How to Store + Organize Holiday Decor
I know, I know. The holidays aren’t even over yet. My goal is always to help you stay one step ahead. One way to do that is to do the hard work in advance to save you time and energy later. Most of us give little thought to strategically storing seasonal items so that the next time we need them we know exactly where to look.
So let’s get you in that habit today before you put away this year’s holiday decorations.
Practice Makes Perfect
Learning how to store holiday decorations is a great way to practice home organizing. Why? Because you can leverage the universal principles of organizing, but with a confined space and a finite number of items. All your holiday decor goes into storage at the same time and comes back out again 10 months later. It’s a way to get into the habit of planning ahead, which does take practice! Listen, friend, if you can do this then, you can tackle any organizing project! The rest of your home will follow right along.
Steps to Holiday Decor Storage
- Purge items that you no longer love. If you didn’t love it this year, you probably won’t love it next year. Make the decision today to purge. Clutter is just delayed decisions. Make the decision now.
- Purchase storage bins and materials that will ensure your holiday decorations are protected for years to come. Factor in the conditions and temperature of the space you’ll be storing your items in so you can purchase appropriate containers.
- Consider especially cherished, fragile items and how to protect them. If you love it, make sure it is packed away safely for next year.
- Think about how you will take them out again next year. Reverse-organize it: Everything that you will need first should go in last. Everything that you will need last, should go in first.
The Container Store has stylish and functional options for storage and safekeeping of your cherished holiday items. Remember, holiday decorations spend just a month or two on display – the rest of the year they are stored away. The storage bins that contain them should be high quality, appropriate for each specific item, and durable. With a little planning and organization, you can ensure your holiday decorations – and the investment you’ve made in them – are protected for years to come while also making it easier to find them the following year.
Since I don’t celebrate Christmas, I helped one of my clients pre-plan her holiday storage before she even decorated her tree this year. Yes, you read that right. So once she packs up her decor for the year, she’ll know exactly where to put it all. It will take her no time at all, and then next year she’ll already be one step ahead.
Here’s what we used:
- 12 gallon Red Flip Light Wrap Storage Boxes
We used these bins to store stockings, costumes and bigger ornaments. They are big enough to fit your bulkier items, but not so big that you feel compelled to shove everything you own into them. They are durable and the red top is easy to use (and holiday-themed!).
- Clear Weathertight Totes + Multi-Compartment Ornament Storage Trays
Storing all holiday decorations inside the house isn’t always an option. These totes are weather-proof, so they can go in a garage, shed or in this case, my client’s crawl space. We used the bins to store all of her ornaments, and the Multi-Compartment Ornament Storage Trays were amazing! They are so helpful for keeping your ornaments orderly and protected. I love that they are clear so you can see what you have inside of them. But, even with clear bins, labels are key!
- Natural Excelsior
Ok, this is something I had never heard of until recently, but it is a game-changer for storing fragile items (hello porcelain angels and glass snowmen!). You could use newspaper or tissue paper, but those don’t hold up quite as well as excelsior. It’s my new obsession.
- 24” Red Wreath Box
My client’s beautiful wreath deserves to be stored as safely as possible for the other ten months of the year. This Red Wreath Box is perfect. It can basically guarantee that her wreath will not get misshapen or damaged, as it was created specifically to protect wreaths.
That’s a Wrap!
That’s it! You have the tools and know-how to store your holiday decor. For those of you who are not yet organizing ninjas, I really encourage you to begin your organizing journey with holiday decorations. Pick a date now for taking down and storing your decorations. Prioritize this task on that date (aka, get it done!) and then everything will be ready for you next November.
Remember: put everything away in the reverse order you will take them out, and store them in bins that will keep them safe and sound!
I am a proud Container Store Ambassador and these products were gifted to my client from the Container Store. The links provided are affiliate links, which means I earn a small commission if you order through them. All opinions expressed are my own. I only share products that I genuinely use and love.
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