Packing away the Christmas decorations

[Alanamackree]

Do you have a system? Or any good tips?

I used less than usual this year so I’m going to do a good declutter before I attempt to organize what’s left.

I had a look for tips online but other people must live in mansions with handy coat racks in their attics for hanging wreaths and a selection of “clean dustbins” for storing garlands. I love how labeling a box can count as a “hack”

I do try and organize my boxes so that the bare essentials of Christmas can be grabbed from the front in case we are all struck down by plague in December voice of experience

I keep all tree decorations in one box together. Not much of a system! But my advent stuff is all in a red Aldi bag, which makes it easier to find in Nov in the gloomy attic.

I keep xmas decs in one box - tree in another (obv) - lights together in one bag - and home decs in another. We don’t have huge amounts of decs but we keep everything separate so it’s easy to unload the next year. We took ours down on 30th, feels great to have a clean/fresh home for the new year!!

xmas tree decs I mean *

I have a box for tree decorations and another for the tree lights/outside lights. The window silhouettes have a box each. Mark on the box with sharpie what is in it

We have a system! Makes it loads easier for decorating too. Here's what works for us:

• lights wrapped round piece of thick card so not tangled.

• tree decorations stored in old gift bags ( we have 2 trees so I keep the decs for each tree in separate bag).

• delicate decorations / etc wrapped in bubble wrap / newspaper and stored in Xmas biscuit tins or wrapped in Xmas towels / tea towels.

& Limit of X1 large cardboard box ( plus extra for other tree) and rest goes in large drawstring transparent bags ( much easier than faffing roound with boxes in loft)

• 2 other labelled plastic storage boxes with lids for Xmas books / dvds/ cards / labels, tableware / Xmas socks & "spare" gifts . Anything that might be wanted pre Xmas , before decorations go up .

It sounds like we have a lot - we don't but I like packing Xmas away and getting it out again - rather than having random Xmas stuff around the house all year.

I bought proper solid stackable plastic boxes with lids about three years ago - such a simple tweak but exponentially better than the crappy cardboard boxes I was using

A few boxes. Tend to have 2 colour themes so will mark each box separately e.g. red and gold, blue and silver.lights separately

Oh you lot sound much more organized than I am. I think my main problem is I’ve accumulated waaaay too much over the years. I’m going to have to be ruthless.

I also have a lot of fragile ornaments that need careful packing so they’re voluminous and time consuming.

I’m toying with the idea of leaving the lights on the tree but as it has to be folded up and squished that’s probably madness. I usually wrap the lights on the inner tube of tinfoil/cling film which keeps them untangled.

I definitely need a separate Christmas Eve box. Not for the dc but for all the bits I need. I couldn’t find my reindeer hood print stencil this year.

I have an advent box, with the reusable calendars, books, CDs (though they've been donated since I got Spotify) and candles.

This year I think I'm going to pack by room. So the sitting room tree decorations, lights, garland and gingerbread house together; the dining room tree decorations, candle holders and table linen together; the kitchen press decorations and dishes together; and so on. And the kids will have a box each for their rooms; they'll enjoy that. I usually do it more or less by type, so one giant box of lights, and then I can never remember which lights go where because DH keeps buying more every year and we don't have anywhere to put half of them!. I'm also going to get rid of a load of stuff that we didn't use this year.

We just have a massive box which is a nightmare when everyone is diving in to decorate!

I've found some smaller boxes I'm the loft and planning to split it up by theme.

Baubles, definitely want the fragile ones separately from the rest!

We use a selection of small boxes which are easier to get in and out of the loft, although they sit inside a couple of bigger plastic boxes / canvas bags while they are up there. I write on the outside of each box what was inside so that when we get them down we know what to unpack and what can stay stacked in the corner of the spare bedroom until later in December. Unfortunately DFIL decided to recycle some of the boxes last week and thereby ruined Christmas 2019

I did have a major fail this year and bought some Christmas cards only to discover that we had some left from last year which were, horror, not in a labelled box. Take note, DFIL.

We have stackable boxes and those plastic drawers which fit nicely in the cupboard under the stairs. Delicate ornaments are in old chocolate tubs lined with newspaper, lights wrapped around card in separate drawers etc.

This year I have invested in proper plastic boxes with lids. Unfortunately I underestimated how much I have so I need one more (I currently have 2).

Box 1 has tree lights and decs (unbreakable decs in a gift bag, more precious ones in a sturdy cardboard box wrapped in tissue paper and placed around a wooden Christmas tree frame - hard to describe).
The plastic box also includes some of those hard bottle holders (a snowman, Santa and a post box) all of which hold my fragile baubles that don't have boxes - they are wrapped in tissue paper and pushed in so they are protected).
I've then filled any gaps with random decs (mostly a squidgy Santa with a glittery beard and a snowman teddy with Woden legs )

Box 2 has my Christmas jumpers, Pjs and ornaments which dot have a box.

I have a 3rd box which is too small, old and doesn't have a lid. It has ornaments in boxes and spare lights (which are wrapped around a toilet roll inner tube and plonked in the plastic box they came in. I'll be moving this to the new box with lid when I get it.
I have Christmas plates, table cloth and tea towels which I want to put in the new box too.

I have ordered a Christmas tree bag which will be here on the weekend. My Christmas tree box is battered to the point I don't think I can tape it together again!

On top of all this I also have a white twiggy prelit tree thing in its original box and a 2 ft prelit tree in its box which is also falling to pieces - this will go in the new box too.

Fingers crossed I should end up with box 1 for the tree, box 2&3 for Christmas clothes,kitchen stuff and ornaments, the twiggy tree box and the big tree bag. And a carrier bag with my wreath and holder in which has gone missing in the attic somewhere but I'm hoping we'll find it next year!

Reading that back it sounds a little mad. I clearly have too much stuff!

I need a plastic box. My 20yr old cardboard one is softer than felt and really won’t hold together another year.

I clearly have too much stuff as I group my bits together in large cardboard boxes (moving boxes) that have been going strong for 9 years!

Tree in original box
Outside decorations in original boxes
Box of Father Christmases
Box of Nativity Sets
Box of baubles/hanging tree decorations
Box of Christmas books
Box of kitchen/dining stuff
Box of snowman
Box of wire ornaments I don't use but can't throw
Box of Christmas Cards
Box of gift bags
Bag of wrapping paper
Box of stuff that doesn't fit in any category

I've just realised I haven't included my spare room Christmas stash

I keep wrapping paper stood in a bottle bag wedged between the wardrobe and the wall it's the perfect size) and have a large gift bag in the spare room wardrobe which has tissue paper, cards, sellotape, dispenser and gift tags in.
I also have 2 lovely Christmas boxes from my DMum. 1 has magazines, a note book / planner / diary and a few random bits and the other has craft stuff like crocheted stars / snowflakes and sew-on jingle bells and a beginners cross stitch kit in.

I definitely definitely have too much stuff!

One big Advent box with wrath decoration and smaller boxes with all kind of ornaments to spread around the house from 1st Advent onwards.

Outdoor lights are in a another smaller box.

Tree decoration is in a third one as the tree only goes up just before the 24th.

DD has a small tree which comes with its own box and box with decoration, she can put it up whenever she wants.

DD and my nativity sets are also in separate boxes,

Your all so organised.. mines just shoved in bags and boxes

We got two massive (90 litre, I think) Really Useful boxes last year from Dunelm and they have the room / tree decs in. The wreath has its own box and there's one decoration too big for the box, so sits on top (I assume, I don't do the loft!).

The two trees are in their original boxes.

I don't have enough clothing to squirrel away, so have that in my wardrobe.

The towels / tea towels live in the towel hamper or the kitchen drawer, depending on whether they're for kitchen or bathroom use.

And the wrapping paper is in Really Useful boxes on our bookcase in the bedroom. (I promise I don't work for them!)

That's about it!

Posh/glass decorations could go in the card wine glass carriers from ikea or if you need sturdy the supermarket wine bottle carriers

PristineCondition the plastic boxes are an upgrade this year
I was moaning to dmum about my Christmas tree box because I ripped the top off when moving it being broken and saying I need a new system when my dad came in and 'donated' 2 80ltr plastic boxes he had in his shed.

My system before now has been around 6 boxed, various sizes, no lids, broken, with at least 3 of them stuffed full of old quality street / cracker tubs with baubles in 😂 How my decs have survived this long is a mystery 🤷‍♀️

I have a few of the 64 ornament boxes you can get on amazon. Essentially plastic boxes with cardboard inserts and I normally add some packing tissue too. They are meant for quite small baubles so I just don’t use all the inserts when I assemble them. When I pack up the baubles I put them in boxes based on the colour/theme, as we change the themes each year so it makes it simple to find the baubles for next year.
Some bauble ‘sets’ stay in their original boxes for ease (if colour coordinated). Baubles go under guest bed along with tree skirts.

Trees go in tree bags onto the rafters in the garage. Wreaths and garlands go into more bags but stored in 2 large pretty canvas boxes along with other miscellaneous decorations, lights (wrapped around cardboard), stockings etc which are also in the guest bedroom.

Wrapping paper, ribbons, gifts bags - you guessed it - in a box under the guest bed. It was from ikea and it’s meant for shoes I think but it perfectly fits wrapping paper rolls where the handles aren’t, leaving a good space in the middle for the ribbons and stuff.

I second the Really Useful Boxes from Dunelm mill or Hobbycraft. I have a few of the large ones, a long thin one for gift wrap, two if the ones with compartments for baubles. I like everything super organized!

I also have a bag marked "Christmas stuff" which I put easily accessed stuff in like advent bits, cards & crackers. www.amazon.co.uk/Happy-Jackson-Christmas-Stuff-Polypropelene/dp/B017P5R59G?tag=mumsnetforum-21

I dug my brother label maker out. All boxes labelled up

I can't believe I never posted on this thread!

I have a sort of system, that I want to improve, but its better than nothing.

Ikea SAMLA boxes - they stack up on each other, have lids (and you can get clips to hold them closed), and come in different sizes if you need some smaller ones for specific collections/delicate things.

I have roughly 5 of the 45 litre sized boxes for Christmas (one for Easter, some have clothes, 2x45 and 1x65 for Cubs camping gear etc). I also have a smaller (11l, 22l??) one which goes halfway across the top of a larger one, for candles.

2 large decoration boxes from Dunnes Stores (each has a removable tray, so 2 levels, and roughly 4x6 grid on each level to hold individual decorations).

Articifial tree (s ) still in the original box.

Real wreath, carefully wrapped in plastic, as it is still good after 8 years!! I intend pulling it apart next December and dumping the old holly etc, and just making up a new one.

And a couple of large-ish decorations in their own boxes sitting on top of the crates.

The system is mostly:
Individual decorations and baubles in the Dunnes boxes, all mixed together.
1 box is "December 1st" box - DD's fabric advent calendar, her Santa duvet cover set, a Christmas mug for everyone and DD's plastic plate/bowl/glass set from toddlerhood (now a teen - but it's traaaaaadition!) and the books for reading/Christmas DVDs to watch in advent.

1 box is more kitchen and crockery related - over the years, I have gathered a handful of mugs, a few glasses, some nightlight holders, a couple of dips and nibbles dishes, 2 square plates, a cream jug, and a couple of salt & pepper sets. I also have a few gold placemats and some red napkin rings for decorating the tables. I have a paper tablecloth that I haven't actually used yet (a party some year), the remains of packs of (and a few unopened packs) Christmas doilies and napkins. I also have about 4 small handtowels for the kitchen and 2 festive tea towels, so they are handy in this container to wrap around breakables too!

1 is lights and stand - I have about 6 sets of lights gathered over the years, including some for outdoors. And we have a decent real tree stand for years when we have a real tree (it has a sump for watering the tree and that really helps keep it alive).

1 is boxes of balls and boxed decorations. A few specific sets, a couple of really expensive ones in their boxes, etc (like a Villeroy and Boch Santa, and a Waterford Crystal Angel) for safety. We have 2 big nutcrackers in there as well - 1 we bought, and another was a gift. The tinsel squeezes in around the edges of this box.

And I have 1 more mixed box of craft bits, fake snowflakes for a window, the "Santa stop here" sign (from when we were away from home a couple of years), and things we are less likely to use.

A large M&S bag holds the 2 garlands, and the extra bits for that and for flower arranging are in a 22l box in the spare wardrobe at home.

There are a couple of snowglobes in there somewhere too. And our big crib and figures are separately in DMIL's at present (I want to get them back as they were a wedding present and I don't want them "lost" (or car booted) if they stay there).

So I can bring home 1 box before 1 December, easily grab the tree, decorations and garlands when I am ready for those but throw them back down while keeping the crockery box at home until I acutally want to use the really Christmas stuff.

All except the flower arranging stuff is kept in a storage unit we have about 10 minutes from home (along with camping gear, off-season clothes, old suitcases, my wool stash etc.....).