Once the season is over, it's time to put away your Christmas tree and trimmings for another year. Storing Christmas decorations can be tricky, but the right materials and a little planning can turn it into a quick, trouble-free task. Learn how to store your decorations through this comprehensive guide.
How to Store Artificial Christmas Trees
Preserve the lifelike beauty of your Balsam Hill™ artificial Christmas tree by keeping it in sturdy storage bags. Each of our trees comes with standard bags for convenient storage. We also offer ROLLING TREE STORAGE BAGS so you can transport your tree from one place to another without heavy lifting. Choose a cool, dry place to stow away your tree during the off-season.
FEATURED: ROLLING CHRISTMAS TREE STORAGE BAG
For more tips on how to store your Christmas tree, check our STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE.
How to Store Christmas Decorations
Proper storage helps maintain the condition of your holiday décor. A well-organized collection also eliminates the need to buy new items every year and makes it easy to find the right accents when it’s time to decorate again. See our Christmas decorations storage tips below.
How to Store Christmas Ornaments
FEATURED: DELUXE ROLLING ORNAMENT CHEST
Step 1 | Prepare Your Storage Containers
Gather the original packaging of your Christmas ornament sets if they are designed for reuse. Also consider commercially-available storage boxes that are designed to hold and protect ornaments. Balsam Hill’s STORAGE ITEMS include rolling ornament chests that can keep up to 120 pieces.
As an alternative, use clear plastic containers that let you see the ornaments without having to open the lid. This will reduce time spent looking for Christmas decorations when the next holiday season rolls around.
Step 2 | Remove the Ornaments
Place towels around the base of your Christmas tree to catch any fragile ornaments that might fall while you're taking down decorations. Start removing ornaments from the bottom of the tree and work your way up. Reaching for the topmost ornaments first may cause you to accidentally dislodge those in the lower sections.
Step 3 | Organize Your Ornaments
Sort your Christmas ornaments according to your preferred system. Storing by style, size, or color helps make it much easier to decorate based on a specific look. Label the containers and list the contents of each box for faster retrieval. For containers without individual compartments, purchase or create your own cardboard dividers.
How to Store Ribbons and Garlands
Step 1 | Remove the Strands
Once you’ve taken down all your ornaments, unwrap garlands and ribbons from the tree and carefully straighten them out.
Step 2 | Store the Strands Individually
Wrap each strand around a rigid cardboard to prevent tangling. Then, place the individually-wrapped strings inside a durable Ziploc or plastic bag to protect them from getting scratched. Avoid storing multiple garlands in a single container as this could cause tangles and damages.
How to Store Other Christmas Decorations
Christmas decorations with irregular shapes, such as tree toppers and floral picks, may require separate containers if they don’t fit standard ornament storage boxes. Bring out their original packaging or secure them in individual containers. If you don’t have time to wrap each item individually, line the bottom of your box with shredded paper. Place the décor inside and add more shredded paper to keep the pieces from moving around.
Use bubble wrap or plastic foam to protect snow globes and other fragile accents. Store fabric decorations like stockings and tree skirts in vacuum-sealed plastic bags to keep them safe from insects, dust, and dirt.
How to Store Wreaths, Garlands, and Other Greenery
Lasting beauty is one of the many benefits of faux foliage. Through proper care and storage, you can keep your artificial Christmas wreaths, garlands, potted trees, and other greenery in great shape season after season.
FEATURED: WREATH & GARLAND ROLLING STORAGE CHEST & ROLLING MULTIPURPOSE STORAGE BOX
Step 1 | Clean Your Greenery
Remove dust and dirt build-up from the branch tips using a feather duster or a hair dryer set on low. With a microfiber cloth, gently wipe the larger decorations such as leaves and ornaments.
Step 2 | Remove Other Decorations
Pull out any ornaments, picks, and ribbons that are not attached to the greenery. Store these accents together with your Christmas tree decorations.
Step 3 | Compress the Foliage
Flatten the tips of your faux greenery to better fit your storage bags. Simply press the foliage in the direction it is pointing to.
Step 4 | Pack Away Your Greenery
Store your Christmas wreaths and garlands in their original boxes or invest in storage bags that are specially designed to protect your greenery. Balsam Hill’s WREATH & GARLAND ROLLING STORAGE CHEST provides enough space to hold multiple wreaths and garlands in an optimal position that preserves their form and beauty. It also features versatile containers for ornaments and other Christmas decorations.
How to Store Christmas Lights
Avoid damaged lights and tangled wires with proper Christmas lights storage. Neatly wrapped light strings will save you time and effort spent detangling and unwinding. Here are easy storage options for you to choose from:
Plastic Bags
Wrap a light strand around your forearm to form a loose circle. To do this, hold one end of the strand, guide it down around your elbow, and bring it back up to your hand. Secure the resulting bundle with twist ties, then store each bundle in its own plastic zipper bag. Label the bag according to the color or type of light strand. Finally, place all the bags in a durable plastic bin.
Tension Rod
Wind a light strand around your hand and transfer it onto a tension rod. Fit the rods lengthwise in a plastic storage bin along with other lighting accessories, such as extension cords, foot pedal switches, and remote controls.
Cardboard Sheet
Cut small slits at both ends of a cardboard sheet and wrap individual light strands around the sheet. Use the slits to secure the plugs on either end of the strand. Label each sheet, then stack them in a plastic storage bin.
Wire Spool
Wind separate light strands around individual wire spools, and label them accordingly. Avoid winding multiple strands in a single spool, as light strings tend to get buried under other strands and could make unspooling a challenge.
Insider’s Tip
More Tips for Storing Christmas Decorations
Common Storage Spots
After your Christmas decorations are all packed up, it’s time to decide where to place them. Look for dry and safe spots that are easily accessible, but kept away from small children or pets. Here are some common storage locations to get you started:
- Garage or storage room
- Attic
- Large cupboards
- Closets
- Cabinets
- Empty shelves
If you’re running low on space, try converting empty corners into makeshift storage areas. For example, the space underneath your staircase can house stacks of containers. Turn any unused corner into a hidden storage spot by adding dividers or folding screens.
Safety Tips
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Keep christmas decorations away from direct sunlight
Direct sunlight and prolonged exposure to heat can damage your decorations. Excessive moisture may also ruin holiday items, so keep them away from extreme changes in humidity and temperature. Use desiccants to help keep your containers dry.
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Protect your decor from pests
Make sure your containers are sealed tight to prevent pests from chewing on the wires and destroying fragile ornaments.
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Stack boxes correctly
When stacking boxes, make sure that they can withstand heavy weight and the occasional bump. Place the heavier boxes at the bottom and the lighter ones on top.
We hope this guide gave you useful tips on how to store and organize your Christmas decorations. Browse our collection of storage items today.
LEARN MORE
For more holiday storage and decorating ideas, visit the links below.
HOW TO STORE YOUR BALSAM HILL™ CHRISTMAS TREE