Holiday Decoration Storage: Keep the Magic Safe Year-Round

You spent all December making your home look amazing. Now it’s January and you’re staring at 14 boxes of ornaments, three bins of lights, an artificial tree the size of a refrigerator, and two inflatable yard decorations. Here’s how to store it all properly — and why a small storage unit might be the best $40/month you spend all year.

The Holiday Decoration Problem

Holiday decorations multiply. It starts innocently — a few strands of lights, a wreath, some stockings. Then you add a tree. Then outdoor inflatables. Then themed dishware. Then the kids make ornaments every year at school. Then you inherit Grandma’s collection.

Before you know it, holiday decorations consume an entire corner of your garage, half your attic, and a closet that used to hold coats.

And it’s not just Christmas. Add Halloween, Thanksgiving, Easter, Fourth of July, and fall harvest decorations, and you’re looking at a year-round storage problem that only gets bigger every year.

How to Organize Holiday Decorations for Storage

Organization is everything. The goal: walk into your storage space in November, grab what you need in 30 minutes, and walk out. No digging through mystery boxes. No untangling three seasons of lights. No discovering that the ornament you wanted was in the last box you opened.

Use Clear Plastic Bins (Not Cardboard)

Cardboard boxes are free and familiar. They’re also terrible for long-term storage. Moisture warps them. Mice chew through them. They collapse when stacked. You can’t see what’s inside.

Clear plastic bins with snap-on lids solve every one of those problems. You can see the contents at a glance, they’re waterproof, stackable, and rodent-resistant. The investment pays for itself the first year.

Color coding tip: Use red and green bins for Christmas, orange for Halloween, red/white/blue for patriotic holidays. You’ll find what you need without reading a single label.

Protect Fragile Ornaments

The ornaments that matter most are usually the most fragile — hand-blown glass, handmade keepsakes, antiques from your grandmother’s tree.

• Use ornament storage boxes with individual dividers (available at any home store after Christmas for 50% off)
• Wrap especially fragile pieces individually in acid-free tissue paper
• Don’t use newspaper — the ink transfers and stains
• Store ornament boxes inside a larger plastic bin for extra protection
• Label the bin: “FRAGILE — Glass Ornaments” so nobody stacks heavy boxes on top

Wrangle the Lights

Tangled lights are the #1 source of holiday-related profanity. Prevent it:

• Wrap each strand around a piece of cardboard, a hanger, or a purpose-built light reel
• Secure the plug end so it doesn’t unravel
• Test lights before storing — it’s better to find out a strand is dead now than in December
• Store lights in a separate bin from ornaments (they snag on everything)
• LED lights are more durable in storage than incandescent — less heat damage, more resistant to breakage

Store the Artificial Tree Right

A quality artificial tree lasts 10-20 years if stored properly. A poorly stored tree lasts three.

• Use a tree storage bag — they’re cheap and protect against dust, moisture, and pests
• Don’t crush it. If you have a pre-lit tree, crushing the branches damages the wiring. Store it upright if possible, or lay it flat without stacking heavy items on top.
• Fluff it before storing? No — compress the branches for storage, then fluff when you set it up next year. That’s what they’re designed for.
• Keep it dry. If your tree was near a humidifier or got splashed by a pet, let it dry completely before bagging it.

Outdoor Decorations

Inflatables, light-up yard figures, projectors, and outdoor wreaths need different treatment:

• Inflatables: Deflate completely, fold loosely (don’t crease the seams), and store in a bin or bag. Check the fan motor for debris before storing.
• Projectors: Store in original box if possible. Remove batteries. Keep the lens clean and covered.
• Wreaths: Store in a wreath box or hang from a hook inside the unit. Don’t crush or stack.
• Extension cords and outdoor timers: Coil loosely, secure with velcro ties, and store in a labeled bin.

Why a Storage Unit Beats Your Attic or Garage

You might be thinking: “I’ve always stored decorations in the attic. Why would I pay for a storage unit?”

Fair question. Here’s why:

Temperature Extremes

South Dakota attics and garages see the full temperature range — from below zero in January to well over 100°F in a summer attic. That range destroys: - Candle decorations (they melt and deform) - Vinyl and plastic items (they warp and crack) - Adhesives on labels and decorations (they fail in heat) - Electronics in light-up decorations (moisture from condensation)

A storage unit — especially a climate-controlled one — keeps temperatures moderated.

Space Recovery

The space your decorations occupy in your garage is space you can’t use for your car, your workbench, or your daily life. A 5x5 storage unit ($30-55/month in the Tyndall, Springfield, and Freeman area) holds every holiday decoration most families own, and suddenly your garage is yours again.

That’s not a cost — it’s a trade. You’re trading a small monthly payment for usable space in your home.

Pest Protection

Attics attract mice, spiders, and other critters that love to nest in stored boxes. A well-maintained storage facility with pest management keeps your decorations cleaner and safer than an unsealed attic.

Accessibility

Climbing into an attic with fragile boxes in December is dangerous. Digging through a packed garage while it’s 10°F outside is miserable. A ground-level storage unit with drive-up access means you pull up, open the door, and grab what you need. Easy in, easy out.

Organizing by Holiday

If you decorate for multiple holidays throughout the year, organize your storage by event:

Section 1 (back of unit): Holidays you access least — Easter, Fourth of July, St. Patrick’s Day

Section 2 (middle): Fall decorations — Halloween, Thanksgiving, harvest items

Section 3 (front, easiest access): Christmas — the largest collection and the first thing you’ll need in late November

Within each section, stack bins with labels facing outward. Put a master inventory list on the inside of the unit door or in your phone. When it’s time to decorate, you’ll know exactly where everything is.

When to Store and Retrieve

The holiday storage cycle follows a predictable pattern:

This rotation is part of the larger seasonal storage calendar for South Dakota — check it for the full year-round picture.

What Size Unit for Holiday Decorations?

5x5 (25 sq ft): Handles most families’ holiday collection — tree, ornaments, lights, a few outdoor items, and decorations for 2-3 holidays. This is a walk-in closet’s worth of space.

5x10 (50 sq ft): For the serious decorator. Multiple trees, extensive outdoor displays, every-holiday collections, plus room for non-holiday items you want to store.

If you’re already renting a storage unit for other reasons — seasonal equipment, a boat, business inventory — holiday decorations can share that space. Just keep them organized and accessible.

Stop Fighting Your Garage Every January

Your garage has a job. So does your attic. And that job shouldn’t be “holiday decoration warehouse.”

Lock N’ Leave It Storage in Tyndall, Springfield, and Freeman gives your decorations a proper home — organized, protected, and easy to access when the season rolls around.

A 5x5 unit is all most families need. Month-to-month lease. Drive-up access. No more attic ladders in December.

Check availability and reclaim your garage. The holidays will thank you.