Most broken ornaments break in storage, not on the tree. Ornaments packed loose in a bin knock together every time the bin moves. A little organization at the end of the season saves your favorite pieces.

Step 1: Sort as you take them down

Group ornaments as they come off the tree: glass and heirloom pieces, shatterproof ornaments, odd shapes and hooks. Sorting now makes packing faster and decorating easier next year.

Step 2: Remove the hooks

Take metal hooks off before packing. Hooks scratch finishes and tangle with other ornaments. Keep them together in a small zip bag or jar inside the storage box.

Step 3: Wrap fragile ornaments

Wrap glass, mercury glass and hand-painted ornaments in acid-free tissue paper. Avoid newspaper, which can transfer ink to light-colored finishes. Bubble wrap works for sturdy pieces but can trap moisture against delicate paint if stored somewhere damp.

Step 4: Use a divided storage box

A box with individual compartments keeps each ornament separate. Measure your largest ornaments and check the compartment size before buying. Boxes with removable or adjustable dividers handle odd shapes and figures. Hard plastic boxes protect best against crushing and damp; fabric boxes are lighter and fold flat when empty. Compare both in our ornament storage category.

No storage box yet? Egg cartons work for small ornaments, and plastic cups glued into a shallow box make an easy divider tray.

Step 5: Pack heavy items at the bottom

Put the sturdiest, heaviest ornaments in the bottom layer and the most fragile ones on top. Do not overfill compartments, and make sure the lid closes without pressing on anything.

Step 6: Label everything

Label each box with its contents and the room or tree it belongs to, such as “Living room tree: glass, red and gold”. Clear boxes or a label window make finding things easier.

Step 7: Store in a dry, stable place

Heat and humidity damage paint, glue and glitter. A closet or climate-controlled basement is better than a hot attic or damp garage. Keep boxes off the floor and do not stack heavy items on top.

Store the tree too

Keep your tree in good shape with a proper bag; see how to store an artificial Christmas tree and our tree storage bags. For new ornaments, browse the ornaments category.