One of the most magical moments when decorating for Christmas comes when you’re done with the Christmas tree lights and can step back and admire your work.
One of the least magical moments is when you plug in a light strand and see that you have to replace a few lights, or worse, an entire strand.
Storing your Christmas tree lights properly can help prevent this unpleasant circumstance. Here are some high level notes for storing light strands that you use to decorate an unlit Christmas tree.
Remove from the Tree and Inspect
First, remove your Christmas tree lights from the tree and inspect for any physical damage. If there is none, plug each strand in to ensure it still lights.
Any light strands that are damaged should be discarded and replaced immediately. Where possible you can simply replace a single bulb; if you can’t then replace the entire strand. It’s better to do that now than to wait till next season when you might forget.
Once you’ve done that, you can wind and store your Christmas tree lights.
Wind Them Around a Reel or Spool
This is one of the most important aspects of properly storing Christmas tree lights. If you don’t wind them around some sort of storage reel or spool they will get tangled, which is not just an annoyance. It predisposes them to all sorts of damage.
There are commercially available Christmas tree light spools and reels you can buy, and which are easy to use.
However, if you don’t want to use these, you can improvise with some cardboard, or even just wind your lights around clothing hangers, which is one of the most popular improvised methods of storing Christmas lights.
Store in a Waterproof Container
With your lights responsibly wound around some reel or spool, you can now store them in some waterproof container. Some guides will tell you to use large plastic bags but we advise against that as they will not offer a good level of protection to the lights.
A big plastic storage tub with a snap-locking lid is one of the best options, as these are waterproof and will afford the highest level of protection to your Christmas lights. Cardboard boxes can be good too, but remember, these will not protect the lights against moisture.
Choose a Cool, Dry Place
After winding your lights, choosing a suitable storage location is perhaps the next most important thing to consider here.
You can store your Christmas tree lights in the garage or shed, but it’s best if you choose a location that is cool, dry, and climate controlled. Even if they are in a waterproof container, as advised in this guide, it’s best to store them somewhere that the conditions won’t be working against you.
Consider a Prelit Christmas Tree Next Year
After having read this guide for Christmas tree light storage, you might be considering getting a prelit Christmas tree for next year.
That’s not entirely a bad idea. Many prelit trees are highly customizable, and you’d be right in the assumption that they are much easier to set up and store than a tree with separate light strands. They’re also typically made with LED lights that last longer and which can produce different effects like twinkling and fading. Some also can change colors.
However, while they are easier to store, you should always keep your prelit tree in a cool, dry location to prevent the electrical components from corroding or otherwise being damaged.
One more note we have is that while these trees may come pre-lit, you can add cluster lights to them to add an even more eye-catching look usually seen only in showrooms. If you do, follow the notes in this article for storing these light strands.
Where to Get New Christmas Tree Lights
If you have some Christmas tree lights that need to be replaced, get your replacements online at Decorator’s Warehouse. They carry a wide range of Christmas tree lights and lighting accessories such as LED twinkle cluster lights, 5mm wide-angle LEDs, and many others, on top of a massive collection of Christmas decorations.
Get what you need there and if you have any questions get in touch with them directly for assistance. They will be more than happy to help.
