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Once the tree comes down and the lights get unplugged, packing the decorations away properly is what keeps them in good shape for next year — or, if a move falls between now and then, what keeps them from becoming casualties of it.
Gather the right supplies before you start
Keep any wrapping paper from the season and use it as packing filler — balled up or shredded, it cushions ornaments well. Reused gift boxes, cookie tins and egg cartons also work for smaller pieces. Beyond that, you’ll want:
- Packing paper
- Cardboard boxes or plastic bins
- Small resealable bags for ornament hooks
- Bubble wrap
- Tape
- Markers to label bags and boxes
Sort before you pack
Sorting first makes next year’s unpacking far easier. Group ornaments by type (lights, garland, outdoor pieces), by room they’re displayed in, or by which display they belong to — tree, mantle, a winter village. Whichever system you use, staying consistent means you’ll know exactly where to look when the boxes come back out.
Give fragile pieces extra care
Delicate ornaments — thin glass, hand-painted finishes — need individual wrapping in bubble wrap or tissue before they go in a box, the same care our packing service gives fragile items on move day. String lights and garland tangle easily, so wind them around a piece of cardboard or an old coffee can before wrapping the bundle in bubble wrap for storage.
Secure everything so nothing shifts
Once wrapped and sorted items are in their boxes or bins, fill any remaining gaps with shredded paper or packing peanuts. A box that’s fully packed, without empty pockets for contents to shift into, is much less likely to end up with something broken inside if it gets jostled.
Label clearly
Label each box with what’s inside, and mark anything fragile so it’s obvious at a glance — particularly if the boxes are going onto a moving truck alongside everything else in the house. A clearly marked box tells a crew it needs to go on last and come off first, not get stacked under something heavy.
Ornaments collected over the years — a piece from a family trip, something handmade as a kid — carry more weight than their size suggests. A bit of extra care packing them away is what makes sure they’re still in one piece the next time they come out of the box.