Space & Waste Saving Christmas Decoration Storage Tips

Happy New Year! A new year means it’s time to take down the tree and put away all the holiday decor. Last year, I did a round-up of various Holiday Decoration Storage Ideas from around the web, but to be honest, many of the ideas aren’t the most space effective for those that have years of accumulated decorations. So today, I want to share my Space & Waste Saving Christmas Decoration Storage Tips that I use to store my collection of holiday decorations. Using these tips, you should be able to store a ton of ornaments in the least amount of space AND recycle papers and holiday gift wrapping items. 

Here is a look at some of the items I’ll be packing away. I’ll show you how to store all of these things in 3 containers! Yes, all of the ornaments, garlands, stockings, floral items, and two small wreaths will fit into 3 containers if you follow the tips below. The only items that I store separately are the large 36″ wreath, metal stocking holder, and 4 delicate pear ornaments.

Space & Waste Saving Christmas Decoration Storage Tips

Tip 1 – Gather packing supplies

Before I start packing away my holiday decorations, I gather the packing supplies together. Having everything altogether makes it easier to keep the storage momentum going. 

Packing supplies:

• ribbon – I save ribbon from gift wrapping to tie bundles of twigs/flora
• newspaper, recycle gift wrap, tissue, plastic bags, or bubble wrap – I save all of these things to wrap delicate ornaments, flora, and holiday ribbon
• tape – secure wrapping around ornaments when needed
• scissors – cut any ties/wire
• dry cloth/paint brush – dust/clean ornaments  before storage
• chair/ladder – use to take high things down
• kitchen size trash bags – use over small wreaths
• small trash bag and vacuum – use for clean-up

I know many storage ideas on the web use egg cartons, drink holders, or cups to store ornaments, but I find these methods tend to take up a lot of space. I prefer using paper and ribbon to wrap holiday items. The only exception to keeping ornaments in boxes is if it’s a collectible or extremely fragile.  I also use plastic bags to store decor ribbons or other items that can be compressed flat.

Tip 2 – Use Plastic Storage Containers or Recycle Shipping Boxes

I have a mix of clear and opaque plastic storage containers, but I prefer clear containers because it allows me to see the decorations inside and are easy to stack. If you choose to purchase plastic containers, buy containers with hard rigid sides AND lids. Rigid containers help protect the decorations and sturdy lids prevent the tops from collapsing when stacked.

If you prefer to recycle and use what you have, large shipping boxes are great for storage too. If you choose to use cardboard or opaque boxes, make sure you label or take a photo to use as a visual label.

Tip 3 – Group Decorations/Ornaments by Color or Area

Since I tend to change how I decorate each year, I like to group ornaments and small decor by color. This works for me, but you may prefer to organize by area. For example, put all mantel decor in one container and all dining room decor in another – I do my large decorations by room.

The container in the image above is a 9″H x 38″W Rubbermaid under bed container that I bought years ago. I can fit all of my red ornaments and a few red decor items in this container. Once the wrapping and packing are done, this container will store 25 various sized red ornament balls, 7 spiked red ball sticks, 16+ red berry sprigs, 1 roll of plaid ribbon, 12+ poinsettia flowers, 10 large red snowflakes, 15+ misc. ornaments, 4 stockings, and various tiny decor items. I also fit all gold ornaments, except 4 gold pears, in another container of the same size.

Tip 4 – Dust & Clean  

Since my tree goes up before Thanksgiving, the ornaments collect dust. I like to brush the dust off with either a dry cloth or soft dry paint brush before placing them in storage. I use the dry cloth on large items and a brush on more delicate items.

Tip 5 – Strategically Layer 

Layering tips:

• Place heavy, non-breakables, and soft items on bottom
• Wrap floral sprays in paper and store ribbon in bags to save space
• Use flowers and fabric as a cushion between delicate items
• Use small spaces between round ornaments to house smaller ornaments
• Nest/stack ornaments to save space

Since I’m all about saving space when storing items, I like to layer and nest whenever possible. Items that can be nested inside each other or stacked can save a ton of space. To save even more space, make use of the tiny spaces between items to fit smaller pieces. For example, the spaces between round ornaments can be used to fit smaller ornaments.

Next, to prevent items from breaking, place sturdy or heavy items on the bottom. This will help cushion and prevent the delicate items from being crushed. Soft fabric items can also be used between or on top of items to add another layer of cushion. I place wrapped floral springs as a cushion on the bottom, ornaments and soft florals in the center, and fabric items (stockings) on top.

Tip 6 – Set aside time

Try to set aside time to store items because this helps to prevent strays and makes it easier to place items in the right container. If packing and storage can’t be done in a day, set the containers aside until all items have been placed. There’s nothing more frustrating than finding a lone piece of decor after the boxes have been placed back in storage.

These three containers house all of my red, gold, and several large garlands/wreaths. I still have a large 36″ wreath and small 18″ wreath to store, but these three containers house the majority of this year’s red and gold decorations.

If you have decoration storage tips, share them in the comments below! I would love to hear how you save space when storing decorations.

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Need ideas for storing wreaths, lights, trees, and more? Visit my round-up of Holiday Decoration Storage Ideas .