11 Hacks for Organizing and Storing Holiday Decorations
The gifts have all been opened, the Christmas cakes and cookies eaten, and the stockings taken down from their seasonal perches. When it comes to the post-Christmas slowdown, there are generally two types of people. There are the ones who can’t wait to get their holiday decor put away and get the house back to normal; and then there are the ones who want to stretch the season out as long as possible and keep their decorations up through early January. No matter which category you fall into, keeping holiday decorations organized can be a struggle, especially when you just want to get everything put away quickly. Instead of tossing it all in the attic or closet to be dealt with next year, use these storage and organization hacks to make future setup and breakdown of holiday decorations super quick and easy.
1. If you have the space, designate one closet or a specific corner of the attic for holiday decor storage. This keeps everything together and easy to access when you need it next year. Use clear bins to organize the space, making it easier to see where certain pieces are at a glance.
2. Wrap valuables and breakables in your fluffy Christmas stockings. This cuts down on the need for disposable packing material like tissue or bubble wrap and ensures yours breakables have a soft, safe spot to live in until it’s time to take them out again next year.
3. Wrap strands of lights or garlands around a clothes hanger, a paper towel or gift wrap roll, or a flat piece of cardboard cut from a Christmas present box.
4. Take this opportunity to get your wrapping paper and supplies organized. That way they’ll be easily accessible throughout the year, and you won’t be scrambling to find wrapping paper or gift bags for the various gifts you give throughout the year. Use pants hangers to organize sheets of wrapping paper and tissue. If you have rolls of paper, snag one of those long plastic containers that can fit under a bed to store your gift wrap. Over-the-door shoe holders and clear garment bags are other great tools for organizing gift wrap and supplies.
5. Use clean egg cartons to store small Christmas tree ornaments and other breakables. Apple cartons are good for keeping larger ornaments safe. If you can’t find apple cartons, try using small plastic or paper cups inside a storage bin to keep ornaments divided and organized. Beverage trays (like the ones you get in coffee shops or drive-thrus) work well as ornament dividers too. Or check out the end-of-year sales and grab a few organizing containers meant specifically for storing ornaments.
6. Label everything! 2019 You will be thanking 2018 You when the decorations get pulled out all tidy and labeled next year. Labeling your decor will save time next year by telling you exactly where everything goes. No more measuring and wondering which strand of lights goes on the front porch and which one gets wrapped around the banister.
7. Protect your holiday wreath with a trash bag. No need to purchase a wreath bag or any other manufactures storage solution. Just hang your wreath on a hanger, wrap a cinching trash bag around it, and label it so you’ll know exactly where it is next year.
8. Use that fancy Christmas gift packaging to store decorations. Holiday-themed boxes and bags are perfect for seasonal storage. You’ll know with just one glance which items in the attic are related to the holidays without having to peek inside boxes or search for a label.
9. If your garlands seem to always get tangled, tied, and squished when stored in boxes and bags, try using an empty outdoor trash can for garland storage. Roll each garland up nicely and secure them with zip ties, twist ties, etc, then place in the trash can so they’re all kept in one neat, tidy, squish-free place.
10. Don’t have a box or bag for storing your artificial Christmas tree? Shrink wrap it! Just fold the branches up without taking the tree apart and wrap it with heavy duty plastic wrap.
11. Create a holiday baking cart to store all the ingredients for those Christmas goodies. IKEA’s iconic Raskog rolling cart (or its many imitations available at spots like Target and Michael’s) is perfect for storing your stand mixer, holiday recipe books, cookie cutters, and jars of sugar, flour, and sprinkles. Keeping everything together makes baking even more fun with everything in reaching distance. Roll out the cart anytime you’re in a baking mood, not just during the holiday season!
