How to Store Seasonal Decorations — My Holiday Organizing Tips

I love the holiday season — the extra family time, the delicious food, and the excuse to take things a little slower. But as the holidays wrap up, I hear from so many people who are wondering how to store their seasonal decorations. 

I don’t celebrate Christmas myself, but I love helping my clients get creative with their holiday organizing. I helped one of my clients pre-plan her holiday storage even before she decorated her tree this year! Yep, you read that right. That way she knows exactly how to pack up her decor when the season is over, and next year she’ll already be one step ahead.

And that’s my goal for you too, friend. I always want to help you stay one step ahead, and a great way to do that is to put in some hard work in advance to save you time and energy later. 

By following these holiday organizing tips, you can strategically store seasonal decorations so you know exactly where to look next year. Plus, you’ll be able to spend more time with your family and friends during the season without stressing about how you’re going to get everything back in order again afterward! 

Why you should learn how to store your seasonal decorations

Did you know that the average American spends more than $230 on holiday decorations each year? And that’s not even including lights! So whether you’re struggling to find space for all your new shiny decorations or just want to make sure you’re safely storing your old treasures, you’re probably looking for some tips on how to store seasonal decorations. 

The tips I explain here leverage the universal principles of organizing, just with a confined space and a finite number of items. By learning how to store your seasonal decorations, you’re building those home organizing skills — meaning you’re one step closer to that streamlined, functional, beautiful home you day-dream about!

Trust me, friend — if you can do this, then you can tackle any organizing project! The rest of your home will follow right along.

4 Steps to Holiday Decor Storage

1. Purge holiday decor items you no longer love  

What ornaments, lights, stockings, and other holiday decor items didn’t make the cut this year? If you didn’t love it this year, you probably won’t love it next year either. 

Be brave and make the decision today to purge. Maybe you could even regift that ornament to a friend, or donate unused stockings to your local charity shop. Whatever you decide to do, do yourself a favor and make the decision now.

2. Purchase holiday decor storage containers

Especially if you have decorations that have been in your family for years, or if there’s decor that has some sentimental value attached, you want to invest in storage solutions that are going to keep them protected for years to come.

I’ve included some of my favorite products below, but if you decide to look for your own storage containers be sure to know what to look for. Factor in the conditions and temperature of the space you’ll be storing your items in so you can purchase appropriate containers.

3. Carefully pack away cherished, fragile items

Once you’ve chosen the right storage container for your holiday decor, you want to take some extra love and care with those most cherished items. Wrap your fragile ornaments in bubble wrap or tuck some natural excelsior in your containers, and take extra care when storing your containers away. Do whatever you can to make sure it’s all safely packed away for next year.

4. Think ahead!

When figuring out how to store your seasonal decorations, think about how you set them up in your home each year. Then, reverse-organize that process. Everything you need first should go in last, and vice versa.

Trust me on this one, future you will be so grateful you took the time to do this. Next holiday season, everything will be in perfect reach!

My favorite holiday decor storage containers

It’s no secret that The Container Store is my go-to choice for any type of storage container. Their options are stylish and functional and are perfect for safekeeping your cherished holiday items. 

When choosing your own storage containers, remember that your holiday decorations spend just a month or two on display — the rest of the year they’re stored away. So, your holiday decor storage containers should be high-quality, appropriate for each specific item, and durable. 

With a little planning and organization, you can ensure your holiday decorations — and the investment you’ve made in them — are protected for years to come, while also making it easier to find them the following year.

Here are some of my go-to’s.

Large Storage Bins

When organizing a client’s home, we often use these 45 qt Clear Totes to store stockings, costumes, and bigger ornaments. They’re big enough to fit your bulkier items, but not so big that you feel compelled to shove everything you own into them. They’re also very durable, and the red top is easy to use (and holiday-themed!) 

Totes + Storage Trays

Storing all holiday decorations inside the house isn’t always an option. These Clear Weathertight Totes are weather-proof, so they can go in a garage, shed, or, in this case, my client’s crawl space. 

You'll want to store your ornaments in separate compartments so that they don't break while in storage.  This Sterilite 20 Compartment (six pack) is so helpful for keeping your ornaments orderly and protected. 

I also love that these totes are clear, so you can see exactly what’s inside of them without having to open it up. But, even with clear bins, labels are key!

Padding for Fragile Items

You could use newspaper or tissue paper for this, but I recently discovered natural excelsior and it was a complete game-changer for the way I store fragile holiday decor (hello porcelain angels and glass snowmen!). Truly, it's my new obsession.

Wreath Boxes

My client’s beautiful wreath deserves to be stored as safely as possible for the other ten months of the year. This 24” Red Wreath Box is perfect. It can basically guarantee that her wreath will not get misshapen or damaged, as it was created specifically to protect wreaths.

That’s a Wrap!

Well, friend — that’s it! You now have the tools and tips you need to know how to store seasonal decorations. 

For those of you who are not yet organizing ninjas, I really encourage you to begin your organizing journey with holiday decorations. Pick a date today for taking down and storing your decorations when the season is over. Prioritize this task on that date (aka, get it done!) and then everything will be ready for you next November.

If you really want to step up your organizing game, you can also learn how to organize a playroom (especially if your kids received new toys for Christmas). Or, you might enjoy my blog post on New Year organization! It covers organizing all your holiday items — from thank you notes to unwanted gifts.

Were these tips helpful for you? Be sure to comment below and let me know! And don’t forget to subscribe to my newsletter for free printables and more tips to organize your home!

The links provided are affiliate links, which means I earn a small commission if you order through them. All opinions expressed are my own.  I only share products that I genuinely use and love.