How should I store holiday decorations if I do not have a garage or attic?

A storage unit is a solid option, especially a climate-controlled unit if your collection includes candles, wax decor, or delicate ornaments. It keeps decorations out of your living space year-round while protecting them from the temperature swings a coat closet or basement cannot always avoid.

What size storage unit do I need for holiday decorations?

It depends on how much you have. A handful of totes and a small tree can often fit in a 5x5 unit, while a full collection with a large tree, inflatables, and multiple bins of ornaments may need a 5x10 or 10x10. A unit size guide can help you match your inventory to the right footprint.

Is it bad to store Christmas lights in a cold garage all year?

Extreme cold and heat both take a toll on light strands over time, making wiring more brittle and insulation more likely to crack. A moderate, stable temperature is easier on the lights and helps them last more seasons.

The Complete Guide To Storing Holiday Decorations the Right Way

By Anytime Storage Content Team

What You’ll Learn in This Post

The right way to pack ornaments, artificial trees, string lights, wreaths, and inflatables
How to keep candles and wax decor from warping or cracking in storage
A full holiday packing checklist to run through before boxes go into storage
Why climate-controlled self-storage protects decorations better than an attic or garage

Holiday decorations take a beating between the day you pack them away and the day you pull them back out: ornaments chip, lights end up in a knotted ball, and wreaths flatten on one side. Most of this comes down to how, and where, decorations were packed away. A few smart habits, plus a storage spot that stays steady year-round, keep your decor looking the way it did when you bought it.

Use the Right Containers

Cardboard soaks up moisture, sags under weight, and gives pests an easy way in, and attics, garages, and basements all swing in temperature or gather moisture over a year of storage. Swap flimsy boxes for sturdy plastic totes with locking lids. Clear totes make it easy to see what is inside, and labeling totes by holiday, or by room within a holiday, saves time digging through bins next season.

Ornaments

Use a specialty ornament box with dividers so pieces do not knock together.
Wrap glass and other delicate ornaments individually in tissue paper or bubble wrap.
Let ornaments dry completely before packing to avoid mold once the box is sealed.
Store handmade pieces in their own clearly marked container.

Artificial Trees

An upright storage bag keeps the tree fully assembled and saves setup time next year. A flat storage box works better for trees that break down into sections and doubles as a stable base to stack other bins on. Either way, skip the original shipping box; it was not built for repeated use, and match the container size to your tree's height.

String Lights

Wind lights around cardboard, a tube, or a pool noodle, then plug the ends together so the strand stays coiled instead of unraveling.
Store spare bulbs and fuses in a small labeled bag with the lights.
Keep lights in a dry, temperature-stable space. Extreme heat and cold degrade wiring and insulation over time.

Wreaths, Garland, and Yard Decor

Hang wreaths rather than stacking anything on top, ideally in a dedicated wreath storage box with a hook, or a wire hanger bent into a hook shape in a closet. Coil garland loosely instead of folding it to avoid a tangled mess next year. Deflate inflatables completely, let them dry, and fold along the original creases, and check stakes, cords, and lighted elements for wear before next season.

Candles and Wax Decor

Wax softens well before it feels hot to the touch, so a hot attic or car trunk can warp or melt candles, while repeated freezing and thawing can crack them. Store candles and wax decor in a cool, stable space, in an opaque container, out of direct light.

Holiday Decoration Packing Checklist

Clean and fully dry every item before packing.
Wrap fragile ornaments individually in tissue paper or bubble wrap.
Use specialty ornament boxes with dividers for glass and delicate pieces.
Choose an upright bag or flat box sized correctly for your artificial tree.
Wind string lights around cardboard, a tube, or a pool noodle, then plug the ends together.
Hang or box wreaths so they keep their shape, and coil garland loosely.
Deflate and dry inflatables completely before folding along original creases.
Keep candles and wax decor in opaque containers out of direct light.
Label every tote by holiday and, if helpful, by room.
Store everything in a cool, stable space rather than an attic, garage, or shed.

A Smart Next Step for Your Holiday Decor With Anytime Storage

If your closets, attic, or garage are already packed tight, holiday decorations often end up wedged into whatever space is left, which is exactly how ornaments get crushed and wreaths get flattened. Moving seasonal totes, a tree, and yard decorations into a climate-controlled storage unit from Anytime Storage frees up that space at home while keeping sentimental and fragile items in a more stable environment year-round. It is a simple way to protect the pieces that matter and walk into next season's decorating with everything organized and easy to find.

Need a storage unit near you? Browse our storage locations to find a facility closest to you and reserve online today!