The best way to get into the holiday mood is by looking at Christmas lights. Getting them out and untangling them may be a frustrating task for anybody who has ever set them up. The bulbs on my tree are the ones that cause me the most anxiety when it’s time to take them down.

Finding a safe place to keep them can save you from having to replace the bulbs or, even worse, the entire string next year.

So, What Are Your Best Options For How To Store Christmas Lights?

Using reels is the most effective method.

Winding on metal reels helps keep them neat. So you can drape them easily the next time you need them.

While putting up your Christmas bulbs, here are some tips on how to store Christmas lights and help you stay in a festive mood.

METHOD 1 – STORING LIGHTS WITH CARDBOARD

The temptation to grab a strand and start wrapping it around your arm is strong. But the moment you remove your arm from the wound lights, the tangles begin to form immediately.

What do you think of that as a solution?

Use a rectangle piece of cardboard instead of your arm to accomplish the same thing.

• Make a rectangle out of cardboard by cutting it in half.
• The dimensions should be around 12 inches long and 6 inches wide.
• Use a thicker piece of cardboard from a shipping box if possible.
• When you wrap around the cardboard, it will buckle if it’s too thin.
• Make a notch in the cardboard at the top or bottom.
• One end of the bulbs should be able to tuck into this.
• This approach works regardless of whether the notch is on the length or breadth side.
• Circumferentially wraps the bulbs around the rectangle.
• Carry out this procedure neatly, moving from one side to the other as necessary.
• It will significantly simplify unwrapping them next year.
• When finished, cut another notch where the other end locates.
• Tuck the edge into the notch just as you did with the first one.
• Wrap with tissue paper.
• Tissue paper can use to cover the cardboard to preserve.
• In this way, they will be more protected while they are being stored.

METHOD 2 – OLD CANS OR CYLINDERS

• Get a Pringles can that’s been empty for a while.
• It is not to safeguard, but if crumbs are left inside, it might attract pests to the area where you store them.
• Rinse the tube well.
• You may also use a paper towel roll’s cardboard tube as an alternative.
• There will be no cover on the cardboard tube. Therefore the stages will be the same.
• Make a slit on the top of the cans.
• Cut a vertical incision through the top of the can using a pair of scissors.
• The slit should be around an inch in length.
• Insert one of the strand ends into the slit.
• If the wire cannot connect through the slit, you can widen it with additional cutting.
• Circumferentially wrap around the can.
• Begin from the bottom of the can and work your way up to the top.
• The ends should tuck into the same slot at the container’s top.
• It should result in wrapped around the can and resting with both ends in the slit on top.
• Cover the can with the lid.
• It keeps the ends from falling out of the slit and unraveling while they are stored.
• Wrap a couple of layers of tissue paper around the container to protect them during storage.
• It is essential if you are keeping them in a box, among other goods.

METHOD 3 – STORING LIGHTS WITH A POWER CORD HOLDER

• Grab a cord organizer.
• These are readily accessible at the majority of hardware stores.
• There are several varieties. You’ll need a bigger one intended for outdoor electrical wires that are hefty.
• Wrap into the cable holder.
• Proceed cautiously to avoid damaging any bulbs.
• Additional cables, if any, should be plugged in.
• The success of this method is that it allows for the placement of numerous strands in the exact location.
• Put the new pair into the end of the old one and continue winding as long as the holder allows.
• Please place them in storage until next year.
• You may store the power cable holder on a shelf in a box or hang it from the hook if it has one.

METHOD 4 – STORING LIGHTS WITH A HANGER

Using a metal coat hanger is possible. But it is more likely to shatter or bend. So your best bet is to use a plastic or wooden one.

• Grab a plastic hanger.
• It should ideally include a small hook on either side of the body. If it lacks hooks, you may still use this approach.
• But the hooks will make it much easier to wrap the bulbs.
• Tuck one end of the wire into one of the hooks.
• If your hanger lacks hooks, you can tie the end to the hanger’s body.
• Wrap around the hanger’s exterior.
• Gradually make your way around the holder to the opposite side. Then back to the initial side.
• You’ll probably have to repeat this procedure several times to secure the entire string to the hanger.
• Finish by tying a knot in the remaining end and securing it with the second hook.
• Check to see whether there’s enough string left behind so you can reach the last hook before cutting it off.
• Tuck the end between the strands if your hanger doesn’t have hooks if there aren’t enough places to attach it.
• Keep the holder somewhere safe.
• Since it’s a hanger, you can either store the lights in a box or leave them hanging until next Christmas.
• Wrap in tissue paper if you are keeping it alongside other things.

HOW LONG SHOULD YOU LEAVE CHRISTMAS LIGHTS UP?

Keep in mind that while holiday lamps are lovely, they should not leave on for long periods. Even smart bulbs have a limited lifespan due to their inability to be utilized constantly for extended periods. Check the light’s box for information on how long the lights may be left on without causing harm.

CONCLUSION

Christmas lights are inconvenient to store and much more problematic to unfold each year. Fortunately, a little more effort in properly preserving them may save you a lot of headaches at yuletide. Try on these tips “how to store Christmas lights.” When you are ready to use them next year, unroll the plastic, and you’ll have an icicle light string that is absolutely tangle-free.