Last Updated on January 15, 2025 by lindseymahoney
Storing Christmas decorations can be overwhelming, especially if you display multiple trees and go all out for the holidays. After the holidays, the last thing people want to do is spend more money on materials to hold decorations that will be hidden in a closet.
That is why I am sharing practical and budget-friendly tips that allow you to reuse materials to protect the seasonal decor you love.

Here are 21 clever DIY Christmas storage ideas to use at the end of every holiday season!
Table of Contents
- 21 Clever DIY Christmas Storage Ideas to Use
- 1 | Store Bows on Hangers
- 2 | Invest in Ornament Storage Boxes
- 3 | Repurpose Egg Cartons for Ornaments
- 4 | Reuse Tissue Paper from Opened Gifts
- 5 | Wrap Lights Around Cardboard
- 6 | Use Clear Plastic Bins
- 7 | Hang Wreaths on a Wall Rack
- 8 | Keep Hooks and Hangers Together
- 9 | Use Zip-Top Bags for Garland
- 10 | Organize by Color or Theme
- 11 | Repurpose Coffee Cans for Beads and Small Items
- 12| Hang Vintage Tinsel on a Velvet Hanger
- 13 | Create a Gift Wrap Station
- 14 | Label Everything Clearly
- 15 | Store Candles Upright in a Shoebox
- 16 | Reuse Ornament Boxes
- 17 | Store Crafted Ornaments Together
- 18 | Repurpose Wine Boxes for Ornaments
- 19 | Store Holiday Linens in Vacuum-Sealed Bags
- 20 | Create a Holiday Command Center
- 21 | Organize ornaments using plastic cups
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21 Clever DIY Christmas Storage Ideas to Use
1 | Store Bows on Hangers
Clip bows onto hangers or use a garment bag to keep them from getting crushed. I used these bows on our staircase and archways and plan to reuse them for many years to come.

2 | Invest in Ornament Storage Boxes
Choose boxes with dividers to keep ornaments organized and protected. This year, I found an ornament box at an estate sale for $5. It is the perfect size to hold all of my new vintage ornaments.

3 | Repurpose Egg Cartons for Ornaments
Perfect for storing small, delicate ornaments safely. The egg cartons stack nicely in plastic bins, too!
4 | Reuse Tissue Paper from Opened Gifts

5 | Wrap Lights Around Cardboard
Cut notches into sturdy cardboard to wrap string lights neatly and prevent tangling.

Years ago I purchased colored lights on a wheel. While the lights no longer work, I kept the wheel to store Christmas lights without tangles.
6 | Use Clear Plastic Bins
Store decorations in labeled, see-through bins for easy identification. For years I only used colored bins that we already owned. This year I needed more storage for our Department 56 Christmas village and I purchased clear bins to easily see the contents inside.
7 | Hang Wreaths on a Wall Rack
Use hooks or a rack in a closet to hang wreaths and keep them in shape. This tip not only extends the life of the wreaths, but it keeps items off of the floor.
8 | Keep Hooks and Hangers Together
Use small, clear containers for ornament hooks and label them. I like to keep this container in the ornament bin.
9 | Use Zip-Top Bags for Garland
Coil garlands neatly and place them in gallon-size bags for tangle-free storage. For our large garland, I coil them and place them in large garbage bags. This keeps them dust-free and tangle free every year.
10 | Organize by Color or Theme
Separate decorations by color or theme in different containers for quick decorating next year. This is especially useful if you are slowly pulling out Christmas decorations from storage and setting them up.
11 | Repurpose Coffee Cans for Beads and Small Items
Clean cans are great for storing beaded garlands or ribbon. This is another great hack using items you already own.
12| Hang Vintage Tinsel on a Velvet Hanger
I found vintage tinsel at an estate sale and alove the look on our Christmas tree. When compared with new tinsel, the difference is incredibly clear. True, vintage tinsel is leaded, so it must be handled carefully. It is very delicate and easily breaks apart.

One of my favorite Christmas decor accounts is @vintageholiday on Instagram (Vintage Holiday website) and he introduced me to this retro tinsel. He told me to store the tinsel on a velvet hanger at the end of each season so that I could reuse them year after year.

I am also going to try to reuse the newer tinsel on our tree this year. I will report back next year to let you know if the tinsel is easy to reuse!
13 | Create a Gift Wrap Station
Use a rolling cart or plastic drawers to organize wrapping paper, ribbons, tags, and tape.
RELATED: How to Make the Perfect Christmas Bow
14 | Label Everything Clearly
Use color-coded labels or tags for bins to identify contents at a glance.

When I am not using clear bins to store Christmas decorations, I add a label to each bin. A sharpie works just fine to label the bins, but I decided to upcycle Christmas cards to label each side of the opaque storage bins.
15 | Store Candles Upright in a Shoebox
Wrap candles in paper towels to prevent scratches and melting.
16 | Reuse Ornament Boxes
If you buy or receive an ornament in a box, keep the box to store the ornament at the end of the season.

Keep the boxes for bulbs as well! This DIY storage idea may seem self explanatory, but not everyone reuses them!

17 | Store Crafted Ornaments Together
All of the kid’s Christmas ornaments that are unbreakable go into one box.

When it is time to decorate the Christmas tree, the kid’s have a whole box to begin adding to the tree. This keeps them away from some of my more breakable Christmas decorations.
18 | Repurpose Wine Boxes for Ornaments
The individual compartments are perfect for fragile decorations. So smart and another great way to upcycle items in your home.
19 | Store Holiday Linens in Vacuum-Sealed Bags
Save space and protect linens from dust or pests.
20 | Create a Holiday Command Center
Dedicate a shelf, corner, or closet to all holiday items for centralized storage. I keep all of our seasonal bins in one section of our storage room for quick and easy access.

21 | Organize ornaments using plastic cups
Another incredibly smart way to store ornaments that need extra protection. Once the bottom layer is filled with cups, place cardboard on top and repeat.
These DIY Christmas storage ideas and tips make holiday cleanup stress-free and ready for next year! How do you organize and store your Christmas decorations every year? I would love to hear your tips in the comments below!