When the frenzy of the holidays gives way to the promise of the New Year, it’s time to put away the baubles, the lights, and pack up those massive Rudolph inflatables — but how can you do it in a way that isn’t a back-splitting pain and mess for 2026 you?
We spoke with expert organizers and professional event planners who know how to string those lights up and down, which truly durable ornament containers to buy and how to pack away your tree in a way that won’t have your dreading opening the decorations next year.
Sturdy and clear stackable boxes to avoid guessing what you've packed away
Peter Som, lifestyle expert, designer and author of the cookbook "Family Style,” recommends to keep that "visual calm," after the holidays, clear package containers are a must. "Clear, stackable containers are my go-to because you can see exactly what you have without digging, and I’m a big fan of uniform containers – it sounds nerdy, but visual calm matters,” Som told HuffPost.
These Hefty 72-quart clear storage bins with stackable lids have locking handles and a snap closure to make sure your boxes stay secure and protected all year.
Snazzy artificial tree storage bag for your 7-footer
Erica Dunn, a professional organizer and owner of Tampa-based Organized Interiors by Erica recommended this upright christmas tree storage bag from Holdn’ Storage – an brand she loves and that’s available on Amazon. Available in multiple sizes for trees ranging from three to nine feet, it has a vertical cover and drawstring closure at the bottom – and according to reviews, it’s a very durable option to keep your tree safely stored and dust-free all year. It also starts at just $10.
A durable Amazon find for all your baubles and balls that's only $23
Sara Aparacio is a home cleaner and resident expert at Homeaglow, a cleaning booking platform. She and her team have been brought in for epic cleaning sessions following holiday events and she has several storage tips and items she swears by.
“This ornament storage box offers excellent value and [allows] people to store ornaments safely and efficiently, while still being able to see them.. [T]he boxes typically feel sturdy and of good quality,” said Aparacio.
She did also mention the box can be limiting on unusual sized ornaments.
A $15 container for leftover wrapping paper
Some tangle-free light storage
Melissa Denham, interior design expert at Hammonds Furniture, knows there's one chore when it comes to holiday cleanup that most of us dread: the lights. “One of the more tedious jobs around Christmas time is unravelling the lights. To prepare for next year, one way to store your lights so they are ready to use is by wrapping them around on an old wrapping paper tube, empty Pringles can, toilet roll tube or similar. Not only is this a good use of wrapping paper tubes, but it also avoids tangled lights next year.”
If you're short one Pringles, you could try this economical (and crumb-free) Whitmor Christmas light box we found – it can hold 800 lights and comes with four plastic spools to wrap up to 200 lights each.
These Santa-sized vinyl bags to store your inflatables
A roll of bubble wrap (in case you run out of holiday towels)
For Savannah Monet, Principal Designer at Monet Interior, every keepsake made by her children she plans to keep. She told HuffPost: “I have never heard of anyone regretting storing the items their children make for the holidays. I personally hold onto all of it.” However, she added, maybe one day she'll give it all back to her kids, “and they can sneak it into the trash can like I do when my parents bring me my old drawings.”
Monet likes to store keepsakes bymixing her holiday "decorative towels, shower curtains, and rugs with my breakables." said Monet. "I generally lay the soft items on the bottom of the box to give my breakables some cushion."
If you're looking to add an extra layer of protection a roll of bubble cushion is a great to just have stored in your garage for a multitude of uses. Target's small bubble cushion is the perfect added protective layer that easily wraps around those precious items. The roll includes 100 feet of green bubble cushion.
A reusable oversized laundry bag for both wrapping and storage
Joyin’s Christmas large canvas gift bags not only work as wrapping, but as storage for any decor that’s not at the risk of breaking. My kids like to play Santa Claus with them from time to time – I just make sure they aren't jostling around anything too valuable.
Professional level of Christmas ornament organization for $40
This Holdn’ Storage Christmas ornament storage box comes recommended by Dunn. She likes the removable level trays and individual dividers that can hold up to 72 ornaments. It's a well-constructed and durable organizing solution for Christmas ornaments with over a thousand reviews and 4.5 stars on Amazon.
The storage box also comes in three different sizes, each that come with dividers that are adjustable so that you can customize your storage.
A heavy-duty garland bag that an expert personally uses
Flenner like the Covermates garland duffle bag, because it's made with a durable polyester and reinforced handles, so it's less likely to ever break during storage and cleanups. One bag can fits up to 25 feet of garland, depending on how thick yours is.
Flenner told HuffPost that she works with garland is many different materials and lengths. “It can be super simple, with just greenery and lights, or it can be full of a variety of ornaments and other accents.” Flenner believes it's best to use a duffle bag like this Covermates one to “keep out dust and moisture,” with items “gently placed (not stuffed) into large storage totes.”
A chic storage ottoman with a surprising amount of space
Som loves the holidays, but as a New Yorker he’s often short on space for decorating, hosting and storage. So he’s got a few tricks on how to store your decorations when you're living with limited space. “Living in New York has made me ruthless — in the best way — about storage," Som told HuffPost. "I love furniture that works overtime: ottomans that can store things, beds with drawers underneath, and benches that open up for seasonal table linens and such."
With this in mind, we found this stellar faux leather round storage ottoman — an Amazon bestseller that's well-reviewed and gives you added storage in a stylish and hidden way.
A seriously investment rugged bag that will element-proof your tree
"Artificial trees require special duffel bags – the TreeKeeper – made of heavy-duty material with reinforced handles and wheels. These are better than the original flimsy cardboard boxes which invariably break down after one season.” She also strongly recommended that you pick a bag large enough for the height of the tree so as not to crush the branches.
These bags can work to store inflatables and outdoor artificial trees as well, and Pawlik wisely reminded that before storing you ensure that they are 100% dry, in order to prevent the growth of mold, “which is a typical problem my team suffers from with properties that do not have climate controlled storage.”
This Treekeeper big wheel “super” duffle bag might be on the higher end, but it comes with wheels so you can roll away your holiday cheer without breaking your back. It also fits most trees from six to nine feet tall and there are built-in compression straps to tighten around the tree for a snug, jostle free-fit.