All the gifts have been opened; the Christmas music is gone from the radio, the holiday season is officially over. Now it’s time to clean up all those holiday decorations or risk being that guy who leaves their lights up ‘all year round.’ The thought of packing up all of those decorations and lights can be so daunting. The only thing worse than packing up Christmas lights is the thought of having to detangle them all next year. Well here are 3 helpful storage tips for Christmas lights to save you time and headache for years to come.

Wrapping Paper Tubes

You probably have a ton of empty wrapping paper tubes from all those holiday presents; why not put them to good use? Cut a tiny slit at each end of the tube and thread one end of the Christmas lights strand through the slit. After you do that, start wrapping the lights around the tube until the entire strand is done. Then just thread the other end of the strand through the opposite slit made on the other end of the tube.

The Elbow Method

Start by holding the plug in one hand and bend your arm in an “L” shape at the elbow. Using your other hand loop the strand of lights around your elbow and all the way up between your forefinger and thumb. Repeat this process until the entire strand is wrapped neatly around your arm. Place the bundled up Christmas lights in a plastic bag for safekeeping for next year.

Extension Cord Reels

The same reels that you can purchase at any hardware store for a couple dollars work great for your Christmas lights too. You need to take a little more care when winding them up so you don’t break the bulbs but this is a fast and convenient way to store your lights in the off season. It also makes hanging them the next year super easy.

Like most things if you put a little extra effort into storing those Christmas lights it will make hanging them the following year easier and make your storage space more efficient.