The Right Way to Store Your Lights So You Don’t Regret It Next Year

Nothing tests your patience like pulling out Christmas lights and finding a giant knot, half a strand burned out, or mystery cords with no idea where they go. Most of that frustration starts with how we put them away the year before.

If you spend an extra 20–30 minutes on the back end, next year you’ll be grateful instead of muttering under your breath on a step stool.

Test and Sort Before You Put Anything Away

As soon as you’re done with the tree or outdoor lights, plug everything in while it’s still up. Mark any sections that flicker or go dark. If an entire strand is dead and you’ve already tried a new fuse or bulb, don’t store it “just in case.” Toss it or recycle it properly.

There’s no point packing broken lights in with working ones. You’re just setting yourself up for a surprise next year.

Wrap Lights Around a Solid Form

The worst thing you can do is ball the lights up and toss them in a bin. Instead, wrap each strand around something flat and sturdy:

• A piece of cardboard
• An old plastic lid
• A scrap 1×4 board
• A purchased light reel

Start by taping the plug end down, wrap loosely in a figure-eight or circular pattern, and tuck the other end in securely. This keeps the wires from bending sharply and tangling on themselves.

Label Where Each Strand Belongs

Future you will not remember which strand went on the tree, which went on the porch railing, and which went around the front window. Use painter’s tape or masking tape and a marker to label each bundle: “Tree,” “Front porch,” “Kids’ room,” etc.

It makes next year’s setup as simple as “grab the tree lights bundle and go.”

Store Lights in a Dedicated Container

Instead of tossing lights in with random decor, give them their own container. A clear plastic bin, an old tote, or even a sturdy cardboard box works.

Stack the wrapped bundles inside, keeping indoor and outdoor lights separate if you can. Toss in extra replacement bulbs and fuses so everything you need is in one place.

Keep Them Somewhere Dry and Reasonably Temperate

Lights don’t love damp basements or places that flood easily. Try to store them where they’re not sitting in moisture—on a shelf, pallet, or upper part of a closet or garage.

If your storage space gets very hot or very cold, that’s fine as long as things stay dry and the cords aren’t getting crushed.

Pair Lights With Their Accessories

If you use specific extension cords, timers, or clips for certain displays, store those together with the lights. Use a smaller labeled bag inside the main bin if you need to.

The goal is to avoid that “I know we had a timer for these somewhere” scavenger hunt when it’s time to decorate again.