Stocking a living room with holiday cheer isn’t just about putting up a tree. It’s also about making sure that the tree is ready to go when the time comes to light the lights and put on some Christmas carols. If you’ve got an artificial tree as we do, this means being thoughtful about where you store it now, so that you don’t have to rush to find it after Thanksgiving dinner ends and everyone goes home. Here are a few helpful tips on how to store an artificial Christmas tree.
How To Store An Artificial Christmas Tree
- The first thing to do is to find a place where you can store your tree that’s out of the way, but easy to get to in case you need it. We like a closet or a spare bedroom that can serve as an office when needed over the garage or basement.
- If you don’t have enough space for your tree, consider storing it in a bag or wrapping it up in a plastic storage bin with holes cut for ventilation.
- After placing the tree in storage, make sure there are no sharp edges and no exposed nails sticking out from the trunk of the tree. If there are any sharp areas on the branches, cover them with cardboard or tape before placing them into storage. This will prevent any injuries from happening during storage and also keep your tree safe from getting damaged by other items stored nearby.
- To store your artificial Christmas tree, keep it away from heat sources such as radiators and heat registers so that it doesn’t melt or warp due to temperature changes throughout the year. Also, don’t wrap it up tightly this will lead to damage if left outside during cold weather or if temperatures rise too high inside a heated building where they will be stored next year. Instead, wrap your Christmas tree loosely in newspapers or paper bags before putting it into storage so that air can circulate around its branches and needles without damaging them during the winter months when temperatures drop below freezing outside.
- If you want to keep your tree in storage for a longer period of time, consider using a tree wrap like this one from A Christmas Story. This wrap is designed to keep your tree from getting damaged during storage and also makes it easier to transport from place to place when needed.
- If you’re storing your artificial Christmas tree for more than one year, consider purchasing a reusable tree stand like this one from Premier Tree Stand that can be used again the following year.
Find A Cool, Dry Place To Store It
- Remove your artificial tree from the box, and set it up on its stand in your living room.
- If you have a stand, carefully remove it from the box so that it will be ready to use when you’re ready to put up the tree.
- If you don’t have a stand, set your artificial tree on a flat surface like a table or shelf in your living room.
- Before putting them away for the season, make sure that all of the branches are firmly secured by wrapping them with either ribbons or holiday-themed paper chains.
- If you plan to store your tree in another room or closet, make sure that you remove all of the lights and baubles from the branches before storing it away for the season. This will prevent any damage if someone accidentally bumps into it while carrying something in their hand.
- Finally, if you plan to store your artificial Christmas tree within an enclosed space like a closet or garage, make sure that there is ample ventilation for any moisture buildup inside of this space during warmer months.
Don’t Leave The Tree Standing Up Straight
- Be sure to stretch out the tree’s branches before you put them away. To do this, start at the bottom of a branch and gently pull up on it until it comes completely upright. If a branch doesn’t come all the way up, move on to the next one.
- When your tree is all stretched out, be sure to give it a little shake so that any loose needles fall off and don’t end up in places they shouldn’t be – such as in your Christmas decorations or your favorite pair of shoes.
- Once you think your tree is ready for its final resting place, take a second and make sure that none of the branches are touching anything else (such as your fireplace) or are poking into windows or doors.
- If you have a nice, tall tree, it’s best to leave it standing in a corner of the room and put your holiday decor on the opposite side of the room. This way, the tree will be in an out-of-the-way place and you won’t have to worry about it when you are trying to get ready for bed or when you want to put down that book that you were reading before bed.
Keep The LED Lights And Cords Wrapped Up
Wrap the lights around the branches and tree trunk
This is a great way to protect them from crushing and scratching. You can also wrap the cords under the branches to keep them secure.
Keep extra ornaments in a box or bag
It’s easy to lose some of your ornaments, so make sure you store them somewhere safe. If you’re using an artificial tree, this means keeping them in a box on your shelf, under the tree stand, or in another container that will be kept in your closet when it’s not being used for Christmas trees.
Store all decorations inside a box
It’s important that everything stays protected from water damage and dust during storage. Keep your decorations in a box with plenty of packing material so that they can be stored safely and easily during the holidays.
Don’t store it near heat sources, like radiators or fireplaces
Artificial trees are made of plastic which is not resistant to heat and fire damage, so keep artificial Christmas trees away from heat sources such as radiators and fireplaces! If you’re storing it away from heat sources then make sure that you don’t leave any lights on at all while it’s out of sight!
Don’t let it freeze
Artificial Christmas trees aren’t made to last forever, so they’re not built to withstand freezing temperatures. If you do store your tree outside, then make sure you bring it in before the temperature starts going below freezing.
Don’t leave it in direct sunlight
Artificial Christmas trees are usually made of plastic and are not able to withstand direct sunlight, so keep them out of the sun as much as possible! You can also wrap them in a blanket or place them under a tree stand if you want to be extra careful about preventing damage from the sun.
Conclusion
As long as you find a cool, dry place to store your tree, can keep the LED lights and cords wrapped up, and add a drop or two of oil to the tree, you shouldn’t run into any trouble when it comes time to take the decorations out next year. If you’re in a bind and need to find a place to store it now, you can also hire a storage facility like Public Storage.
