DIY Holiday Ornament Storage

In Pack Up the Holidays: Ornament, Decoration, & Gift Wrap Storage I shared some conventional, easy to purchase ideas for holiday storage. If you’re looking for a DIY solution though, here’s what to do.

1. Head to your local liquor store.
2. Beg for boxes – preferably boxes with compartments, however, alcohol boxes are way heavy, so even without compartments, they’re better than typical boxes.

If you scored compartment boxes:

Christmas lights can be wrapped into a long loop, wrapped lightly with tissue paper, and placed in a compartment. For basic, non-breakable ornaments, wrap them in tissue paper, and layer in the compartments.

For breakables – wrap each ornament carefully in tissue. Fill in the bottom of each compartment with recycled shredded paper. Place one ornament on top of the shredded paper. Add more shredded paper, then another ornament, and so on.

If all you got were non-compartment boxes:

Place breakables in one box, and non-breakables in another. For the breakable box layer lots of shredded paper on the bottom OR if you got a package this year with foam or packing peanuts, use those. Wrap ornaments and place them in the box, not touching. Layer a lot more shredded paper, and more non-touching ornaments. You’re killing your box real estate with this method, but it’s safer for the ornaments not to touch.

In the non-breakable box, pack it the same, but don’t worry about the touch rule. These can be packed tighter.

Christmas lights in a non-compartment box should be wound into a loop, wrapped in tissue, and placed on a layer of shredded paper or another soft packing substance. Layer more packing material on top of your lights before adding more decor items.

[image via stock.xchng]