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Last year after the hoopla of Christmas was over, and the Christmas tree decorations had been removed, it was time to store our 9 ½ foot tall artificial Christmas tree. As it turns out, this was not as easy as it sounded. Especially since my husband was travelling and I wanted to have all the decorations put away before he came home.
Annual Christmas Tradition
First, I must say that we used to have a live Christmas tree every year. Finding the perfect tree was always a great adventure. We’d all pile into the car and head to the local Christmas tree lot. Once we got there, our kids ran around trying to find the perfect, tallest tree to fill our living room. Having a live tree in the house made our house smell wonderful and it really helped get us into the Christmas spirit.
Getting the Tree Home
The first few years, we put the tree on top of our suburban to bring it home. However, with each year, the trees got taller and heavier, so we began paying to have the tree delivered. Combining the cost of both was getting outrageously expensive, so much so that I’m embarrassed to say the cost was sometimes around $500 or more!
Is an Artificial Tree the Answer?
We began discussing the idea of an artificial tree. For one thing, the cost of a nice artificial tree was pretty high. In addition, we would no longer have the wonderful evergreen smell in our house to kick off the Christmas Season.
Low Maintenance Solution?
On the flip side, we wouldn’t have to water it every day. Meaning, I wouldn’t have to water it and get poked in the face trying to find my way to the tree stand’s water basin! Tough decision. And there was always the after Christmas ritual of having to cut the dried limbs off to get it out the door. I always dread that! Besides, we were practically spending enough money annually to buy an artificial tree every year!
Family Room Tree
Several years ago, we added a 7-½ foot tall artificial tree in our family room. It was so much easier to set up and take down. Plus, the ornaments were easy to hang on the adjustable branches and it was really pretty. Putting the tree away was simple because it came apart and went right back into the box it came in.
The Great Tree Swap
Ultimately, the decision was made for us. Our daughter, Kellie and her husband Adam, got a beautiful 9-½ foot tall artificial tree for free from a friend of ours who was downsizing. Unfortunately, the ceiling in their family room was only 8 feet high. Since we had a smaller, narrow 7½-foot artificial tree for our family room, we decided to trade for the year. As it turned out, their tree was still too tall, so they ended up leaving the top off so it would fit, and oddly enough, it still looked great. You can see below how pretty that tree is when it is fully put together and decorated.
Easier Tree Delivery?
They brought the tree over in a red plastic zipper storage bag. Half the branches were sticking out, the zipper was broken and the bag was ripped. Does this sound familiar to anyone? At any rate, the first year we had this tree, we tried unsuccessfully to put it back in the bag. It was so difficult and after Christmas, we ended up throwing the tree in our 3rdgarage, with the torn bag and just left it to deal with later.
Christmas Always Comes Quickly!
Fast forward to last year and Christmastime. Yes, the tree was still in the 3rdgarage in a mess, halfway in the bag and halfway out, torn zipper and ripped plastic. It was a real treat to get it out of the bag and into the house.
Ditch the Red Storage Bag!
Needless to say, the ridiculously useless red storage bag went straight into the trash! And true to form, we decided to figure out our storage quandary after Christmas. Okay, yes, I get it; we tend to put off solving difficult storage issues – who doesn’t? We even discussed getting rid of the tree and buying another one that would be easier to store, just to save us the hassle.
Solving the Storage Dilemma
After Christmas, with the decorations off the tree, and my husband traveling for the week, I was left to figure out a solution. I really did like the tree, it was so pretty and I didn’t want to have to search for a replacement. So, I hopped on the Internet, or the “World Wide Web” as we fondly refer to it, and started searching for Christmas tree storage bags.
Not too Many Great Storage Bags Available
Most of them were the same as what we’d already had, an expensive, poorly made, and uncooperative plastic bag! Talk about throwing your money away, especially when you figure that it isn’t going to work anyway. Therefore, the hunt for an alternative storage solution began.
Always Shop in the Garage First
I knew we had some heavy-duty plastic material in the garage and thought maybe I could use it to wrap the tree. Once I laid the plastic out on the entry hall floor, I put a section of the tree on it. Rolling the plastic around the tree, I squeezed the tree and hooked a belt around it to keep it secure.
Something Doesn’t Look Quite Right!
Remember, this was only part of the tree. Have you ever had that moment when an idea works so much better in your mind than it does in real life? It was at this point, as I sat on the steps looking at my awkwardly wrapped tree, that I immediately realized it looked like a dead body! In addition to being super creepy and oddly humorous, it was kind of Freudian. As beautiful as the tree was put together, the pain of storing it was almost not worth keeping it.
A New Discovery
As I was dismantling the tree, I quickly realized it actually had 6 sections, not 3 as we had originally thought. Each section was cleverly labeled with a tag and a drawing indicating which section of the tree it was.
I always tell my kids that everything happens for a reason and this situation was no exception. This was the year I learned how to make boxed, drawstring bags in which to wrap odd shaped Christmas gifts. You can read my Christmas Bags post here.
An Epic Moment of Clarity
It was at this point that I had an epiphany! I suddenly realized I could make Christmas tree storage bags using the same strategy I used to make the Christmas Bags!
Measure Twice – Cut Once
I took all of the sections apart and did a rough measurement of how big the bags needed to be, and set to sewing. Old sheet material really comes in handy for projects like this. Consequently, I was able to create a bag for each section for “free”! A black permanent marker worked perfectly to recreate the diagram of the tree to indicate which section was in each bag. With that, I was able to cut the ugly tags off of the sections.
Control the Branches
Once your bags are ready, you will need to have a way to squeeze the branches in to fit in your bags. Since I was doing this by myself, I came up with a simple solution. I cut several 2-inch strips out of the remaining sheet material. Then, I tied the end to one of the inside branches and proceeded to wrap and weave the strip through the branches, tightening them as I went along. This helped me to be able to get them under control and into the bags.
In addition, I took an old hand towel and a rubber band and used it to cover the section of the pole to keep it from poking out of the bag.
Stairs, an Attic – No Worries
Another great thing is that since the bags are easy to carry, I am able to take them all up to the attic and store the tree neatly until next year, all by myself! Needless to say, when my hubby came home the tree, along with all the decorations were already put away. Talk about frustration free packaging! I hope this helps you with your artificial Christmas tree storage solution!
Happy Sewing!
Sherri
