Unique Storage Solutions for 6 Common Holiday Decorations (and More!)
There’s nothing more jolly than decking the halls for the holidays, but putting everything away can turn many of us into the Grinch! Luckily for you, we’re here to help!
From trees and ornaments to tableware and linens, we have storage solutions that will not only set you up for success for the next holiday season, but will also help you start the new year on the right (and more peaceful) foot!
The Holiday Guide is COMING SOON!
A COMPLIMENTARY RESOURCE DESIGNED TO INSPIRE SIMPLE SOLUTIONS FOR CREATING A BEAUTIFUL & INTENTIONAL HOLIDAY SEASON. CLICK HERE TO GET NOTIFIED!
When To take down your holiday decorations
At Graceful Spaces, we believe the only unacceptable time to take down your holiday decorations is during a time that creates stress! We recommend that you thoughtfully schedule a time that allows plenty of space with minimal distractions. Turn on your favorite tunes, plan a snack break and enjoy taking down your decorations as you reflect on the holiday you just enjoyed!
SET YOURSELF UP FOR SUCCESS
Before you dive into creating your holiday storage systems, we highly recommend taking the time to properly organize your holiday decor collection. By implementing our tried and true CEO method, you’ll set yourself up for success and keep your storage systems sustainable season after season!
CATEGORIZE your like items and take stock of your holiday collection. The key to this process is to remove your items from the spaces you’re taking them from and sort them in categories (holiday candles, holiday napkins, etc.), so you can clearly see your full inventory. We love to use clear, plastic bins, but feel free to use any boxes you have lying around!
EDIT any items that are damaged or that no longer match the look you’re wanting to achieve. The editing process is also a great time to note any gaps in your holiday decorations that you will want to fill in next season! Keep this list in your phone so you’re ready when holiday decorations hit the shelves….you know, in July!
Pro Tip: During the editing process, we like to use white trash bags for any items you’ll be donating and black trash bags for items you’ll be tossing so there’s no confusion!
ORGANIZE the items that remain using storage solutions custom to your personal space and collection. We’ve outlined our favorite storage solutions for common holiday decorations below!
Want to learn more about our CEO method? We break down our process one step at a time here to help you complete your organization project with grace (and your sanity intact!).
1. Christmas Tree & Holiday Wreath Storage
The beauty of artificial trees and wreaths is that they can be used year after year, but choosing the right storage options will help ensure you actually want to!
To determine the right storage solution for your tree, consider where and how it will be stored. If you’re storing your tree in a climate that is unpredictable, it is best to choose a water-resistant option. If your storage space is tight, you might want to consider a tear-resistant option to protect your tree from potential damage.
For the majority of us, our Christmas trees are being stored in garages, attics or basements, so opting for a storage solution that is both water- and tear-resistant will help protect your Christmas tree investment. For those that take their decorating seriously, we love this option that has wheels to make moving your tree in and out of storage as easy as Santa Claus coming down the chimney!
Pro Tip: If your storage solutions will be exposed to the elements or in unpredictable climates (like the sub-tropicals ones we have in Austin, TX and Charleston, SC), we recommend using heavy duty vinyl labels!
Wreath boxes are a great way to securely store your seasonal wreaths. The clear lid lets you quickly see what’s inside, and we love that it can stand on its own or be hung by its handle. If you’re storing your wreaths in a cool, dry spot, another great option is to use Command Hooks like we did in the Elegant Estate home tour. This will help you maximize storage space by utilizing the wall and will allow you to quickly access your seasonal wreaths.
2. Ornament & holiday Decor storage
From ornaments and tree toppers to nutcrackers and figurines, these Drop-In Bins are a great way to customize your storage solutions to your personal holiday collection. They’re sturdy enough to stack on top of each other in a weathertight tote, allowing you to keep categories together. Don’t forget - labeling your bins will keep your system sustainable season over season!
The Hillside Estate
To see the weathertight totes in action, check out the holiday decor storage solutions we created for the Hillside Estate Home Tour. For this client, we micro-categorized all of their holiday decor to make decorating and taking down a seamless process. Don’t forget to enlist the help of labels to keep your system sustainable!
Pro Tip: Depending on your holiday decorations, we recommend storing smaller bins into larger ones to keep smaller categories together safely!
Where to store your holiday decorations will depend on your space. As a general rule of thumb, we recommend keeping all holiday items together when possible. We did make an exception for the Hillside Estate home to make decorating easier in this larger home. The majority of our client’s decorations were stored in a designated holiday room in their basement, while larger boxes of oversized and fragile decorations were placed in a hall closet on the second floor. This closet has convenient access to an elevator (yes, an elevator!), so we were confident that our client would be able to transfer these larger boxes from floor to floor with more ease than climbing up and down basement stairs.
The Hillside Estate
Pro Tip: If you are storing decorations in multiple locations throughout your home, we recommend creating a master list of where everything is stored (wreaths - in the attic, Christmas tree - in the crawl space, Elf of the Shelf - in a green box labeled “Old Clothes”). Tape your master list to the door of the attic or keep it in a Notes folder on your phone!
3. Holiday Tableware Storage
For many of us, the holiday season is the only time we breakout the good stuff, but it’s also the perfect opportunity to properly care for and organize your china and stemware. Investing in a china storage set will not only protect your items, but they’re sturdy enough to stack - allowing you to maximize your storage space!
We also recommend investing in a silver flatware storage case to help you tackle the tarnish! We love that this one holds up to 120 pieces, but isn’t as heavy as a traditional silverware chest.
Where to store your holiday entertaining and tableware will depend on your space, but cabinets that are typically harder to access are a perfect spot for these seasonal items that you won’t need year-round access to. To maximize vertical space, consider using adjustable pan organizers for platters and plates. This will also help reduce the risk of those special pieces being broken while in storage!
For more holiday entertaining and tableware storage ideas, check out the Hillside Estate Home Tour. We were able to utilize built-in cabinets in our client’s breakfast room that were otherwise empty to store holiday corks, napkins, china and more.
Speaking of entertaining! Read our tips for wowing your guests this holiday season here!
4. Linen storage
Storing fabric decorations, including pillows, stockings and tree skirts, in vacuum-sealed bags will not only protect them from bugs, dust and dirt, but you’ll also be able to maximize your storage as they will take up less space!
From there, we like to store the filled vacuum-sealed bags in clothes storage totes. They’re strong enough to hold the heaviest of linens, and we love that the clear window allows you to see what’s inside.
5. GIFT WRAPPING storage
Creating a gift wrapping station is a quick and easy way to maintain order over the holidays! You’ll save time and money knowing exactly what you have, where it is, and when you need to restock. Depending on the size of your space and your collection of gift wrapping supplies, we have different wrapping station solutions to fit your needs.
When possible, we love to utilize the backs of doors to create a vertical wrapping station. One option to build a truly custom station using Poppin wall system components, Command Hooks and curtain hooks like we did here. The Poppin wall system components are great for gift bags, tissue paper, scissors, tape and more. We also love to use Command Hooks for hanging gift bags and the Command Smart Phone Caddy is the perfect size for pre-printed gift tags. Curtain hooks allow you to take advantage of unused rods in a closet to keep rolls of wrapping paper tidy and easily accessible.
Another option for using the back of the door is to invest in an Elfa Over-the-Door storage system. Not only is this system super user friendly, but it’s easy to customize according to your holiday gift wrapping supplies. We also love that this can be moved from door to door or house to house depending on your needs!
If space is an issue, there are some great under the bed storage solutions to keep gift wrapping supplies tidy and together. We love that this one is durable enough to hold multiple rolls of gift wrapping paper and the pockets are a convenient way to store gift bags, tags, and other accessories!
For even more holiday gift wrapping storage solutions and tips, download our Holiday Wrapping Station Mini-Course here!
6. Holiday inspiration
We don’t know about you, but we are constantly taking screenshots of holiday inspiration we find on our phones. From gift ideas to recipes, we love having it all at our fingertips, but scrolling through our photo gallery to find it all is another story!
It might seem simple, but taking the time to create photo albums for these screenshots will allow you to quickly reference your holiday inspiration so you can get back to recreating it for yourself! A few of our favorite albums to create include:
Holiday Recipes
Gift Ideas
Christmas Tree Inspiration
Mantle Inspiration
Frame TV Artwork
Yes, you read that correctly! We have been loving incorporating the Frame TV into our home decor, and the holidays are no exception. There are so many affordable digital art options on Etsy, but these downloaded files can easily get lost in our phones. To quickly access your purchased artwork, we like to create a designated album on our phone. You can even take it a step further and create albums by seasons!
MAINTAIN YOUR SYSTEMS
With holiday decor, it’s so tempting to add new items each year. But, if you’re not careful, you’ll find that your collection might start to feel overwhelming! Being mindful of what comes into your home is an important step to help maintain your holiday storage systems season after season. Whether it’s a family ornament passed down from a distant relative or a holiday craft made with love (and way too much glitter!), take the time to ensure that everything that enters your home is wanted and supports your vision for the holidays!
Read 10 actions you can take to support your
organization goals here!
Our goal for these holiday storage solutions is to help you create sustainable systems that will reduce the stress that holiday decorating and take down can cause, giving you the time and energy to be present during this special season!
Inspired for more home organization projects?
If creating storage solutions for your holiday decorations inspired you to tackle other home organization projects, we’re here to help! While we believe everyone can become organized, working with a professional organizer on your initial strategy can be a huge timesaver, and our experienced home organizing team will work with you to create a plan tailored to your home and your family's unique needs!
“If you don’t take the time to thoughtfully create a system and a solution that’s unique to your family’s goals and priorities, then the mess will all come back.”
THE 2023 HOLIDAY GUIDE IS COMING!
The Graceful Spaces team came together to bring you a holiday guide PACKED full of resources to help you achieve a stress-free, intentional holiday!
What can you expect?
Holiday organizing recommendations
Travel prep tips
Holiday bucket list
Tips for hosting guests
Our cofounder’s personal wish list items!