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As the New Year approaches and the cheer fades, it’s time to put away your holiday decorations until next winter. But without proper storage, you could be faced with a holiday nightmare: tangled lights, broken ornaments, and dusty socks.
So to keep your decorations and tinsel safe all year long, we’ve found the best holiday storage containers that will make decorating a whole lot easier.
“It’s important to invest in storage space early,” says Antoinette Boston, a holiday decorator at AB’s Holiday Decor. “We put a lot of money into our Christmas decorations, so we just want to make sure they’ll stand the test of time.”
We tested 16 storage boxes in our lab and picked our favorites based on design, durability, capacity, and value. To learn more about how we tested these organizers, check out our testing process below.
The Sattiyrch Plastic Christmas Ornament Storage Box features built-in cardboard dividers that hold their shape easily, making it easy to add and remove ornaments. The real bonus is that the dividers are easily adjustable to accommodate different shaped ornaments.
Since there is a lot of space inside the container, it is recommended to pack the jewelry in advance to protect it and prevent it from colliding with each other and getting damaged when moving the box.
The waterproof plastic bag also protects the contents from moisture, dust and insects without the risk of tearing. The transparent outer packaging allows you to better see the contents.
This small and lightweight box is easy to lift overhead. However, it is not strong enough to stack multiple storage boxes on top of each other.
Product Details: Dimensions: 12 x 12 x 12 inches | Decoration Type: Ornament | Material: Plastic | Capacity: 64 pcs | Waterproof: Yes
Ideal for holiday decor, the Balsam Hill Deluxe Decorative Rolling Box features a retractable handle and wheels that allow it to glide easily across the floor, even when fully loaded. Ideal for homeowners who are unable to lift heavy boxes.
In our testing, we found this case to be a durable, high-quality choice, as it securely held over 150 pieces of jewelry (both standard sizes and oddly shaped ones), even when we dropped it multiple times.
While this item is primarily used as a decoration organizer, its large front pocket can also be used to store other accessories, such as garland or a tree skirt.
While this cabinet offers plenty of space, it’s too big to accommodate shelves and will take up a corner of your home; it’s not an ideal storage solution for a small space. It’s also probably the most expensive option on the list. However, we think “it’s an investment you’ll use year after year, which makes it worth the price.”
Product Details: Dimensions: 19 x 24 x 24 inches, 17 x 39 x 27 inches, or 20 x 37 x 27 inches | Decor Type: Decorative | Material: Polyester Fabric, Quilted Canvas | Capacity: 100, 120, or 150 pieces | Waterproof: Not Specified
The Santa Claus 3 Drawer Christmas Decoration Storage Box features weighted magnets to keep contents securely in place, making it an ideal holiday storage option for customers looking for a box with drawers.
This solves the problem of storage inconvenience. Three drawers can hold 72 pieces of accessories, and the outer shell is made of durable polyester canvas. Even if the box falls, the jewelry will remain in it, only the lid will move slightly.
The mesh compartments of this ornament organizer only accommodate standard-sized ornaments. The wider compartments cannot be completely closed. So this may not be the best choice for those with a large collection of unique DIY Christmas ornaments.
Product Details: Dimensions: 9 x 14 x 20 inches | Decoration Type: Decorative | Material: Polyester | Capacity: 72 pieces | Waterproof: Not Specified
The Treekeeper Gift Wrap Station has several different compartments for those who prefer a variety of storage options. Provides storage space for a variety of items.
Wheels and sturdy handles make it easy to transport, but its stand isn’t very user-friendly. Too much weight can easily tip over. The container’s zipper also wasn’t completely closed, leaving a gap through which pests could enter.
The garlands can also easily get tangled if not carefully placed in the storage bag. But we think the price is worth it even considering the amount of stuff you can store inside. Considering that wrapping paper rolls aren’t the most fragile, this is a good choice in terms of capacity.
Product Details: Dimensions: 14 x 42 x 10 inches | Decoration Type: Gift Wrap | Material: Polyester | Capacity: 14 rolls of wrapping paper, 6 rolls of extra-large ribbon | Waterproof: Not Specified
The ProPik Christmas Organizer was designed to hold gift wrapping supplies, but we found it had enough room for so much more. You can store fairy lights in one pocket, scissors and ribbon in another, and all your tightly packed accessories right in the bag—all at a great price.
However, this bag has no internal dividers, only a zippered pocket on the lid. As a result, the bag lacks a built-in storage system to prevent its contents from shifting. However, the contents of the bag failed any of our lab drop tests.
The bag feels flimsy when empty, but it is of good quality. However, as the contents increase, the bag will become stronger. It may not be suitable for delicate holiday decorations, such as glass ornaments.
The exterior front pockets feature hook and loop closures, making it easy to add and remove items, but this may make the organizer vulnerable to pests or other damage.
Product Details: Dimensions: 20 x 10 x 20 inches | Decoration Type: Gift Wrap | Material: Polyester | Capacity: Not Specified | Waterproof: Yes
The Sattiyrch Plastic Christmas Ornament Organizer has been voted the best holiday ornament storage container, scoring top marks in tests for weather resistance and the ability to hold ornaments of all shapes and sizes.
Meanwhile, the most popular wrapping paper was the Treekeeper Gift Wrap Craft Station, which received rave reviews for its durability, capacity, and value.
Our testers compared 16 products using a step-by-step methodology to find the best vacation storage solution. Our evaluation was based on four factors: design, durability, capacity, and value for money.
We placed the recommended number of items in each container, then assessed whether the space was tight or ideal. We checked all zippers, buttons, and storage compartments.
After closing, we rolled the container around the lab to determine its ease of transport, handle comfort, and ability to remain closed.
We also lifted containers off shelves and dropped them on the floor from knee height to check if anything inside was damaged.
Before you start looking for the best vacation storage options, consider what size will best fit into the space you have available.
To ensure optimal use, different ornaments should be stored in different ways. Boston residents, for example, like to store artificial Christmas trees in their original boxes “because they are easier to stack.” Others prefer to vacuum-seal their Christmas trees to save maximum space and effort.
Boston encourages decorators to roll up the ribbon before wrapping it, “because the ribbon can get wrinkled and not look as pretty next season if you don’t take that extra step.” For those who want to use faux flowers in their holiday decor, she suggests storing them stem-side down in boxes so “you don’t have to spend time arranging the flowers; they’re already there.”
In Boston, plastic is considered the preferred material for storing things while on vacation because it is generally durable and inexpensive. Plastic containers are often stackable and easy to place in different places around the home.
Another common material is polyester fabric, although it is less waterproof.
When shopping for holiday storage boxes, you’ll come across boxes of all shapes and sizes. For example, a small storage container holds 5 gallons (20 quarts). A large storage tank has a capacity of 27 gallons (108 quarts).
Consider what size and weight is appropriate for shipping. Boston recommends purchasing containers from the same store to ensure uniformity of size and ease of stacking.
When choosing the best vacation storage solution, look for waterproof and airtight materials, such as plastic. These will prevent moisture from penetrating your jewelry and also prevent damage from pests.
To protect your jewelry, use bubble wrap, plastic bags, or newspapers. Be careful not to allow unnecessary movement that could cause breakage, and do not place items in overloaded containers that could crush your jewelry.
When choosing a suitable location for placing decorations, keep fire safety in mind and avoid places near stoves and water heaters.
We like the lightweight design of this decorative box. However, it is a little less durable: the lid opens unevenly and the trim broke when dropped. Finally, we have questions about its portability.
We also found that placing oddly shaped jewelry in the uniform compartments was difficult as the trinkets would fall through the gaps in the box.
This storage bag has an easy-to-open and close zipper, making it easy to carry with one hand. However, it lacks side handles for easy carrying, and the single top handle is considered too flimsy for carrying heavy items.
The container has three plastic dividers to wrap the string of lights, but loose threads inside can cause problems. The biggest problem with this option is quality control.
The Williams Sonoma Holiday Lights Storage Box didn’t make the list of the best options for storing holiday lights because the lid often fell off, leaving the box vulnerable to damage. Although the storage box has dividers and packaging for the lights inside, there’s still a high chance of the colored lights getting tangled.
The container can hold more contents than expected, although testers called it a “waste of money” due to its quality.