Your Guiding Light: Hassle Free Tips for Untangling and Storing Holiday Lights

As the holidays approach, the glow of holiday lights brings joy to all who celebrate this season. Yet, the transition from twinkling decor to a storage dilemma can be less than merry. To ensure your Christmas lights will last you for years to come with minimum decorating frustration, check out our tips on unwrapping and storing your lights.

Untangling Tips

If your Christmas lights are in a bind (literally), then follow the simple tips below to easily unravel your lights.

1. Patience is a Virtue: Unfortunately, this cliché proves true when handling Christmas lights. Rushing can lead to more knots which, as you know, leads to more frustration. So, slow down, take a deep breath, and even put on some of your favorite holiday music to get you in a positive mood while you deck your halls.

2. Untangle on a Flat Surface: Lay your lights out on a flat surface, such as a table or the floor. Visibility to the entire strand allows you to tackle the tangles more effectively.

3. Work In Sections: When looking at your bin full of tangled lights, it can be intimidating. Divide the tangled sections into smaller, more manageable sections and you can more easily work through the entire strand one knot at a time.

4. Gently Shake It Out: Grab the tangled section of lights and give it a gentle shake. It may seem simple, but sometimes, this can loosen knots and make it easier to identify where the tangle originates.

5. Test as You Go: As you untangle each section, plug your lights in to check that they are all functional. This avoids frustration of untangling an entire strand only to discover a burnt-out bulb. Consider investing in a light repairing tool as well. These help you fix defective bulbs, saving you money in the long run on new lights each year.

Storage Tips

Once you’re ready to wrap up the holiday season, it is important to store your lights with care in an attempt to eliminate stress for next year’s decorating. Check out the storage tips for your Christmas decor below:

1. Wrap it Right: Begin by wrapping each string of lights around a designated spool. You can either invest in a more high-tech storage reel or create your own cost-efficient reel by cutting cardboard.

2. Fragile Fairy Lights: When storing more delicate lights, opt for Ziplock bags. Label each bag for easy identification and stack them neatly in a storage bin.

3. Cord Organization: If you have multiple extension cords or power strips associated with your holiday lights, organize them with cable ties or velcro straps. This not only prevents tangles but also makes it easier to identify the right cords when setting up your display next year.

4. Label Now, Know Later: Clearly label each bin before storing it away. This will ensure that you don’t spend hours rustling through all of your stored boxes when the Christmas bells start ringing again.

May your Holiday lights shine brightly and leave you stress-free this time of year, so you can make space for what matters most in your life!