Have you ever decided to forego decorating your home for the holiday season simply because you didn’t have the time to sort through boxes full of seasonal items? Getting ready for the new season can be tremendously frustrating, and putting everything away after the holidays isn’t usually the most fun, either. To make your holiday decorating and seasonal storage easier, our Phoenix closet organizers offer these simple tips for storing holiday decorations.

Before You Get Started: Designate One Space for Seasonal Storage

It’s best to store all of your seasonal items in one central location, such as in overhead garage storage, a garage cabinet or in a spare closet. Make sure you can still easily access this storage, as you may need to do so frequently during the winter holiday season. Use color-coordinated storage bins to store the decorations for each specific season or holiday, such as red bins for Christmas supplies or orange containers for Halloween décor.

Artificial Tree Storage

With the proper care and adequate storage, an artificial Christmas tree can last for several years. A tree keeper bag with a rolling base is the best option as it allows you to store the tree, lights and all, without dismantling it and easily transport it to and from storage.

Use a heavy-duty hook to hang the tree bag in a closet, shed or garage for the most inconspicuous storage. White, frosted or flocked Christmas trees are especially sensitive to extreme temperatures and humidity. To keep these kinds of trees from discoloring or falling apart rapidly, store them in a climate-controlled environment, such as a storage unit or spare closet inside the home.

Christmas Lights

One simple trick to store Christmas lights without tangling them is to use tension rods in a clear container. Wrap the individual light strands around your arm and transfer them to the tension rod. Then fit the tension rod to the inside of the container lengthwise. Repeat this process using more tension rods until there is no more room in the container. Depending on the size of the container, you should be able to store about six to eight strings of lights without hassle.

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For smaller strands of lights, simply wrap them around your arm and slide them into Ziploc bag. Label the bags and store them all together in a container. One more expensive option for storing holiday lights is a light keeper that comes with a storage bag and spools that hold up to 100-feet of light strings. 

(Christmas Lights Etc)

Wreaths

Hang wreaths in a closet or store them in hat boxes to preserve their shape. If you use hat boxes, be sure to store them in a cool, dry space. If you decide to hang the wreaths, attach each one to a wire hanger using florist wire and then cover each one with a dry-cleaner plastic bag. Attach the hangers to rods in a storage closet or hang them from a valet rod to keep them out of the way.

Ornaments

The last thing anyone wants to find before decorating the tree is an array of jumbled, cracked and chipped holiday ornaments. Invest in several ornament storage boxes with lids or corrugated ornament storage trays with individual compartments for each ornament.

For easy storage, stack three or four of these in a large storage container after they have been filled.  

Holiday Cards

It happens every year: season’s greetings from friends and family find their way from your mailbox to a cluttered countertop. This year, rather than stuffing holiday cards into a box or drawer or leaving them out on a shelf or counter, turn them into a holiday card album to display on the coffee table. This is a cool way to see how your loved ones have changed over the years and hold on to those sentimental memories without taking up space. Draw inspiration from the holiday card albums here, here and here.

Bonus Tip: Purge Annually

Whether those Christmas tree ornaments have been in the family for generations or were just purchased on clearance after last Christmas, you will still want to protect them. How you store seasonal items can mean the difference between being able to enjoy them for years and having to replace them on an annual basis. Each year, purge seasonal items that are no longer needed, such as worn or outgrown outerwear and swimwear, chipped or cracked decorations, and items that no longer fit with your home’s seasonal décor.

Decorating your home for the season shouldn’t have to be a chore! With our seasonal storage solutions, you can enjoy your home all year round, easily transitioning from season to season without the hassle of looking through countless bins and boxes. If you need help maximizing the storage space in your home for seasonal or everyday storage, Arizona Garage & Closet Design can help. Visit our showroom or call us at 480-483-3030 today to get a free, no-obligation in-home consultation.

Arizona Garage & Closet Design provides high-quality custom cabinetry, garage flooring and organization systems for the home. Whether it is a garage, closet, pantry, home office, laundry room or other storage area, our professional design consultants will create a space that fits your unique style and budget. Contact us for an in-home quote today and see how Arizona Garage & Closet Design can help organize your garage and closet space!

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