How to Store your Holiday Decorations

After the countdown ends and the new year begins in earnest, it’s time to think about putting your holiday décor and supplies away until the holidays come again. It might be somewhat bittersweet to put all those festive lights and bulbs back into their special boxes now, but storing your decorations with a careful plan for organization will make setting up the next holiday season the joyous occasion it was meant to be. 

At All My Sons Moving & Storage, we know that disorganization is the path to broken ornaments, melted candles, and holiday heartache. Save yourself the tears and follow this guide to make sure your holiday decorations are stored well. You’ll be glad you took some extra time to get organized when you go to unpack the holiday décor next year. 

Before you pack a single box, take stock of what you own and decide what needs to go. The first items to be sorted into your trash or recycle pile will likely be the items that are damaged or no longer usable. The next items you should evaluate are the items that did not even come out of the storage boxes. If you’re not taking them out this year, why would they come out next year or the year after? Make the hard decision to let go now and save some space in your storage boxes. 

Some items, even if broken or damaged beyond repair, might hold sentimental value that makes them difficult to part with. If you find yourself hesitating over letting go of something, ask yourself if you can preserve the item’s sentimental value by taking a picture of it. It’s also possible that you can preserve an item in a new form such as turning an old kid’s craft ornament into a decorative wreath with other broken ornaments. Keep in mind that you only have so much time and energy and ask yourself if an upcycling project can be completed on a realistic timeline before you decide to add it to your plate.

Now that you have determined the holiday items that will come with you next year, it’s time to start packing. To make this part more fun, turn on some music, a fun audiobook, or a thrilling podcast and pack with friends or the rest of your household. 

While you are considering your items going into holiday storage, think about how you can make next year’s unpacking of the holiday décor easier and more fun. This might mean investing in special storage containers for your pieces or choosing to load your boxes and totes up in a certain order.

• Christmas Lights: Before storing your lights, check to make sure all the bulbs are working. When you have determined your light strings are in good working order, then you can wrap them around cardboard to prevent tangling while in storage. If you do not have extra cardboard on hand, you can try wrapping them around your forearm and then securing them with a couple zip ties or Velcro straps. You might also be able to find a storage spool for your Christmas lights at your favorite retailer. No matter how you choose to store your lights, take extra care to make sure they do not tangle while in storage and unboxing them next year will be a breeze.

• Garlands: Garlands can be wrapped around cardboard and secured with a rubber band to prevent tangling while in storage. You can also wrap them around your forearm and then secure them with a couple Velcro straps before putting them in a plastic bag to help keep them from tangling or knotting during storage time.

• Wreaths: Wreaths can be stored in garment bags or special wreath storage boxes. If your wreath contains a lot of delicate parts that can be easily crushed, we recommend investing in a hard-cover wreath storage box. This will keep your wreath safe while it is in storage.

• Christmas Ornaments: A number of retailers sell special boxes for ornament storage. You can also create your own DIY ornament storage box, use a special glassware box from your favorite moving retailer, or store your ornaments in their original boxes.

• Artificial Christmas Tree: You can disassemble and wrap your tree in plastic wrap to get it back into the original tree box. If you do not have the original tree box, you have a few options for storage. You can purchase a special tree box, use a wardrobe box, or try putting a mattress bag over your tree. Some special tree storage bags can be used while the tree is still assembled and decorated, which may save you time next year if you can just roll the tree out and take the bag off. 

• Menorahs: Before you store your menorah, clean off any excess wax that might have dripped onto the body. When the menorah is clean, wrap the menorah in soft cloth or tissue paper. If your menorah is made of a precious mental such as silver, you should add an extra layer of plastic wrap to its covering to help prevent tarnishing while in storage. You can put the menorah back into its original packaging if you still have that, or into a small box with your other Hanukkah items.

• Candles: Trim any excess wicks and then wrap each individual candle in tissue paper to prevent candles from sticking together. 

• Gift Wrapping Supplies: Festive paper, colored ribbon, to-from labels, and tape can be stored together in a special gift-wrapping bag. Alternatively, you can invest in a gift-wrapping cart if you have the storage space for it in a closet. 

Huzzah, the holidays are packed! Now that you have everything in bins, totes, or boxes, what’s the best place to store your holiday décor?

If you live in a house, you might have some extra storage space in closets, attics, crawl space, or the garage. If you’re in an apartment, condo, or townhouse then finding storage space could pose a challenge. Renting storage space might be an ideal solution if you don’t have extra space in your place. 

Be careful where you choose to store things, because not all storage spaces are created equal. To ensure your items emerge from their off-season hibernation in good condition, evaluate the needs of your items. Do these items easily melt, freeze, crack, or discolor in extreme temperatures? They might require extra care to ensure they remain in good condition.

What Holiday Items Can Be Stored in the Garage or Attic?

Some of your hardy holiday items will be safe in areas that are not temperature-controlled like your garage, attic, or shed. These items should also be alright in a drive-up or standard self-storage space. Make sure these items are clean and dry before you put them away for the season and remember to label your boxes and bins.

• Christmas Lights: Lights, especially outdoor lights, are typically hardy enough to go into a garage, shed, or drive-up self-storage unit. Ensure all the lights are working before you put them away and wrap them around a piece of cardboard or in a commercial light storage spool to keep them from tangling during their time in off-season hibernation.

• Outdoor Decorations: Your outdoor displays are designed to be in the elements and will likely be safe to store in an area with unregulated temperatures. Before storing, break the pieces down to their most basic components and ensure they are free of dirt or mud. You can put a tarp over these pieces for extra protection while in storage.

• Artificial Christmas Trees: If you are storing a tree by itself, then it and its tree box are probably safe to store in an unregulated environment. If you have a special tree storage solution that allows you to store your tree with ornaments, then we do not recommend you store the tree in a garage, shed, or drive-up self-storage unit.

What Holiday Items Require Temperature-Controlled Storage?

Some of your holiday decorations should be kept indoors or in temperature-controlled storage spaces to protect them from extreme heat or cold. Even when storing in a regulated environment make sure items are clean, dry, and properly organized before you put them away.

• Candles: Your advent, menorah, or other festive candles should be stored indoors or in temperature-controlled storage to protect them from extreme heat. The last thing you want to do next year is pull out your candles and discover a misshapen wax mess. Keep your candle safe and store them in a temperature-regulated environment. 

• Fragile Ornaments: Your more delicate pieces should probably have a temperature-regulated environment. To avoid cracks or discoloration, pack your fragile ornaments with bubble wrap and tissue paper and keep them in an indoor location like a back closet or temperature-controlled storage unit.

• Gift Wrapping Supplies: Extreme temperature shifts could wreak havoc on your ribbons, adhesive tape, and beautiful gift-wrapping paper. These items are best stored indoors or in a temperature-controlled storage area. 

Before you declare packing all finished, check out these special organization tips to help the unpacking next year be all the more festive. 

• Label Everything: Do not throw items into boxes and hope for the best, always label your boxes, bins, and totes to ensure you know the contents. Make sure to mark which items are fragile as well to remind yourself to handle those boxes with care.

• Create a Holiday Décor Inventory: Know the contents of all your boxes by creating a holiday inventory. Use an app, a spreadsheet, or an old-fashioned notebook to write out the contents of each of your boxes, bins, and totes so you can always know exactly where to find an item.

• Color Coordinate with Colored Tape: A great way to be able to identify your boxes and totes at a glance is to tape them with colored tape. Designate a color for each holiday or each set of items and prepare for a happy, color-organized set-up. 

• Reverse Packing Order: Pack the items you want to unload first last and vice versa. Holiday decorating will feel so much easier if you don’t have to hunt for the things that you want to unpack first. 

• Store Items on the Same Floor You Use Them: If possible, save yourself the trouble of lugging your holiday décor up and down the stairs and store your items on the same floor they are used. Your knees will thank you next year.

• Organize Your Storage Space with Shelves: Take your organization to the next level when you use shelves in your storage space. Keep your bins, boxes, and totes off the floor and save them from the stress of stacking when you stock your storage space with special shelves. Add labels to each shelf or orient the boxes and bins so that their label shows on the side.

Your festive décor is now packed and stored until the holiday season comes again. With a little extra forethought and planning, you can make next year’s decorating days all the more joyous. When your holiday décor is stored well and organized with care, then you can spend more time enjoying your décor when it comes out again next year.

Are you looking for storage solutions for your family or your business? Ask your local All My Sons Moving & Storage about their full-service storage facilities. Our team can help you choose a unit that will meet your needs, and with temperature-controlled options and state-of-the-art security you can rest easy knowing your items are in good hands. 

Moving soon? Make this move with confidence and ask All My Sons Moving & Storage to perform all the packing, wrapping, and heavy lifting. Whether you’re moving during the holidays or in the heat of summer, All My Sons Moving & Storage can help make this your best move yet.