Hit or miss? Experts warn why you should never put a Christmas tree away with the ornaments still on

By now, most of us have seen the hack circulating online for storing a Christmas tree away with all the decorations and lights still in place to make decorating next year quicker and easier. But should you put a Christmas tree away with the ornaments still on?

Christmas decorating experts have weighed in on this storage trend and are far from pleased with what they see. It turns out this time-saving hack is the worst thing you could do for your ornaments – and could lead to costlier Christmases down the line.

This is why you should never store a Christmas tree with the ornaments still on – and how to organize Christmas decorations for storage to avoid damage.

Should you put a Christmas tree away with the ornaments still on?

Leaving your ornaments on your tree and wrapping it all up in plastic wrap is one of the biggest Christmas decoration storage mistakes you can make, begins Jennifer Derry, interior design expert and chief merchandising officer at Balsam Hill.

She says, ‘Correctly storing your artificial Christmas tree and decorations is essential to keep them in great condition for years to come. I wouldn’t recommend wrapping your tree with cling film when the ornaments are still attached as you may damage both the decorations and tree.

'Many decorations, especially those made of glass, can be incredibly delicate so this method runs the risk of damaging decorations as they are squashed together and between branches as the tree is wrapped in plastic wrap.'

Jennifer continues, ‘This method can also cause damage when storing a Christmas tree, as branches may be crushed in on themselves rather than being folded back into place. To get your tree looking its best you will have teased out each of the branches to fluff a Christmas tree when packing away, you need to compress this foliage.

'You should do this to every branch in each section in the direction of the branch and then flip upside down, squeezing the branches into the main trunk. A top tip here is, once flipped, tie up each section using a ribbon so that all the branches are held down together, preventing them from falling open as you maneuver the tree back into its box or storage bag.’

It adds some steps to packing away your decor each year, but it is the most efficient way to take down Christmas decor while minimizing damage.

What to do instead

To make putting your Christmas tree ideas together quick and easy next year, it is important to find some equally simple festive storage solutions.

Patricia Derpinski, Christmas decorating expert at Hudson Holiday Decor says, ‘I recommend using ornament storage boxes like the Sterilite or IRIS boxes for safe, organized storage. For the tree itself, a TreeKeeper Storage Bag is a great option. We use these products professionally to store decor during the off-season in our warehouse in New York, and we also offer them to clients who prefer to handle storage themselves.

‘If you want convenience, consider storing ornaments by section for easier setup next year,’ she adds. ‘This saves time but keeps your decor safe.’

Something like a divided ornament storage box from Amazon is a great solution to help organize Christmas decorations for storage. Then, use a label maker, from Walmart, to further organize Christmas decorations and mark everything up per room or area for easy decorating.

Setting your home up with all the kit you need to clear your home of Christmas before you start to pack up your festive decor will make the packing-up process easier and help you unpack everything in December next year, especially when you need to save space, or are trying to store holiday decorations in an apartment.