How to Store Holiday Decorations

Decorations are an important part of many families’ holiday traditions. A smart storage strategy ensures favorite items are easy to locate — and not tangled, dirty, or damaged.

When determining an area of the garage for storing holiday decor, "Don’t waste prime real estate," cautions Chris McKenry, owner of Get It Together LA and a member of the National Association of Professional Organizers. “Don’t put your holiday decorations up front when you only need them once a year. Store them up high or in the corner.” Two out-of-the-way options: ceiling racks and high shelving. Both are ideal for bulky, lightweight decorations and leave room below for more frequently used items.

When choosing storage products, forgo easily damaged cardboard boxes in favor of weatherproof plastic bins that can be stacked to save space. If you decorate for multiple holidays, choose tubs in different colors: orange for Halloween, red for Valentine’s Day, and so on. Label each container as specifically as possible: “figurines for mantel” rather than “holiday decorations.”

To avoid frustration next year, test lights before storing them and discard strands that don’t work. Secure neatly coiled strings of lights with clips or wrap them around a large spool, and store them in weatherproof plastic tubs.