How to Organize Holiday Decorations As You Put Them Away

Decorating for the holidays is often exciting and fun. Putting it all away once the holidays are over? Not so much! It’s tempting to just pull everything down and toss it all in some boxes so you can get back to relaxing right after the holidays. But this will only create a mess in your garage, attic, or wherever you plan to store the decorations…and it will make decorating next year harder on you. That’s why you should check out these tips on how to avoid the mess and stay organized as you put your holiday decorations away.

Neatly Wrap Up Holiday Lights

One of the biggest downsides of the holiday season is dealing with numerous strands of tangled Christmas lights! But if you put them away right, you won’t have to deal with this common holiday frustration next year. First, stick some masking tape on each strand, and then write on it how long it is and where you hung it up this year. Then find a round piece of cardboard—such as an old paper towel roll—and carefully wrap the lights around it. You can also use a roll of wrapping paper, a hanger, a coffee can, or a power cord holder to wrap the lights around. This should take a lot of work out of the process of decorating next year, since you won’t have to spend time untangling strands of lights!

Put Fragile Tree Ornaments in Protective Storage Cases

As you take the ornaments off your tree, you might wonder how best to store them so they don’t get broken. A simple solution is to buy an ornament container with lots of little spaces for keeping your ornaments organized and safe while in storage. And if you happen to have any plastic cases with small compartments lying around the house—such as for storing crafting supplies—you can use those, too. Other options include egg cartons or plastic cups, which you can fill with tissue paper or bubble wrap before putting each ornament in.

Keep Holiday Linens Dry and Dust Free

The holidays require the use of a lot of linens. They range from themed rugs and towels for the kitchen and bathrooms to tablecloths, placemats, and tree skirts. That’s a lot of seasonal décor to keep safe and wrinkle-free all year! But it can be done, as long as you have the right supplies. One option is to put them in vacuum-storage bags and place them flat under a bed or on the shelf of the linen closet. You can also find hanging vacuum-storage bags, or you can simply attach the linens to hangers and keep them in the back of your closet if space isn’t an issue. Consider putting a scented dryer sheet between each item to keep everything smelling fresh in storage.

Use Clear Plastic Bins for Easy Holiday Storage

So you have your lights, ornaments, and linens all packed up. Now what do you do with the bigger decorations, such as figurines, candles, your ceramic Christmas village, etc.? You put them in plastic bins! This way, they’re kept safe from the elements, as plastic can withstand flooding in a way that cardboard boxes can’t. Plus, it’s easy to stack plastic bins, which is perfect if you’re trying to keep your garage or other spaces organized once you put away your décor. Red and green plastic bins are perfect for reminding you of what’s inside, but clear plastic bins are also great since you can easily see the contents. Just don’t forget to wrap fragile items in bubble wrap before you put them in the bins!

If putting away your holiday décor has made you realize your garage needs some extra attention, check out this guide on organizing this part of your home: KonMari Your Garage—Spark Joy with a Tidy Space.