. Organizing your holiday decorations as you store them is an essential part of making things easier for the next holiday season — and you can do it easily with common household items. Here are a few packing hacks to make next year’s decorating fun and hassle-free.

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Use Egg Cartons for Ornaments

Egg cartons are great storage containers for small ornaments, which will fit snugly in the crevices. To ensure your containers will hold up, buy reusable plastic egg containers. For larger ornaments, store them in to-go coffee cups or disposable coffee cup sleeves. 

Store Wreaths in Dry Cleaning Bags

Don’t throw away your collection of plastic dry cleaning bags — store wreaths in these bags to protect them. If you don’t have any dry cleaning bags, invest in a few garment bags that will last year after year. 

Make Use of Vacuum Storage Bags

Holiday pillows, blankets, sheets, and towels can take up a lot of room. Compress these items for easier storage with vacuum storage bags. Don’t forget to vacuum seal any holiday sweaters for next year’s ugly sweater party.

Wrap Skinny Decorations in Paper Towel Rolls

Glass icicles and other long, fragile ornaments can be wrapped in tissue paper and tucked securely in empty paper towel or toilet paper rolls. You can even use the paper towels or toilet paper to wrap the ornaments if you don’t have any empty rolls lying around and don’t want to be wasteful.

Use Curtain Rods for Wrapping Paper

Seasonal wrapping paper can be kept out of the way by clipping the rolls to a curtain rod installed in a closet. You can also install wall baskets to hold bows, ribbons, and other holiday embellishments. 

Recycle Gift Boxes

Put all the shipping and gift boxes you aggregated during the holidays to good use. Simply cut them into large pieces and wrap holiday lights around them to prevent tangling. Your future self will thank you. 

Store Your Decorations in Sealed Containers Off the Ground

Store your cleaned and packed decorations in heavy-duty plastic containers to protect them from insects, moisture, and dust. Clear containers are ideal, but if you can't find those, simply label the outside to give you a clue about what's inside. If your containers go into a garage, basement, or storage, stack them on shelving or a wooden pallet to keep them off the floor, elevating them away from potential water damage and pests. If there’s no space on the floor, consider installing a storage rack.

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