🎶I wish it was still looking like Christmas, everywhere I go. Take a look at Gainesville now, I miss the way that Twinkle Nights made this place aglow!🎶
…Oh, hey there friends! It’s me again, Sparkle! How was your holiday season? Mine was amazing, though I am just a teeeeeeny bit sad right now. I love Christmas so much that I wish it could last all twelve months of the year. But I gotta remind myself of what the Big Guy tells me each year. “Sparkle, if Christmas was every day, then it wouldn’t be special.” And he’s right, such a wise old man that guy!
I just wish there was no more tangled mess for all of my friends. What do I mean? Why, I’m referring to the best way to store Christmas lights. Every year, homeowners across the world have to deal with untangling their light strings. I’m here today to give you some tips to make that go away — and I think will help keep the Christmas spirit alive this winter too!
What are some of the best ways to pack up Christmas lights?
Have you ever wondered why we hang Christmas lights? That’s an interesting story, though one for another day. Instead, you’re here to find out some of the best ways to pack up Christmas lights.
My first tip is to be willing to spend a little bit of money on storage solutions. Not a lot, of course, but it’s not likely you’ll be able to fit your lights in the same box, using the same twist-ties, that they came from the store using. You’ll need to come up with another option.
A great solution is a basic piece of cardboard. You could even use the front of the box they came in when you bought them. Use a box cutter to get a nice clean edge, and wrap your lights around it. Then, wrap tissue paper around them for extra protection.
That’s a low-tech solution, however. Another possibility is to use a plastic clothes hanger. You know those little “dips” on each side at the top, where you might hang a dress? Use those to wrap the lights, rotating from side to side.
Finally, you can purchase a dedicated storage tub to put these hangers in. Or, if you have enough space in a spare closet, hang these up! Then, they’re easy to find and get down!
Can you avoid breaking bulbs?
With both of these solutions, you’ve probably wondered if you might break a bulb. These were of course ways to wrap your light strands. But, as with all things, there’s always a small chance a bulb can break if you’re not careful.
That’s another reason why I think you should get a dedicated storage tub. Just use one hanger per strand, and then carefully lay it in the tub. This should help prevent any light breakage. This is also why I said to wrap tissue paper around the bulbs. The more protection you give them, the better off you’ll be!
What about storing them so they don’t get tangled?
No more tangled mess. That’s your goal, right? I get it — it takes a lot of time to untangle light strands each year, and if you just toss them all in a box, there’s another chance that they’ll get broken.
Here’s another creative idea: use a Pringles can. No, I don’t mean you should stuff them inside of the can. Rather, use that box cutter and make a small slit on the top — roughly an inch long. Then, wrap your lights around the can, using the slit as a way of “grabbing” the strand, and then wrap it around the can from top to bottom. As a bonus, you’ll have a fun snack (yes, you should empty the Pringles can before using it!)
Wait, did you throw the lid away? Go get it out of the trash, you’re going to need it. Carefully put the lid back on the can, as this will help to hold everything in place.
Finally, wrap the cans in — you guessed it — tissue paper to protect the bulbs from breaking.
“Space is limited, Sparkle. What do I do?”
Do you have limited space in your home to store your Christmas lights? If so, here’s one final option that may help. Wrap your strands of lights around a power cord holder. Wrap your lights around this carefully, and then store it on a shelf in your garage or shed. One of these holders should be enough to store all of your lights, so this will help anyone with significant space concerns!
There’s no more tangled mess when you use the best way to store Christmas lights!
So, with all of these tips, hopefully, your Christmas lights packing experience now and in the future will be significantly less stressful. Of course, no solution is perfect — perhaps, except, my favorite tip of all.
See, if you’re looking for no more tangled mess, then there is one single best way to store Christmas lights. And that is to let Twinkle Nights do it for you!
What I mean is that the Twinkle Nights crew will put up all your displays for you each year. They use their own bulbs, professional C9 options with high-grade hooks, and power solutions. They truly produce some of the best places to see lights in Gainesville each year!
In addition, if your lights have any problems during the year, there’s no more climbing to fix a blown bulb. Just a quick call to the Twinkle Nights’ office and they’ll be out right away. And then, once the season is over, they take everything down.
That’s right: they store all Christmas lights, meaning that you’ll never have to worry about a tangled mess again.
Sound like a great option? Awesome — just let my friend Tom and his crew know you’re interested in this upcoming season here.
And with that, I’m off for a much-needed vacation! See you soon!
Here are some other resources to help light up your holiday season!
