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To store Christmas ornaments without breakage, give each one its own padded cell in a compartmented ornament box, wrap fragile glass in acid-free tissue, pack the heaviest pieces on the bottom, and keep the box in a cool, dry, stable place. Ornaments break for two reasons — knocking together and temperature stress — and good storage eliminates both. Here's how to pack a season's worth of ornaments so they all survive to next year.
Sort ornaments and remove the hooks before packing
Start by sorting ornaments by fragility and size: fragile glass in one pile, sturdy shatter-resistant pieces in another, and large or oddly shaped items on their own. Remove hooks from delicate ornaments so they can't scratch neighbors (store the hooks in a labeled zip bag), and give everything a quick dust. Grouping this way lets you pack the fragile glass into the best-protected compartments and the tough pieces where a little jostling won't matter — the fastest way to cut breakage before you've even chosen a box.
What you'll need
- A compartmented ornament storage box or divided plastic bins with adjustable cells.
- Acid-free tissue paper or bubble wrap for fragile and glass ornaments.
- Small zip bags for hooks and tiny accents.
- A marker and labels to identify each box's contents.
- A cool, dry storage spot — an interior closet or under-bed space, not a damp basement or hot attic.
How to store Christmas ornaments step by step
Wrap fragile glass in acid-free tissue
- Sort by fragility and size. Separate fragile glass, sturdy ornaments, and large pieces so each goes to the right compartment.
- Remove and bag the hooks. Take hooks off delicate ornaments and store them in a labeled zip bag.
- Wrap the fragile ones. Wrap each glass or delicate ornament individually in acid-free tissue or bubble wrap.
- Load the compartments. Place one ornament per padded cell so nothing touches its neighbor, without forcing pieces in.
- Pack heavy on the bottom. Put the heaviest ornaments in lower layers and keep fragile glass on upper layers.
- Fill gaps. Tuck extra tissue into any loose compartments so ornaments can't shift in transit.
- Label the box. Mark the contents and "fragile" so it's handled and found easily next year.
- Store it well. Place the box in a cool, dry, stable spot and don't stack heavy items on top.
Compartment boxes, storage boxes & DIY dividers
The container does most of the work. A hard-sided ornament storage box with a compartment for each piece and adjustable dividers is the gold standard — every ornament gets its own cell, and the box stacks without crushing. For large or unusually shaped pieces, use divided plastic bins, and keep especially valuable ornaments in their original boxes. No special box? DIY works surprisingly well: cardboard dividers in a sturdy box, plastic cups taped into a bin, or even an egg or apple tray each create separated cells.
Padded cells and bubble wrap
Whatever container you use, the principle never changes — one ornament per padded cell, cushioned with tissue or bubble wrap, so nothing can knock together in transit.
Protecting fragile glass and storing cool, dry — not attic or basement
Fragile glass needs both cushioning and the right climate. Wrap each glass ornament individually in acid-free tissue (acid-free prevents long-term yellowing) or bubble wrap, and keep glass on the upper layers away from heavy pieces. Then think about location, because temperature is a quiet ornament-killer: a cool, dry, stable spot like an interior closet or under a bed protects finishes and prevents the expansion-and-contraction that cracks old glass. Avoid the two worst places — a damp basement, which rusts hooks and grows mold, and a hot attic, where heat fades colors, softens glued details, and stresses glass.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Loose packing. Ornaments that touch will chip — give each its own padded cell.
- Heavy pieces on top. Pack heavy ornaments low and fragile glass high.
- Newspaper on delicate finishes. Use acid-free tissue so ink and acid don't mark them.
- Attic or basement storage. Temperature and moisture extremes crack glass and rust hooks.
- Skipping labels. Unlabeled boxes get crushed or lost — mark them "fragile."
Packing up the rest of your decorations? See how to store a wreath, how to store Christmas garland, and how to store Christmas lights. If an ornament does break, see how to dispose of a broken ornament safely. More projects live in the Install & How-To Guides. To shop ornaments and storage, compare the best Christmas ornaments, the best Christmas ornament storage, and the best Christmas ornament hooks.
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