Now that the holiday season is officially over, many are preparing to pack up the holiday decor and experts have shared genius hacks that will help save your future self a headache next holiday season.
While tossing your holiday decorations in a box and throwing them in a closet somewhere may seem like the easiest option, the idea of untangling lights and picking up the broken pieces of ornaments next year, is enough to make you want to start taking your storage seriously.
And while it might be sad to see your twinkly lights and festive decor come down, organizational experts have shared a few hacks that will help you put away even the most oddly-shaped items.
Now that the holiday season is officially over, many are preparing to pack up the holiday decor
From using egg cartons to store ornaments to DIYing a light storage spool, Lauren Iannotti, the editor-in-chief of Real Simple, revealed her storage hacks to Today
Recycle egg cartons and coffee cup holders to keep ornaments safe
If you’re tired of broken ornaments year after year, experts have got just the hack for you.
Speaking to Today, Lauren Iannotti, the editor-in-chief of Real Simple, shared how you can keep those precious and antique ornaments from falling apart ‘with stuff you have around the house.’
Lauren’s first tip was to store smaller ornaments in a egg carton.
She explained that you can just ‘drop’ the decor in and the carton will help keep ‘everything safe.’
If you’re tired of broken ornaments year after year, the organizational expert suggested using egg cartons to keep ornaments safe (stock image)
To store larger ornaments, place them in cup holders. For extra cushion, place the ornaments in coffee filters before putting them inside the cup holders
Holiday decor enthusiast Nicky , also shared her favorite hack for putting away those sentimental ornaments
If you have larger ornaments laying around, you may want to start collecting cup holders on your coffee runs.
While you’re on your third coffee run of the day, don’t forget to stockpile the cup holders as they act as the perfect cushion for those bigger ornaments.
To store larger ornaments, place them in cup holders. For extra cushion, place the ornaments in coffee filters before putting them inside the cup holders.
Sandwiched together, the cup holders make for the perfect storage solution.
Holiday decor enthusiast Nicky, also shared her favorite hack for putting away those sentimental ornaments.
In a video posted to her TikTok, the mom-of-two, from Pennsylvania, showed herself laying ornaments flat on a piece of bubble wrap before carefully rolling the bubble wrap up.
Cardboard scraps to the rescue! Use pieces of cardboard to create a storage spool for your lights
If you want to avoid dealing with the masses of knotted tree lights all together, Lauren recommends ‘spooling’ lights when putting them away
You can purchase a light storage spool or make your own by cutting notches at the top and bottom of a piece of cardboard (stock image)
If you want to avoid dealing with the masses of knotted tree lights all together, Lauren recommends ‘spooling’ lights when putting them away.
And while you can buy a light spool on Amazon for anywhere from $10-$20, if you waited until the last minute to put away your decor or just want to avoid buying anything extra this year, the organizational expert shared how you can DIY a light storage spool.
If you still have those extra boxes from all your holiday shopping lying around, you’re in luck.
Take a piece of cardboard and cut notches at the top and bottom and wrap your lights around the cardboard to do ‘your future self a favor.’
Lauren added that ‘anybody can do [this hack]’ and after wrapping them around cardboard scraps, you can neatly stack them in a bin for until next year.
No more fuss! Use garbage bags to cover and store your Christmas tree
While you could just take apart the pieces of the tree and place them back in the box, Lauren shared an even easier method
Lauren suggested you take a trash bag – or multiple depending on how large your tree is – and cover your tree with them so no dust or moisture is collected
Putting away your tree is most likely the biggest challenge to take on when storing your holiday decor.
While you could just take apart the pieces of the tree and place them back in the box, Lauren shared an even easier method.
She suggested you take a trash bag – or multiple depending on how large your tree is – and cover your tree with them so no dust or moisture is collected.
This means you don’t have to take it apart and it won’t take up as much space.
When you’re ready to unload your decor, all you will have to do is remove the bags and fluff the branches and you’re ready to go.
Give your dry cleaning bags a second chance and use them to store wreaths and garland
To store your wreath, you simply just take out the hanger from a dry cleaning bag and put your beloved wreath in the bag to protect it from dust
Decor expert Jennifer also shared a genius hack for storing garland and this time you can use a garment bag to hang up the pieces of garland
Lauren went on to explain how you can store those awkwardly-shaped items.
If you find yourself purchasing a new wreath every year as a result of poor storage practices that result in them becoming misshapen, the organizational expert shared how you can save yourself time and money with a simple hack.
While you do your post-holiday cleaning, don’t toss your pre-holiday dry cleaning bag just yet and use it to store your wreath.
You simply just take out the hanger and put your beloved wreath in the bag to protect it from dust.
You can even keep the wire hanger and bend the bottom around your wreath before hanging them up in your closet so you will never have another misshapen wreath again.
Decor expert Jennifer also shared a genius hack for storing garland.
Grabbing another dry cleaning bag, hang your garland on the wire hanger, zip up the garment bag and store it in your closet till next year.
Guard fabrics against dust and bugs with vacuum-sealed bags – and preserve paper with shoe organizers
To protect fabric decorations, like stockings, throw pillows and table cloths, Lauren recommends purchasing vacuum-sealable bags
To organize wrapping supplies, Lauren recommends using a shoe organizer or hamper with ‘S hooks to hook everything on the side’
To protect fabric decorations, like stockings, throw pillows and table cloths, Lauren recommends purchasing vacuum-sealable bags.
This well help keep them safe from dirt, bugs, moisture and dust and will fluff right back up to perfect condition next holiday season.
If you don’t already own vacuum-seal storage bags, you can purchase them from Amazon for $20 and use them to store anything from holiday decor to seasonal clothes.
And after you have put away the rest of your decorations, it will be time to find something to do with all those gift wrapping supplies.
Gift-giving is one of the many pleasures of the holiday season, but storing the various rolls of wrapping paper, ribbon and more is often a task that leaves many wanting to skip gifts all together.
To organize wrapping supplies, Lauren recommends using a shoe organizer or hamper with ‘S hooks to hook everything on the side’ and keep everything ribbons, wrapping paper bows looking neat and tidy.
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