How to Store and Organize Your Holiday Decorations

Holiday decorations: they’re fun until they’re not. While great for getting into the holiday spirit, their stay in (and on) your house is temporary. Holidays don’t last year-round, and decorations must come down. From there, it’s up to you to decide where and how to store them.

Not sure where to start? We’re here to help. In this guide, the storage and organization experts here at Stor-It give tips on how to store Christmas decorations, Thanksgiving decorations, Halloween home decor, and more. Take the hassle out of the holidays with our help and book your self storage with our team today!

Choosing Your Holiday Decoration Storage Location

The first step to storing and organizing holiday decorations is choosing your storage location. For many homeowners and renters, this is the toughest step. Holiday decorations can take up a lot of room; they’re only used for part of the year, so it can be difficult to make the sacrifice in any space. Your choice boils down to two options: your own property or self storage. Below, we cover both.

Storing Holiday Decorations at Home

First up is storage option one: the home. The clear frontrunner in terms of accessibility, your home also harbors the hottest real estate when it comes to your possessions. Your holiday decorations are going to be vying for space against all of your other belongings, so you’re going to have to get creative. Here are some tips to help.

• Closets and garages are your best friends. The most logical place to store holiday decorations in your home are the spaces made specifically for storage. If you have decorations that are more sensitive to temperature and humidity, see if you can find some room in your closets. For everything else, the garage is a great choice. Just be sure you’ve packed everything up properly (see our packing supplies section below to know what to look for!).
• Go outside if you have to. Many of your holiday decorations spend the holidays outdoors, sometimes in harsh conditions. If they can handle it then, they can handle some of it during the off-season, too. We already mentioned the garage as a great source of space for many of your holiday decorations, but you can get even more rustic if the opportunity presents itself. Carports, sheds, and outdoor storage chests are great options for holiday decor.
• Store in plain sight (or not). Closet full? There are other indoor locations where you can inconspicuously store your holiday decorations. Look for space under your bed(s), next to your washer and dryer, or even in a dedicated dresser drawer. If those don’t work, we also suggest hiding your holiday decorations in plain sight. Consider investing in visually appealing storage crates, chests, or baskets to place around your home (these are great for front and back porches, too). On the inside, they may contain holiday decorations and other random items. On the outside, they look like inviting pieces of furniture.
• Rotate on a strict schedule. If you’re on top of your holiday decoration rotation, you’re always going to have one set of decorations up. This means you’re going to need less space for storage. Try to make a schedule where one set of decorations is always in action to save your home some storage space at all times.
• Don’t be afraid to downsize. Sometimes, it’s the smaller decorations that say the most. Settling for one strip of Christmas lights or one scary Halloween ghost isn’t necessarily settling at all. If you’re in need of some extra space, think quality over quantity when it comes to your holiday decorations, and don’t be afraid to downsize.

Investing in Self Storage for Holiday Decorations

When at-home holiday decoration storage isn’t cutting it, it’s time for option two: self storage. A second home for your stuff, the self storage unit is a modern solution for those who want to free up space at home or in the workplace.

The way it works is simple: you pay a monthly or annual fee, and you get your very own space to store excess possessions. Storage units can range in size and amenities offered. Some are climate-controlled; most are not. While not as close as in-home storage, storage units are offered at thousands of facilities nationwide. They’re a great choice for holiday decorations and much, much more. Here are a few steps to follow to get the most out of your storage unit.

• Do your research when it comes to size (and climate). Not sure how big your storage unit needs to be? Use our Size Guide and Space Estimator to figure it out from your computer. Not sure about climate control? If you’re storing outdoor decorations, you don’t need it. If you have antique indoor decorations, you may want it.
• Plan for long-term storage. You may think that you’re only storing holiday decorations for a couple of months, but those months happen every single year. That means you need to pack and store for the long haul. Make sure your items are boxed up, properly cushioned, and kept in climates that keep them in good condition. Check out our Tips for Long-Term Storage for more information.
• Stack smart and stay organized. Inside your unit, stack your boxes according to weight: heaviest on the bottom, lightest on the top. Keep your holidays in their own distinct regions (and boxes) and don’t forget to label. For optimal accessibility, create an aisle or two within your unit and leave yourself a simple map in case you forget where things are.

Gathering Your Packing and Storage Supplies

Whether you’re organizing Christmas decorations or wondering how to store Halloween decorations, getting the right supplies will greatly help your holiday administrative endeavors succeed. So, what do you need to organize and store your holiday decorations successfully? The list isn’t very long, but nothing on it should be skipped.

Your biggest allies will be boxes. Stackable and sturdy, they’re the receptacles that hold most of your holiday decorations, and they’re the best way to keep your storage organized. Your two top choices are plastic or cardboard. Check out our guide to see which option is right for you, and make sure you buy boxes of the same size to maximize stackability and space efficiency.

Beyond boxes, you’ll want to invest in cushioning material to keep your holiday decorations in great shape. We suggest bubble wrap, as it’s both extra-cushiony and easy to conform to any object for specialized wrapping tasks. Other essential packing and storage supplies include packing tape, markers for labeling, and large covers for extra barriers in storage. You can order all of these packing and moving supplies online or in person here at Stor-It.

Halloween Decoration Storage

If the scariest part of Halloween for you is packing up the decorations, don’t despair. Be smart about your spooky stuff by taking a few thoughtful steps to optimize storage.

Step one: think about using household items to create decorations. For example, bedsheets make excellent ghosts. Get a marker and a ladder and suddenly you’ve got a face and a body.

Step two: consider investing in light strips, which are great outside Halloween decorations since they’re both space-efficient and easy to pack.

Step three: try scary and festive window art. It’s easy to clean and takes up almost no storage space.

Thanksgiving Decoration Storage

Not sure what to be thankful for this year? These Thanksgiving storage tips are great candidates. Take the stress out of storage by choosing natural decorations that are easy to dispose of at the end of the season. Things like leafy branches, autumnal flowers, and gourds make excellent indoor and outdoor Thanksgiving decorations (they work well for Halloween, too!). Other Thanksgiving-centric stuff, such as candles or wood decorations, should be carefully stored in boxes with plenty of cushioning. If you have different-themed candle holders, you can use those to keep your candles out year-round.

Christmas Decoration Storage

After you deck the halls, it’s time to figure out how to store Christmas decorations. Skip the stress by being smart about your storage this year. Like Thanksgiving, Christmas is a great chance to use natural decor like pine branches, holly, garland, and (of course) the tree. Once the season is over, you can compost or otherwise dispose of these natural materials guilt-free. For fragile stuff like ornaments, kitchenware, and other decorations, take your time to wrap each item up before putting it away. We suggest storing it in boxes with contents based on locations in the house.

Finally, wrap up the lights, keep them tangle-free, and store them all in one place. Don’t put extra weight on them, as this can break the bulbs.

Learn More and Store Here at Stor-It

Want more information and resources on holiday decoration storage? We’re on it. Visit our Packing and Storage Tips page for online tips and tricks, or contact us to speak with a Stor-It representative. Ready to store your decor? We’ve got that covered, too. As Idaho’s oldest and largest self-storage providers, we proudly own and operate 16 self-storage locations across our great state, each with a host of amenities and storage options to suit your needs. Click the link above to find the location that works best for you, and book online with us today!