For those who love a festive home, there’s nothing better than displaying your best and brightest holiday items. Whether you’re early to the game and have a decked-out home on November 1st or you prefer to wait until it’s closer to go-time, we’re all left with the same issue come early January: how to store holiday decor once it’s time to be put away.
The post-holiday blues are rough regardless, but dealing with the storage of all your holiday items adds fuel to the fire. No one wants to deal with the work that comes with literally packing the holiday joy away. If you find yourself feeling over it and simply throwing everything into a bin to deal with later, you’re not alone. But it’s not the best approach, and while expertly organizing your items takes time, next year you’ll be thankful when November rolls around and it’s time to set up for the merriment once again.
So how do you actually store your holiday gear to feel like you’re someone who has their life together on an episode of The Home Edit? Here are a few tips:
Create bins by holiday
If you have decor for multiple holidays (Halloween, Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, Christmas, and so on), set up specific bins for each holiday. Keep all the bins in the same spot in your home, so when it’s time to set up or break down you know exactly where to go. Retailers have helped by selling holiday-coordinated bins, like orange/purple for Halloween and red/green for Christmas.
Label, label, label
We all believe we’re going to remember exactly where we’ve packed everything months from now. But the truth is we’re all more forgetful than we’d like to admit. Label your bins clearly with what’s inside. You can keep it high-level and just say “Christmas,” or you can note exactly what’s in the bin, down to the nitty gritty details (we recommend the latter if you have the patience for it!).
Go clear
Clear bins and bags might not be as aesthetically pleasing as other options. But assuming you’re storing your products in a closet, basement, or garage, you’re likely the only one who’s going to see them. It’s easier to glance at a shelf full of clear bins and bags to figure out what’s inside instead of having to open everything up.
These bins are great for holiday decor and come in a variety of sizes. It's super easy to see which ornaments are stored in this convenient stackable storage box.
Declutter and clean as you go
If there are holiday items you never put out or that no longer go with your decor, remove them from your storage and set them aside to donate or throw them out. There’s no need to keep them in your storage containers to sift through once again the following year. Of course it’s fine to keep sentimental items. But for things you don’t love or that are broken, toss them as you store your holiday decor away.
Since you’re decluttering and tossing what no longer serves you, you should also clean as you work on your storage at the end of the season. Again, future you will thank you. Wipe items down, dust them, and do whatever else you need to do to ensure they’re in good condition when you go into decorating mode next year.
Wrap and box special items
You can buy bins specifically to help keep your best holiday decor in good condition. You might also want to save padded packing materials from all your holiday shipping to keep breakable items safe. While it might be an investment upfront, you can use these storage items year after year. For string lights, make sure they’re completely detangled and wrap them around cardboard to avoid a mess when trying to untangle them next year.
For oddly-shaped items that you definitely don't want to be crushed, get custom storage containers to use year after year. For your most precious ornaments, make sure to store them in a nice box like this one. Store garland in a duffle bag that's easy to carry and easy to store. Available in multiple sizes and colors.
Make a list of what you need for next year
As you pack away items from one holiday, make a list of what you need to replace. Include items you wish you had but haven’t yet added to your collection. Do this while it’s top-of-mind so you can be on the lookout for new items. Keep it on hand for post-holiday sales or when the holidays roll around once again.
