christmas decoration storage ideas
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Christmas decoration storage ideas

I love Christmas, but one of the issues is how to store everything you have. Over the years you can end up with baubles galore, an artificial tree (or 2), gift wrap, garlands, and anything else you bring out year after year. But what is the best Christmas decoration storage.

However you pack your seasonal decor away, think about where you store it. The loft or garage are the obviously places, but make sure it’s all stored in airtight containers away from where bugs and spiders or damp can get in. Plastic lidded boxes are great, but the costs can add up.

christmas decoration storage ideas

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Christmas decoration storage ideas

Christmas tree storage

A Christmas tree will be the biggest item to store. Smaller ones are easy enough to store in the box they’re delivered in, but I prefer a Christmas tree bag*. They tend to have handles so are easier to manoevre up and down stairs. I’d planned to upgrade my tree then find a plastic box to store it in in the garage, but finding a large enough box wasn’t successful (or affordable).

I added my tree bag to my online tree order, but you can buy them online or in christmas tree retailers. Just make sure you buy the right size. Mine’s a huge one, so I have room to store my box of baubles and lights in there too.

If you can sew, you could make your own bag using an old duvet cover.

Make sure you pack the tree away in reverse order of need when getting it out again.

Baubles and tree ornaments storage

If you buy premium or large baubles you might want to store them in their own original boxes. I have a couple of baubles like this – especially handy because they’re giant size and wouldn’t fit in my bauble storage box.

For standard sized baubles, the best way I’ve found for storing them is in a bauble storage box* or bag with dividers. I’ve got a soft sided version rather than hard, but you can get a variety of similar storage options. It’s great because it’s easy to store being a cube shape, you can change the dividers as you need larger baubles or ornaments stored. And it fits a lot of baubles in. Mine’s lasted about 5 years so far, and no damage to the storage or my baubles. I store mine inside the Christmas tree bag so I’m pretty lax with how carefully I care for it.

Alternatively if you’ve got room you could try a set of drawers and use sock/underwear dividers to keep the baubles separate and safe. Making your own dividers would work just as well with scrap cardboard from parcels or even cereal boxes. The only downside is they’re not mobile so you’d then have to move them individually or by transferring them. Using good boxes and layering them up is the way to make them mobile. Just bear in mind you want to store them somewhere dry and not damp like a garage otherwise the cardboard won’t last. Make sure you label the boxes.

Obviously you could just wrap in bubble wrap or put small baubles or ornaments in old egg cartons, but who has time to bubble wrap every single bauble!

baubles in storage

Stop Christmas fairy lights from getting tangled

Generally I just keep all my Christmas lights boxes and store my lights back in them after using. Alternatives are to find something hard and solid to wrap your lights around – you could then store each set in a pillow case or bag to stop them getting tangled with other light sets.

Coat hangers are another option, using cable ties or wire twisties to hold the ends on and together.

If you’ve got gift wrap tubes or even kitchen roll cardboard tubes, then you can wrap around those, putting the plug inside the centre. You probably want to sticky tape or elastic band around the ends to prevent it unravelling.

Gift wrapping storage

As a child I loved looking through my mum’s gift wrapping tin – she had an old biscuit tin rammed full of ribbon and bows, gift tags and more. Once she died I took that on, and N’s always amazed at how full it is every year when I get it out to wrap Christmas presents. But rolls of gift wrap are harder to store.

Wrapping paper boxesplastic boxes* that are long and narrow can store several roles, and come with a lid. So no dust or wet can get in. You still need to find somewhere to store them though – although in plastic they could go in an attic, on top of a cupboard, or even on shelves in the garage.

If you want to make life really easy with wrapping, just opt for plain brown parcel paper which is multi-purpose through the year. You’ll only need one or 2 sizes for every gift, and alter them using ribbons, decorations and tags.

Wrapping paper storage bags – last year I bought one of these zip up bags. It fits in about 15 rolls, and just zips up the end, plus there’s a handle for carrying it. I stand it upright in the corner of my larder but you could stand it in a wardrobe. The only problem with a bag is that lying it down could crush the tubes, but standing up it’s been fine. Mine is similar to this gift wrap storage bag* although you can get all in one storage bags for gift wrap, ribbons and everything else to pack away.

I’ve also see people use door mounted racks* meant for cling film and foil boxes to stand up rolls of gift wrap in. You can store them on the back of cupboard doors or house doors if you’ve got room and don’t slam doors too frequently

Ribbon storage – I just keep mine in a box (see tin above), but really useful boxes are great. You could stand them up in those. Or if it’s the coils of ribbons you have rather than fabric, you could put them in egg boxes with a hole cut out of the top of the box and poke the end through for each colour, then just pull out as much ribbon as you need.

Christmas tags – I find these easiest to store in an old gift bag or envelope if they’re card ones, although the last few years I’m still working my way through a roll of sticky labels. If you’ve got lots of labels or tags, why not use a small concertina file and separate them so they’re themed.

Or use an index card box*. That’s the perfect size for flicking through tags you can stand up in them. You can also add your own homemade tags, cutting up last year’s Christmas cards.

christmas decor storage

Wreath storage ideas

Pizza boxes can be just the right size for storing artificial wreaths, keeping them protected and flat. You can buy these (you don’t need to save your greasy takeaway containers!) or buy a proper wreath holder* bag. Alternatively use an old hat box if you have one, or even a large cake box – I’ve got a great clip style one that would fit most wreaths in.

If you’ve got a real wreath made from natural moss you can remove the greenery to leave the moss behind on the wire frame. Then simply let it dry out and store somewhere dry. I’ve had mine for a couple of years just left in our utility room.

These are just some of the ways to store Christmas decorations without spending a fortune. If you want to change them up on a budget, then here’s my change your Christmas decor ideas.

How do you store your Christmas decorations?

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3 Comments

  1. We have a cupboard in our bedroom, a built in one where the boiler used to be and the decorations all go in there. The Christmas tree in it’s box that it came in and the rest is in plastic storage boxes. x

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