With the holiday season wrapping up, many people are putting away their festive decor and storing it for next year. Figuring out how to store your decorations in a way that keeps them safe and accessible for next year can be difficult. The good news is, you don’t have to buy expensive storage containers or invest in a storage unit. We reached out to experts from Sacramento, CA to Toronto, ON to share their tried and true organizing and decluttering techniques on decoration storage. Keep reading to see what they had to say.
Get creative with vacuum-storage bags and over-the-door shoe hangers
If you don’t have a lot of floor space, you can store your non-breakable decorations in a hanging vacuum-storage bag in the back of your closet with your holiday wardrobe. The bags are great for storing tree skirts, festive linens, or various wall-hanging decor. You can also try storing wrapping paper in an inexpensive over-the-door shoe hanger in your supply closet. If you cut open the bottom of each pocket except for the bottom pockets, you will nicely contain your wrapping paper. – Adulting with Jane
Use plastic wrap to store your tree
One of the best holiday decoration storage hacks I’ve found is to store your Christmas tree without disassembling it by wrapping the entire tree in plastic wrap with the ornaments, lights and all. That way, the following year, all you have to do is remove the plastic wrap and fluff the tree. – Quen Williams
Follow the one-in-one-out method
You’ve probably bought many new Christmas items this year. Follow the one-in-one-out method and give away or donate one item for every new one that has entered your decoration storage box this year. This way, you will be able to control your holiday stuff and keep your space clutter-free next year. – Moincoins
Offer your holiday decor to friends and family
If you are planning a move within the year, have a post-holiday gathering to lovingly offer up any decorations, ornaments, special serving dishes, and more that will be cherished by new owners. If you do it in the holiday spirit, the love will be transferred with the items. Make sure to revisit sweet stories as you appreciate new experiences for your items and the people who will enjoy them next! – Wild Brook Coaching
DIY your holiday decoration storage
Every year as my family is putting ornaments on the tree, we designate one area for ornaments that we’re considering letting go. Anyone can place an ornament there, and anyone can rescue an ornament if they’re not ready to let it go. For storing the ornaments you keep, there is no reason to buy expensive ornament organizers, especially because not every ornament is the same size. The method I’ve used for over 30 years is to line the bottom of a bin with an old towel, put a layer of ornaments on it, add another towel, or fold the first one twice, then put another layer of ornaments, and so on. – Shipshape Solutions
Edit your holiday decor during the holiday
There are almost always trinkets and ornaments left behind in your Christmas decoration boxes and it has been left behind for a reason. Make sure to discard your broken decor and donate decorations that you haven’t used in a while. Also, try cleaning out the decoration storage containers to get rid of any glitter or broken ornaments so you can start fresh when you are ready to pack everything back after the holidays. – Calm the Chaos with Courtney
Use clear bins and upcycle old ornaments
Try storing and decluttering holiday decor by using clear bins with labels to be able to see what is being stored. Also, if you find yourself with decor that feels dated, turn them into DIY projects by painting and transforming them into more modern pieces. Upcycling projects like this can be a great family bonding experience and decreases holiday waste. – Salvaged Sanctuary
Use red solo cups
My tip for storing ornaments is to store decorations in red solo cups. You can place the ornament inside of the solo cup and then stack them in clear storage bins, putting a newspaper or cardboard piece in between the layers to keep the ornaments from cracking or breaking. – Candra All 4 Him
Make holiday cleanup fun for the whole family
I give our kids their own decoration storage box to stow away ornaments, holiday books, and other sentimental items like cards or handmade crafts. Each year they get so excited to pull out their own special holiday box and I’m equally thrilled because I know the task of breaking down and putting away holiday decor isn’t solely my responsibility. The storage boxes end up becoming little keepsakes in disguise. – Thrill of Home
Consider flexible holiday decoration storage
When storing decorations, keep it simple: If you buy decoration-specific storage like light storage, ornament storage, and so on, chances are, you’ll either have empty space you’ll be tempted to fill with new purchases that you don’t need, or your collection won’t fit precisely into the space provided. Using a larger bin with smaller bins inside (as needed) provides a more flexible solution. Also, you can try storing other items used only during the holidays with your decorations, like holiday wrapping paper and holiday cards – just remember to take your collection out of storage before buying anything new. – California Clutter Coach
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