The best way to store your Christmas lights? Experts recommend this 'pool noodle' technique, and I think it's genius

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Keep knots at bay with this simple trick

Tangled fairy lights
(Image credit: Shutterstock)

True story: I almost had to throw out my expensive Christmas lights this year because I simply could not get them untangled.

Despite meticulously winding them up the year before, the decorations emerged as a knotted mess that, were it not for my partner's endless patience, would've been on a one-way journey to the trash.

How a pool noodle can save Christmas

Christmas lights

(Image credit: Shutterstock)

I think this hack makes total sense. By wrapping your lights around something soft yet sturdy, they'll remain untangled all through the year, and you won't have any trouble unwinding them.

"Pool noodles are surprisingly perfect for light storage," says Sumner. "Wrapping lights around them stops knots, protects wires, and means you can unwrap and decorate in minutes next year."

Best of all, beause pool noodles are so flexible, you can contort your lights into any number of shapes to fit into your existing storage.

Floating Pool Noodles Foam Tube 2-Pack
Floating Pool Noodles Foam Tube 2-Pack: $24 at Amazon

This set of two lightweight pool noodles are 52 inches long, meaning they can store even the longest of Christmas lights.

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Other storage tips

Gold tinsel

(Image credit: Shutterstock)

Another storage tip is to use an old Pringles can to store your decorations. According to Sumner, this popular snack's handy storage tube is the ideal item for keeping tinsel safe.

"Sliding tinsel into tubes keeps it fluffy and snag-free," says Sumner. "It’s a simple trick that stops it emerging next year looking flat and sad."

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Millie Fender
Millie Fender
Managing Editor, Homes

Millie is the Managing Editor of Homes at Tom's Guide. She's been reviewing home tech for over five years, testing everything from coffee makers to the latest vacuum cleaners.

With particular expertise in cookware and kitchen appliances, you'll struggle to find an air fryer Millie hasn't tested. She's traveled the world reporting on the latest home innovations and product launches, learning how to use pizza ovens from Pizzaiolos in Naples, and touring the De'Longhi factory in Venice. Millie is also an SCA-Certified barista.

When she's not reporting on home and appliance trends, Millie loves watching live music. She's currently learning the guitar - naturally, she plays a Fender.

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