Christmas Storage & Organization Ideas

| |

This post may contain affiliate links for your convenience. Read my full disclosure policy here.

As soon as December 26th arrives, our once festive Christmas decorations start to feel cluttered and chaotic.  Do you feel that way too, or is it just me?  It’s probably the influx of new toys and gifts, but I’m embarrassed to admit that I really can’t wait to take everything down and give our home a good scrubbing right about now.  I also love the feel of a fresh home, so I suppose that’s a big part of my post-Christmas rush to organize, clean, and get things back to normal.

Well, as normal as they can be… we’re not exactly the Joneses over here.  😉

While I’m not an expert on how to organize your house, I’ve learned a few tricks through hands-on experience (ie, nose-diving ornament bins).  I’ve rounded up a few of my favorite Christmas storage supplies along with some brilliant organizing ideas found on Pinterest.  From store bought containers to Christmas storage boxes you can make for free (yay for cheap storage!), you’ll find something perfect to hold each wreath, ornament, garland and light until next year’s magic comes around once more.  And who knows, maybe this will be the year I organize our Christmas goodies once and for all!

Must-Read Christmas Organization and Storage Ideas

Ornaments

I’ve used several types of storage boxes for ornaments, and from my experience the ones with hard sides work best– as opposed to a few on the market with soft sides, because they don’t protect as well and can be fussy to use.  I had a fabric sided one tip over as we were trimming our tree this year and a few ornaments broke because the cardboard shifted and the fabric sides didn’t stop the fall.  This one is similar to my absolute favorite commercial ornament holder, it’s where I put all my vintage bulbs and other special ornaments:

Christmas Storage & Christmas Organization Ideas

I also have about 50 Lenox ornaments given to me over the years.  Because they are delicate collectibles, I keep them in their individual boxes nestled in a hard sided tub.  This Instagram pic was taken as I was unboxing each one, making me rethink that time-consuming storage method even though it’s the safest way!

Christmas Storage & Christmas Organization Ideas

Now, I’m also rolling in ornaments for the kids.  Each of my kids has their own little tree to keep them out of mine, and this year I’ll be replacing our old soft-sided ornament box with this great idea from Tip Junkie: storing each child’s decorations inside their own labeled bin.

Christmas Storage & Christmas Organization Ideas

Of course, with all that Christmas spending there’s often not a lot of money left over for storing everything.  You can repurpose a bin you already have as ornament storage by following in the brilliant footsteps of  Design a la Mod by gluing plastic cups to cardboard:

Christmas Storage & Christmas Organization Ideas

Want something even cheaper?  Save the box from cases of beer or wine, and reuse them to store decorations.  The dividers are well suited for protecting ornaments and other special items that could use the separation and padding.  Egg cartons are also perfect, especially for smaller bulbs.

Christmas Storage & Christmas Organization Ideas

Wreaths

This is one of those specialized items my husband teased me about buying, but I really couldn’t think of another way to store them.  Turns out I love this wreath holder and it actually holds several of my wreaths at once.  It keeps them dust free and can’t be crushed thanks to the hard plastic sides.  Haha, dear husband, find another thing to tease me about.  Like my wrapping paper obsession.  Next!

Christmas Storage & Christmas Organization Ideas

Wrapping Paper

Talk about a thrift store score… I found this ceramic umbrella stand (or massive vase, I can’t tell) at a thrift store for just $7.99.  I actually left the store but couldn’t stop thinking about it and had to go back inside to buy it, and I’m so glad I did!  It’s been holding my prettiest wrapping paper ever since.  Keep your eyes open for umbrella stands, tall planters, large vessels, etc. for unique ways to store your beautiful paper.

THAT BEING SAID… there’s all that Disney and special Santa paper I don’t necessarily want to have hanging out.  We have those in a wrapping station like this Sterilite container with space in the cover for tape, tags, etc.  This one stays in my closet, and it’s super handy as well as portable.

Christmas Storage & Christmas Organization Ideas

 

Artificial Trees

Unfortunately I don’t know much about artificial trees because we buy a real one each year {and spend the next 11 months vacuuming up the needles, of course.}  But I know many people have them so Home Storage Solutions 101 fills you in about several ways to store them, including the pros and cons of keeping them assembled and which Christmas tree bags work best.

Christmas Storage & Christmas Organization Ideas

Garlands

I have to admit, we don’t have any Christmas garlands right now.  It’s too dangerous to put one on our railing because of our kids, and there’s not much space  any other place.  However, I found this great idea on Pinterest which suggests using a clean trash bin to store garlands and outdoor Christmas decor.

  note: I couldn’t find a source for the photo, hence my link to the pin instead

Christmas Storage & Christmas Organization Ideas

Lights

Every time I think about light storage the song “12 Pains of Christmas” pops into my head, with the line about rigging up the lights {“now why the heck are they blinking?!”}  Let’s avoid that pain altogether, shall we?

I love these holiday light storage reels.  It actually makes me happy just thinking about them.  You wind each strand of lights on a reel, then tuck the reels into a bag.  Done, no more tangled lights.

Christmas Storage & Christmas Organization Ideas

But storing your lights doesn’t have to be expensive. According to Real Simple, trim the edges off the top of a shoe box and use it to wind your lights.  Then drop it into the box, and you’ve got neat and tidy lights.

Christmas Storage & Christmas Organization Ideas

Plus there’s this bonus idea for storing extension cords using something I almost guarantee you have on hand: a toilet paper roll.  Free and smart!

Christmas Storage & Christmas Organization Ideas

A few other tips and goodies:

  • The Thanksgiving Survival Kit that was born in a moment of frustration (WHERE ARE MY TURKEY RECIPES?!) became so useful I created one for Christmas as well.  Inside that bin is a folder with recipes and address labels, plus a few other essentials: command strips and hooks, Christmas themed baking supplies, ornament hooks, etc.  Basically, it holds the random but important Christmas minutiae and I make sure it’s the first thing we pull out each year.
  • All you super organized peeps will love this Christmas Inventory form from Home Storage Solutions 101, especially if you don’t store all your Christmas items in one place.  Keep it in the above mentioned Christmas folder and you’ll always know where to find it.

Christmas Storage & Christmas Organization Ideas

  • Jen from I Heart Organizing made adorable labels for her bins so everything is easily identified.  I couldn’t find a printable for them on her site, but it would be easy to create your own personalized set.

Christmas Storage & Christmas Organization Ideas

  • Do you have Christmas stuff come out of hiding in, say, February?  No matter how carefully I pack things up, there’s always a random ornament or misfiled dish towel that comes out to play after I put away all the boxes.  I have a small bin to collect the detritus as I come across it, and that saves me from either re-misplacing it or having to crawl into our sweltering storage area in mid-July to find the right box.

Christmas Storage & Christmas Organization Ideas

 

 

Last piece of advice, and this is hard for me to follow but so very important: if you don’t need or want something, and it doesn’t bring you joy when you unpack it, don’t bother to store it.  Donate it instead.  Why hang on to something if you simply keep storing it away each year?  I weed out old, broken, and/or unloved items before putting things away, and instead of hauling out massive numbers of bins each December I’ve narrowed it down to just the decor I absolutely love to have greet me.  Be honest with yourself– if your tastes have changed it’s okay to weed out and simplify.  Someone else will love your donations, trust me!

Do you have an overflow of Christmas decor to store, or are you a minimalist?  Any tips and ideas to share?  What’s the one storage item that puts the ‘Ho Ho Ho’ in your holiday storage*?

(*yes I’m a dork)

Share This Post With Friends!
Share on pinterest
Pinterest
Share on facebook
Facebook
Share on twitter
Twitter
Share on email
Email
Share on print
Print

Similar Posts