Smart Post-Holiday Storage Ideas

Holiday decorations are those rare items that remain in storage about eleven out of twelve months of the year. And when they finally get used, it all seems to happen in the blink of an eye--one moment you're decorating the Christmas tree, and the next moment you're taking it down and packing up your ornaments! Therefore, because those items spend so much time in storage, it's important to make sure they're stored right.

"Properly storing your ornaments and decorations is essential to keeping them looking great and easy to find," says Jessica DeSiato of Thoughtfully Organized. To help those precious holiday keepsakes stay worthy of being kept, here are a few of our (and our professional organizer friends') favorite post-holiday storage products.

Christmas Tree Storage

For a tough, sturdy Christmas tree storage container, look no further than Iris USA's 44 gal. Storage Tote with Wheels. With ample room inside, this box will safely store artificial trees up to 8' tall. Or, it can also be used to keep large wreaths and other decorations together for easy transportation. "It makes bringing [Christmas decorations] into the house so easy!" raves Lisa Trigsted, blogger and organizer at Neat Freak McKinney. "It holds so much that I am able to keep all of my tree picks, garlands, berry wreaths, and smaller faux trees in one spot. And when not in use, it stacks neatly on the top shelf in my garage--so easy!"

(Photo courtesy of Neat Freak McKinney)

For a more decorative tree storage option, our Red Large Farmhouse Christmas Tree Storage Bag is a great choice. Made of poly-cotton and featuring a coated, puncture-resistant interior, two carrying handles, and a zippered closure, this bag holds artificial trees up to 9' tall and looks great on any shelf!

The Red Large Farmhouse Christmas Tree Storage Bag, pictured here with the matching Jumbo Storage Bag.

Ornament Storage

Glass Christmas tree ornaments are particularly fragile, so finding the right storage solution is a must. For her mercury glass ornaments, Lisa Trigsted suggests our Multi-Compartment Ornament Storage Trays, which can easily be stacked in our Clear Weathertight Totes or Large Vinyl Record Storage Boxes. She also recommends "one bag of Natural Excelsior per insert" for added protection.

(Photo courtesy of Neat Freak McKinney)

Brooke and Katie of Blue Pencil Home like the Red Farmhouse Ornament Storage Boxes, which can hold up to 100 ornaments. "They aren't only pretty, they're also functional and a complete upgrade from the old storage bins we were using," they say. "The boxes are lightweight, durable, and the handles make them so much easier to carry than lugging down heavy plastic totes from the attic. And the clear front panel makes it extremely easy to see exactly what's in the box, so you don't have to waste time guessing."

(Photo courtesy of Blue Pencil Home)

Christmas Light Storage

Knotty balls of Christmas lights can be an absolute nightmare, so keeping them untangled and easy-to-use right away is essential. Ashley and Lindsay of DIY/organizing blog Style + Dwell love our TreeKeeper Install n' Store Light & Garland Storage Boxes, saying they "work wonders for keeping items knot-free." The easy-loading bag contains three rugged storage reels--each able to store up to 120' of mini lights, 75' of classic C7 bulbs, or up to 150' of extension cords--which can even be hung on a ladder or rain gutter for outdoor light installation. There's really no more convenient way to store them!

(Photo courtesy of Style + Dwell)

Wreaths and Other Holiday Decor Storage

For other decorative items such as wreaths, nutcrackers, and ceramics, organizers love using our Red Farmhouse Jumbo Storage Bags, Keepsake Storage Boxes, and Open Bins. "They are made out of the same durable [cotton canvas] as the ornament boxes and are a great way to safely store your most treasured items," Katie and Brooke write on the Blue Pencil Home blog.

(Photo courtesy of Blue Pencil Home)