If you have ever had to untangle Christmas lights before, you know what a pain it can be.
A few years ago I learned a neat little trick. Once you have taken all the ornaments off the tree, grab a piece of cardboard or a flattened gift box. Secure the end of a Christmas light stand to one end of the cardboard with tape.
Then proceed to wrap the stand of lights around the cardboard until you reach the end of the strand. We use one piece piece of cardboard per 100 foot strand of lights.
Now all you have to do is tuck the lights away into your holiday storage box until next year.
Yay!
Do YOU do this? Or is this an OCD thing?
~Mavis
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Jenn Bane says
You are a genius!!! Thank you for that tip! We usually wait until after the new year to take down the tree. I’m not feeling it this year… I want it down now!
Tra says
I do something similar but with a roll of newspaper or cardboard tube from paper towels. You just wind the lights up around it and no tangles! It also makes it really easy to put them back on the tree the next year.
If it’s OCD I guess I have it too….
Andrea D says
I wrap mine around the cardboard tubes from paper towels.
Gosia says
I go a step further – I cut a few small grooves across the top and bottom of the cardboard. This way cords are not sliding across but stay in place.
KAte says
Me too! In fact that was the comment I was about to leave. Heh
Lucky L says
I got some of the rectangular plastic ‘spools’ that the ribbon, trim, bric-a-brac comes on from the sewing store. They keep the lights in order and don’t bend or get crushed.
Sakura says
I have a friend who has a rather large storage room, when they are done with the tree he just carries the whole thing down stairs and puts it in the storage room. Lights, ornaments and all!!!
Jen J says
I’m completely jealous of your friend!
Jen J says
It’s definitely OCD… and I LOVE it! Thanks for sharing. I now have a much neater way of storing my lights 🙂
Susan says
I do the same thing. I wrap the garland the same way.
Lisa says
I normally just wad up each strand and shove it in a plastic grocery bag! lol But now I think I’m going to try your idea. Just in time too because I’m taking down the tree today or tomorrow.
Becca says
Dude, that is brilliant!
I wish I had seen this before hubby recycled all the boxes from Christmas (he did it hours after present opening, he’s OCD about having empty boxes lying around).
Mavis says
Ahem… Some of us break down the boxes for the recycle bin as we open gifts. 😉 Just sayin’. HA!
Tasha K says
Any tips for icicle lights, or just do it the same way? Those little “icicles” seems to tangle everything up.
Penelope says
paper towel cardboard tubes…. but then the kids use them as light sabers after the lights come off…. and I don’t buy paper towels anymore!
Heidi P says
I did this last year and my husband opened the box of lights this year and said, “this is awesome”. Saved him so much time. No more untangling lights! Thanks for the tip Mavis!
Mavis Butterfield says
Sweet!
Kim says
I have an artificial tree and have positioned the lights so the unplug where the tree comes apart. Tree goes in the attic in four sections with the lights! It’s a lot of work the first time but I was able to go almost 10 years until we replaced the lights with LEDs this year.
KAte says
For my large traditional outdoor lights I go one step further.
-I unscrew all the bulbs and out them back into the boxes they came in. This sounds extreme but it keeps the paint from being scratched off the bulbs and they last a ton longer.
-Then I wrap the actual cable around a spool I got from the local hardware store. They use them to sell bulk chain by any length you want. When the spools were empty I asked and they gave them to me.
-Then the pools and bulb boxes go into a larger box labeled Xmas lights and go into the attic.
-Next year I take it down and put em up.
Years ago I had a boyfriend that said he thought we (my parents and I) were crazy to worry about it that much. He said this after helping me put the lights up at my parents house, I was in college, it was still my house too. Then a week later we helped his parents put theirs up. Theirs just came out of a storage tub in a big jumble and we spent the better part of an hour untangling them and throwing away all the bulbs that were broken or too scratched to use. Then the boyfriend looked at me and said, “Ok now I get it, you guys are totally doing it better.” hehehe
KAte says
Oof, so many typos, sorry y’all.
Lisa says
Last year I took you up on this helpful hint and it was SO nice this year to have the lights not tangled!
Mavis Butterfield says
Yay! I’m glad it helped. I think any of us who have had to untangle Christmas tree lights knows what a nightmare it can be.
Tamara Cullen says
Amazing tip!! Thank you for sharing! Made taking down the lights a snap and storage a breeze. Thanks again!!