Christmas decoration storage ideas

The holiday season is upon us and it’s a time of warmth, joy, and cherished traditions. One of those traditions is decorating the home for Christmas. From twinkling lights to festive wreaths, our homes transform into magical spaces that reflect the spirit of the season. 

There’s nothing cosier than having Christmas decorations in the home this time of year. Snuggling up around twinkling lights when it’s cold and dark outside can actually enhance our mood and make us feel happy and festive like in the theme of hygge. But it can be pretty stressful if you’re digging out your decorations from last year and have to deal with the stress of tangled lights, smashed baubles and half a Christmas tree. 

In this blog, we’ll guide you on how to store Christmas decorations to keep them and your sanity intact. 

Jump to:

Why you should pack away Christmas decorations 
How to store Christmas decorations
Where to store your Christmas decorations 
When should you take down your Christmas decorations?

Why you should pack away Christmas decorations 

Christmas decorations can be more than something that looks pretty dangling from the tree. They can be a sentimental souvenir - an angel a child made at school that you’ve kept for years or a keepsake from different places around the world. Each decoration can evoke a special memory, so they need to be looked after and preserved.

Decorations can also be very costly. A Christmas tree is often the most expensive item as it takes centre stage and is the main focal point. It’s an investment for years to come so you will want to look after it otherwise the cost can mount up if you end up needing to buy a new tree each year. Of course, some families like to buy a real tree and enjoy the smell of fresh pine in the home.

When it’s time to dispose of the tree, they shouldn’t be thrown out with general waste as they release a methane gas. They need to be recycled, composted or collected by councils for mulching.  

It can be tempting to throw the Christmas tree decorations into a box as it feels like you’re saving time but you don’t want to have to open the box again the year after and see that there are  smashed decorations. In the long run, you’ll spend more time and money having to replace broken decorations. 

It can save so much stress by carefully organising your decorations and packing them away in a safe way where you know where everything is. Start Christmas next year stress free and be kind to your future self. 

How to store Christmas decorations

When taking your decorations down for next year, make a list of anything that needs replacing first so you know what you're missing so you won’t go hunting for it next year.

Arm yourself with labels and good Christmas decoration storage when you start the task of packing away the Christmas decorations, as these will surely come in handy. 

Baubles

When taking off the Christmas tree decorations, keep tissue paper or bubble wrap nearby.

Fragile ornaments and baubles should be carefully wrapped to give them an extra layer of protection before placing them in storage. Place delicate and sentimental baubles back in the original ornament boxes and place baubles into storage containers with dividers to minimize movement and avoid chips or cracks.

Organise ornaments by colour or theme within each section of your storage box, making decorating next Christmas a lot easier.

Garlands and wreaths

Wreaths and garlands are fragile and can easily lose their shape if not stored with care. A waterproof storage bag keeps them secure, protected, and looking fresh for many seasons ahead. When storing more than one, label each bag clearly so you’ll know exactly what’s inside. For extra protection, layer tissue paper between items, especially those adorned with baubles, glitter, or sequins - to avoid scratches and tangling.

Christmas tree

Why not save yourself a lot of time and effort and cling film the tree to keep it all intact and ready for next year? If you have the space to store it like this, your future self will thank you. If not, dismantle each part and place it back into a specialist Christmas tree zip back for safe resealing to keep it dry and insect free. No one wants to play spider roulette when they get the Christmas tree out next year. Alternatively, why not invest in a pop-up Christmas tree? It will save a lot of time having to dismantle it. 

Lights

Christmas tree lights are often the trickiest decorations to deal with—they seem to tangle no matter what you do. Before packing them away, take the time to untangle and test each strand to make sure they’re working. Replace any broken bulbs, then wrap the lights neatly using a reel. You can buy reels designed specifically for fairy lights or make your own by using a piece of card or the cardboard tube from kitchen roll. Simply cut a slit at each end, thread one side of the wire through, wind the lights around, and secure the other end through the opposite slit.

Where to store your Christmas decorations 

Simplify next year’s decorating by clearly labelling all your Christmas decoration storage boxes. Keep your Christmas tree and ornaments in a cool, dry spot to guard against damp such as an attic, garage, shed or simply under the bed . Place the heaviest boxes at the bottom and handle delicate baubles with extra care.

When should you take down your Christmas decorations?

On the twelfth day of Christmas - otherwise known as the Epiphany (6th January) is when decorations are traditionally taken down by.

This tradition stems from an old myth claiming that tree spirits resided within the decorations and needed to be set free once the festive season ended. People believed that failing to do so would bring misfortune, such as poor crops and withering greenery. That’s why you may have heard it’s considered bad luck to leave decorations up too long.

On the other hand, some believe that taking them down before New Year’s Eve prevents “carrying the previous year’s baggage” into the year ahead.

Once the decorations have been taken down in the new year it can feel like a good time to do a deep clean to start the new year afresh. It’s never too early to start a spring clean.