Untangle String Lights Forever! Experts Tell Us Their Secrets to Storing These Dainty Little Bulbs

As daylight gets shorter and evening comes quicker, the one thing I find myself looking forward to is the twinkle of glimmering lights that's sure to drape windows, roofs, staircases, mantels and of course, Christmas trees. There's something magical about the glow of these gorgeous lights lifting the mood and tying the ambiance together in one flawless flip of a switch.

However, this pretty picture of a festive home swathed in lights comes with a burst of tantrums often sparked by the prospect of having to untangle the mess of beautiful Christmas lights. On another note, we could argue that the reward of glittering lights far outweighs the task of straightening out the light cords but that's not to say we shouldn't try and make it easier to handle.

This year, we've chosen to make that change. So we reached out to a couple of seasoned Christmas decorators and designers to share their secrets to a tangle-free Christmas. If you're late to decorating, then this has come in good time and if not, you can set yourself up for a peaceful home dressing for next year.

1. Wind Lights Around a Reel

In conversation with interior designer Nina Lichtenstein, she tells us that the best way to make our Christmas lighting ideas come to life without having to break a sweat is to store them with intention.

She recommends investing in this Premium Christmas Lights Storage Bag from Amazon. "Use a cord reel like this to wind your festive lights neatly after use," she advises. "Start with the plug and carefully wrap the lights, ensuring they stay untangled."

We also found this Santa's Bags Install N' Store Light Storage Reels from QVC and it's perfect for post-Christmas organization.

2. Utilize Zip or Twist Ties

To properly implement all of the best Christmas lighting hacks that you've saved in preparation for the festive season, you need your lights untangled and quick to roll out.

Elissa Hall, founder of EDH Interiors, tells us to fasten our lights with plastic zip ties or velcro straps rather than conventional tape or rubber bands. "These substitutes avoid tangles and help to adjust or remove lights more easily, therefore preventing damage to the wires," she notes.

Nina also affirms the benefits of utilizing zip and wrap ties for light storage. "This prevents them from unraveling and getting tangled during storage," she assures.

This Handyhome Reusable Clear Ties from QVC is great for quickly tying lights away and can be easily untied for future use. Once your lights are all coiled, Nina recommends gently popping them into a transparent box like this Sterilite ClearView Latch Box from Target.

3. Wrap Around Cardboard

In recent years, this Christmas light storage hack featuring the use of cardboard has become quite the viral trick. Nina tells us that all there's to do is cut pieces of cardboard and slowly wind the lights around them. "This budget-friendly hack keeps them flat and easy to stack," she says.

"Design a light storage system out of spool holders or reusable cardboard rolls," says Elissa. "By avoiding needless bending or twisting, this approach not only maintains your lights' lifespan but also keeps them orderly."

Of course, storing them in your attic without any sort of covering will likely result in dust build-up, which will require extra cleaning. So it's only wise to pop them in a bag like this Christmas Light Storage Bag from Walmart.

4. Twine On Hooks and Hangers

According to professional interior designer Kristina Phillips, even household items like clothes hangers can double as game-changers while organizing your collection of Christmas lights.

"If you are storing the lights on a wall in a closet, use small hooks or hangers to loop them," she advises. "This keeps the strands off the floor while also making sure they are perfectly tangle-free."

Depending on the amount of Christmas lights your tree needs, you might have to rethink the use of hangers since heavy crystal lights might lead to bending them out of shape. But this trick is especially useful when wrapping smaller spools.

5. Sort & Wrap with Purpose

Christmas decorating trends are all fun and games until you have to detangle your lights and put them back in order. And while choosing the right way to store them and the correct medium to organize them in is half the job, you can't go into it without preparing your lights first.

Before stowing your lights, Elissa tells us to gently untangle each strand and check for any damage or loose connections. "This proactive approach guarantees that, when it comes time to decorate once again, you can steer clear of surprises like frayed wiring or burned-out bulbs," she explains.

"Store different types or sizes of lights in separate containers to avoid mixing and tangling," says Nina. This will keep differing strands from tying together while keeping them from wearing out.

Then you can reach for a brilliant organization tool like this Light String Storage Box from Balsam Hill which holds six spools at a time — saving you space and a loss of lights due to poor storage.

For some people, the dark cloud on their bright day tends to be that moment when their charging cable or earphone wire gets tangled into a hopeless knot that's quick to overwhelm. Now, times that by ten and you have the debacle of a tangled challenge of Christmas lights.

However, we'd argue that this fumble is often worse with festive lights since the bulbs tend to be very delicate and one wrong move can send a string crashing.

So before you haphazardly wrap your lights and put them away for another year of time wasted sorting through strings upon strings, we recommend taking these expert tips into serious consideration.

Aside from saving you a couple of hours of detangling, it will also help extend your Christmas lights' shelf life and allow you a decorating session that's free from any light-linked breakdowns.