For the few that do not have a container, I use Christmas bins that come with cardboard dividers. These work GREAT for ornaments or smaller, breakable decorations –like candle holders.
I put all smaller decor away in this fashion, wrapping some in tissue paper if delicate. I started with small and worked my way into my larger pieces, using 3 red Christmas bins. I used our 3 fluffy stockings in between breakables, and tissue paper for the rest.
I got rid of decorations I did not use this year–2 bags worth! I went from 6 Christmas bins down to 4. Not bad, huh?
It felt so good to move furniture back to their pre-Christmas spaces, after dusting and vacuuming, of course. I did leave out a few winter type decorations. A couple small winter trees, a snowflake candle holder, and that big, crazy silver twig thing you see in the middle of my table. I love the texture of it and I think it looks wintry.
1. Collect all Christmas decorations from every room, put them in a central location. I used my dining room table.
2. Take ornaments off the tree
3. Take lights off the tree
4. Take tree down and box it
5. Sweep up loose pin needles.
6. Bring all Christmas storage bins to central location
7. Decide what to get rid of. Don’t keep everything! Only keep what you love.
8. Wind lights up. Store. Mine came with a handy dandy plastic wheel to roll them on. I have also used washed out Christmas popcorn tins as light storage in the past.
9. Wind Christmas ribbon up if used to decorate the tree. I kept the spool it came on and used that.
10. Put Christmas balls back into original container, or use a bin that has cardboard separators.
11. Store small decorations in bins with separators. If you don’t have them, wrap in newspaper or tissue paper and store in a bin.
12. Work from smallest items to largest. At least this worked for me. It was nice to get all the little chotskies out of the way and then work the large pieces into bins, almost like a puzzle!
13. Leave out some ‘winter’ type decor if desired. Just a bit. Leave room in one of your Christmas bins to store this once spring comes.
14. Sweep, vacuum and dust!
15. Light a candle, get a cup of chai, and enjoy the uncluttered atmosphere of your home!
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It is ok to break it up into days. If you have lights and decorations up outside, do them another day. I saved my basement tree for another day. Small steps are better than procrastinating until spring!!
Kellie Owen
December 2, 2015 at 7:21 amThis is so clever way to store your Christmas decorations! Everything is so organized and easy for the next year. I never store it in some specific way. I just place everything in the bag and I put it in the wardrobe, which is not the best storing way at all!!
Brenda
March 11, 2015 at 7:46 pmAfter accumulating many decorations & downsizing (read no walkin closet) my storage solution has changed. Downsizing decorations was a must but the tree still stays decorated behind bifold doors in a corner of a small living room. Other decorations are stored in tubs by room under my kingsize platform bed Made by my husband. (The only way I consented to the downsize was this idea since the 1,000 sq’ house had only 2 closets!) I also store other holiday bins (Valentine, Easter, summer, Halloween, Thanksgiving) under the queen size platform bed in the guest room.
Brenda
March 11, 2015 at 7:20 pmAfter a trying Christmas one year I made a decision to try something different and have continued it ever since. Going on more than 25 years now. I leave my tree decorated but moved into a walk in closet. This takes up no more room & saves tons of time. Garlands & wreaths are hung around the closet under the shelf. Breakable Sit abouts are wrapped boxed & stacked on shelves. Baskets, florals, & such are in clear bags on top of the boxed breakables.
Liz
January 1, 2015 at 4:19 pmVery good, Ms Amy! After all these years I have not ever thought of doing it in this organized way! Thank you, Amy
New Nostalgia – How To Simplify Christmas
December 3, 2014 at 10:04 pm[…] also got rid of a ton of Christmas decorations the last couple of years, purging while packing them up after the holiday was over. I used to have a little something in each room to make it […]
Andrea
January 1, 2013 at 8:19 amChristmas is not over until Epiphany!!
KeLLy aNN
December 29, 2012 at 2:20 amLOVE the cup idea!
Every year, a couple of times a year, I purchase a few of the plastic buckets, usually clear to store stuff in. Especially the Holiday stuff.
It’s a wonderful thing!
mama faith
December 28, 2012 at 7:31 pmThese are wonderful tips! I never thought about putting everything in one spot first and then putting into boxes. I will be using that idea for sure tomorrow when I put my Christmas away. Thank you!