Your home looks beautiful for the holidays now, but remember about a month ago when you started to decorate? You may have discovered broken ornaments, tangled lights and other headaches before you could begin to deck the halls. This year, to save your future self from these challenges, pack up your decorations more carefully with these tips.

Take care when putting away your Christmas decorations this year.

Wrap Your Artificial Tree

Once you’ve undecorated your faux tree, use heavy-duty plastic wrap to protect it. You won’t have to dismantle the tree, making it easier to set up next year. Install two sets of hooks in the garage to hoist the tree up and out of the way.

Hang your artificial tree in the garage using ceiling hooks.

Keep Lights and Garland Tangle-free

Be environmentally conscious while maintaining your tangle-prone decorations this year. Don’t throw away those delivery boxes. Instead, cut the cardboard into rectangular pieces and wind lights around the scraps, marking the length of the lights and whether they’re white or colored on the cardboard. Repurpose water bottles as storage for beaded garlands.

If you drape your banisters and mantlepiece with faux fir garlands, coil them along the interior edges of a clear plastic bin. Bows and other embellishments that go with the garland can be placed inside the ring created by the garland.

Add wire shelving like MaxLoad to your garage or a spare room to hold your holiday decorations.

Protect Delicate Items

Do you have egg cartons, liquor boxes, extra plastic cups or produce containers lying around? Don’t throw them out. They make great containers for tree ornaments. If your ornaments are particularly delicate, wrap them in tissue paper for added cushioning.

After taking down your ornaments, keep them safe from the elements in zippered bags and bins.

Stack decorative plates between layers of bubble wrap and newspaper in a box of cardboard or other sturdy material.

Individually cover artificial wreaths with cloth or plastic and hang them in the back of a closet or on a portable garment rack.

Candles need to remain cool to avoid melting, so avoid the attic or garage for storage. If possible, tuck them away in a refrigerator. Protect them further by wrapping them in cellophane.

Store Similar Decorations Together

Box up all your mantlepiece embellishments together or, if you need more than one box, put all the boxes in the same place. This way, you won’t waste time hunting all over the house when it’s time to redecorate in 11 months.

When it’s time to dismantle everything this season, follow these organizational tips so your holiday decorating will be more fun and efficient next year. And tell us your favorite ways to stow your décor on social media.