Putting Christmas Lights Away: A How-To
Easy Tips to Take Down, Pack Up, and Store Holiday Lights
Nov 13, 2008
Light sets have to come down. They aren't designed to face the weather all year.
But be careful in removing them. If you don't put them away properly, you'll start next year's decorating by facing a bunch of tangled wires and broken bulbs.
Take photos of your light display. A visual record of where the lights went will help you next year if you want to duplicate this year’s display (or avoid making this year’s mistakes).
Bagging and Labeling Holiday Lights
Get a bunch of plastic bags. Label each bag with each component’s location. For instance:
- FRONT LEFT RAIN GUTTER | STRAND OF LIGHTS
- FRONT LEFT RAIN GUTTER | CLIPS TO ATTACH LIGHTS TO GUTTER
- FRONT LEFT RAIN GUTTER | EXTENSION CORD
- FRONT YARD TREE | ROPE LIGHTS TO WRAP AROUND TRUNK |
- FRONT YARD TREE | MINI-LIGHTS FOR BRANCHES
- FRONT YARD TREE | EXTENSION CORD |
Taking a Lighting Display Down
Unplug the entire display.
Take the display down, one section at a time. As you take each section down, label the strands, extension cords, and other components the way you labeled the bags. When you unpack the components to set up next year's display, the label on each component will tell where to install it.
Inspect all wires, sockets, plugs, and other components in each set of lights. If you find burnt-out bulbs, replace them. If you find broken components, cracked sockets, loose connections, frayed or exposed wires, or other problems, throw the set away and buy a replacement set. (You shouldn't have too much trouble getting one, since stores sell light sets at a discount in the after-Christmas season.) If you can't find a replacement and have to wait for next year when holiday lights reappear in stores, jot down a note about the set—kind of lights, number of lights, and so on—and put the note in the bag that you've labeled for the component. Next year, when you dig out your equipment to put up the lights, you'll have a note in the bag, ready to remind you of what to buy.
Putting Away the Lights Display
Roll up the strands of lights. Lots of products will help you store the strands without tangling them into knots. Hardware stores and Christmas-light companies sell hand-held reels, each about a foot long, that are made to hold lights. For extra-long strands, you can get giant spools like the ones for garden hoses. But a cheaper tool is the humble paper-towel tube. Wrap a strand of lights around the tube, tuck the strands' ends into the tube's hollow interior, and tape the lights and tube together. For strands that run too long for a single tube, try a long pole or broomstick.
Put each component in the appropriate bag. Seal the bag to keep moisture and other elements out.
Put the bags full of lights and accessories in large plastic tubs with lids. If possible, have a separate tub for each group of lights and accessories—one tub for the lights that go on the roof, another tub for tree lights, another for walkway lights, and so on. Label each tub. Put the tubs in a safe, dry place.
And voila, you're ready for next year. Now, get some rest!
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