Are you packing up Christmas at your house? Here are easy Christmas storage hacks and Christmas organization ideas and how I store my stuff.
// similar zippered ornament containers //
I hope you had an amazing Christmas. I hope it was everything you hoped and dreamed for and more.
You deserve every minute.
It’s so good to be back. I took a few days off to soak up every minute with family and my heart is officially full.
And now?
Are you looking at Christmas trees and ornaments and sleighs and stockings all the stuff and wondering where to put it all?
I am here to help.
Every year about this time, I get so many e-mails and messages about Christmas and organization and where I put all my stuff.
So if you are looking for ideas on Christmas organization and how I keep up with nine Christmas trees and all their friends?
I have the post for you.
Here’s how I pack everything up with all my best tips.
I hope it gives you some ideas for all your Christmas stuff.
// similar zippered ornament containers //
Normally I wait for January 6 to undecorate.
My Christmas decorations and I wait for the wise men to show up before everything is packed away. It’s a tradition my mother started years ago.
But this year?
This year we are heading out on the cruise and plus I’m SO EXCITED about the new year and all the projects and things we have planned that I started packing up Christmas the day after Santa climbed down the chimney.
As I was packing everything and putting it away, I thought it might be helpful if I showed you how I packed it and what I used and the best ideas to keep all the Christmas decor neat and tidy until December rolls around again. Here’s a little post I put together with creative Christmas decor storage ideas and simple hacks to make it all a little easier and some creative tips to help make the whole decluttering process after Christmas a little easier.
Before we even get started on the packing and unpacking?
I wanted to show you this.
Hello 2022 organizing.
These are smart labels that you can add to your totes and just scan them and know what’s in the tote or box. Just add what’s in the box to the app and when you scan the label you can see in an instant what’s in there.
It’s amazing.
And you can see the smart labels here.
// similar zippered ornament containers //
Simple Christmas organization ideas on a dime
1. I kept the plastic trays that muffins come in. They make GREAT ornament storage.
2. You can use empty plastic water bottles to keep the beaded garland in. This year, it got so tangled, and I was so frustrated. You can put one garland in each water bottle and layer them in a clear plastic tote. I also put the garland in one section of these containers like this one (be sure and clip the coupon if you order it).
3. I think clear totes like these are my new favorite. We also have red for all our old Christmas totes so you can spot them easily in the attic.
4. For the outside wreaths (the ones I don’t put in wreath organizers, I put them in plastic garbage bags and hang them from the rolling rack in the attic. I’m using the wreath organizers above for indoor wreaths and front and back door wreaths that I have.
5. I have a clear bin just for gift bags and a clear tote for boxes. That way I can get them early next year. You can also add these labels to the front for easy organization.
6. This year, I’m going to wrap my lights around two tension rods and put the rods in a bin. That way next year, I can just slide the lights off the rods and they won’t be tangled.
7. I group decor by places I used it in the house. For example, I put all my Christmas mantels in one bin, etc. That way next year I can just recreate the same look (or something similar).
// Christmas tree bag (similar) //
Here are some of the best Christmas organization ideas
How to store the tree
Several years ago I got a tree that came with a bag that zipped. Until then I’d never used a bag before.
Usually, we just tried to stuff the tree back into the box that it came in and wrapped it with duct tape. That solution worked for a while, but then several things happened:
- My white trees turned yellow because they weren’t stored properly.
- Sometimes we couldn’t get it all back into the box and we’d leave the tree stand somewhere else in the attic and it would get lost and the tree would be tree standless.
- The tree branches were smushed and it took extra time to fluff them out the next year.
- The pinecones or extra decor on the branches would fall off.
The solution to all that?
A tree bag. I LOVE IT so much.
You can see a similar tree bag here.
// Christmas tree bag (similar) //
This bag comes with a wreath bag as well as a set and has a coupon right now for 10% off and it has the prettiest pattern on it, too.
You can see the wreath and bag set here.
The bag is REALLY ROOMY and fits up to a nine-foot tree. It’s made of this amazing material that’s waterproof and dustproof and prevents friends in the attic from getting into the bag.
We’ve been using these bags for several years and you won’t believe the difference in the trees when you unpack them. It’s one of the best Christmas organization ideas.
If you have more than one tree bag, you can add these labels to the front of the tree bag and then just scan it to see which tree is there (living room tree, family room tree, etc.).
Here are some other tree storage options, too:
- this bag rolls to move it easily
- this is for a tree that just stays upright
- here is a two-pack of Christmas tree bags that’s even cheaper
- this is for storage for 12-foot trees
// similar Christmas wreath bag //
// similar Christmas wreath bag //
How to store wreaths
We have tons of different types of wreaths for Christmas. There are the indoor wreaths like ornament wreaths that need special packaging. Then there are the wreaths on the outside of the house and the wreaths on the doors. For the outdoor wreaths, there are so many that I just hang them in plastic garbage bags on a rolling rack in the attic. Then for the rest of the wreaths, I use these wreath bags for each different set.
The instructions say two wreaths fit inside the bag, but I typically can fit three wreaths in each one. They have zippers on the outside edges and the bag is made of this amazing material that’s waterproof and dustproof and prevents friends in the attic from getting into the bag.
You can see similar wreath bags here.
(total aside: this has NOTHING to do with Christmas—but look at this tulip wreath that was my best seller last spring—it SO CUTE.)
Here are some other Christmas organization ideas for wreath storage:
- these wreath bags are clear so you can see the wreath inside
- this set has over 4,500 ratings and comes in a set of four
- this set is buffalo checked
- this set is a plastic container instead of a bag
// similar zippered ornament containers //
How to store ornaments
This year I had so many ornaments break that I was determined to redo the storage.
I did a little bit of research and found zippered containers. Here are some that are similar that are under $11. They are PERFECT. Each of the containers stores 64 ornaments. There are cardboard inserts that fit into each other and you layer them in the container. It took me two of these per tree to pack up the ornaments. Depending on the size of the ornaments, I could fit two of them into a slot.
Here are some other ornament storage options, too:
- this ornament storage unit has drawers that pull out
- this ornament storage has a place for gift wrap too
- this ornament storage uses a plastic container instead of a zipped bag
How to store oversized ornaments
This was the hardest part of Christmas ornament organizing.
Seriously.
I couldn’t find an affordable option for 4″ and larger ornaments. They were all SO EXPENSIVE.
And then?
I came up with a BRILLIANT idea. I just similar zippered ornament containers and took out the center sections like I show above. It allowed me to store the larger (and oddly shaped ornaments) in this container. You can adjust the center sections to fit any size that you need.
You can see a similar container here.
How to store garland
There were two types of garland that needed storage. The outdoor garland that I stored in these bags like my trees.
You Christmas tree bag (similar)
I also had the garland from the tree that were different sizes and shapes. These are always so challenging for me. You can use the water bottle method that I talked about earlier or you could just add them to similar zippered ornament containers
Every one of my garlands fits into a section of this container. You can move the inserts around to fit your garlands.
Do you know how happy I am that they won’t be all tangled up with the ornaments this year?
How to store gift wrap
Storing gift wrap is one of the most important Christmas organization ideas. This was the year I organized my Christmas gift wrap PERFECTLY. My whole family used it and they LOVED it. It was so portable and had a place for wrapping paper and ribbons and boxes and tags and it slid under the bed when we weren’t using it.
I found a similar gift wrap organizer with the prettiest pattern that’s under $14 here.
Here are some other gift wrap storage options, too:
- this two-sided organizer hangs over the door
- this circular gift wrap organizer
- this set of two organizers that’s so affordable
- these smart labels that show you what’s in each container
Simple Christmas organization ideas for after Christmas
1. Un-decorating
Don’t put all your Christmas decor away.
Some of it is actually Christmas disguised as winter.
Christmas snowflakes are winter snowflakes. Reindeer are actually winter forest creatures. Tabletop trees are actually winter flora and fauna. Twinkle lights are just like stars in the sky.
Red and green decor, parting is such sweet sorrow.
But the rest of your twigs can hang around until March.
2. Take a picture
That’s easy for me to say.
I write a blog.
But having photographs of your last year’s Christmas decor is a great way to remind yourself when next year rolls around.
Remember. There are 362 sleeps between now and then.
3. Label it
This is a tip I use every single day.
Seriously.
Sometimes things laying around the house have no idea where to go.
You have to help them out.
That’s where labels come in. Most of the organizers I’m sharing here all have tags on the outside in a clear sleeve that you can label for next year.
4. Be kind to yourself
Rome wasn’t built in a day.
Christmas decor wasn’t either.
It took a while to get it all up and it will take a while to get it all down. That’s why these Christmas organization ideas are so important.
All you need to do is tackle a little at a time. And then? Treat yourself to a movie or something special.
Whew.
I hope this post was a little bit helpful. Thanks for joining me on my my organization journey. I am SO HAPPY to have everything put away with a place for everything and everything in its place.
If you need a little inspiration to undecorate this year?
A cute organizer goes a LONG way in helping you get motivated.
YOU GOT THIS.
PS If you have any Christmas organizing tips? My trees and I are all ears.
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