Holiday decorations are the worst boxes in the house to pack. They're fragile, they're oddly shaped, half of them have sentimental value and the other half you forgot you owned. And if you're moving in November or December, you're packing them right when you'd normally be pulling them out.
Here's how to pack Christmas ornaments, lights, the tree and the rest of the holiday bins so they get to the new place in one piece. We'll also be straight with you about which parts are worth doing yourself and which parts are worth handing to a packing crew.
First, decide what's even making the trip
Moving is the one time a year you actually have to touch every holiday box. Use it.
Pull everything out of the attic, closet or garage and sort it into three piles:
- Keep and pack. The ornaments you put up every year, the stockings, the stuff with a story.
- Donate. The second tree topper, the lights you replaced three years ago, the inflatable nobody's set up since 2019.
- Toss. Broken ornaments, tangled light strands that only half work, crushed boxes.
Every box you don't move is one less box to wrap, carry and unpack. It also makes the new garage a lot easier to set up.
Get the right supplies
You don't need anything fancy. You need enough of it.
- Small and medium boxes (heavy boxes are hard to carry and easy to drop)
- Plenty of packing paper
- Bubble wrap for the fragile stuff
- Good packing tape
- A marker for labeling
If you're on the Coastal Bend, boxes, tape, bubble wrap and packing paper are available at our Corpus Christi location, so you can grab supplies and pack the easy rooms yourself.
How to pack Christmas ornaments
Ornaments are where most holiday damage happens, so take your time here.
- Use the original boxes when you have them. Those little cardboard dividers were made for the job.
- Wrap each glass or ceramic ornament on its own in packing paper or bubble wrap. Don't stack unwrapped ornaments in a bin and hope.
- Fill the gaps. Crumpled paper in the empty spaces keeps things from shifting when the box gets moved.
- Heavy on the bottom, light on top. Sturdier ornaments go low. The delicate stuff rides on top.
- Don't overfill. If you have to push the lid down, it's too full.
- Label it on more than one side: "FRAGILE, ORNAMENTS, THIS SIDE UP." Add the room it's headed to.
For heirloom pieces you'd hate to lose, think about moving them in your own car. Same goes for anything handmade by the kids.
Lights, garland and wreaths
Lights. Wrap each strand around a piece of cardboard or an empty paper towel tube before it goes in the box. Future you, untangling lights in the new living room, will be grateful. Test strands before you pack and toss the ones that don't work.
Garland. Loosely coil it and put it in its own box or bag so it doesn't crush anything.
Wreaths. Wreaths get flattened when they're packed under something heavy. Give them their own box, or hang them from a hook in the car on moving day.
The tree
Artificial tree. If you still have the original box, use it. If not, break the tree down into sections, wrap each section and tape the branches in so they don't snag. Label the sections so setup is easy.
Real tree. A cut tree isn't worth moving. Enjoy it at the old place or wait and get a new one after you're settled.
Everything else in the holiday bins
- Nativity sets and village pieces: wrap each piece on its own, like ornaments. Keep small parts in a labeled bag taped inside the box.
- Inflatables: make sure they're completely dry before they're boxed, or you'll open a mildewed mess next year.
- Battery-powered decor: take the batteries out first.
Watch the heat and humidity
This is South Texas. Even in December, a closed garage can get warm, and humidity on the coast is hard on boxes and anything with a finish. If you're moving in or around Corpus Christi, Padre Island or Rockport, try not to leave packed holiday boxes sitting in a hot garage for days before the move. Pack them close to the load day. Our guide to protecting furniture from salt air covers more on coastal moves.
When to hand it to a packing crew
Most families pack the simple holiday bins themselves. Garage stuff and holiday bins you already know are easy boxes, and packing them yourself keeps the crew on the things that actually break.
Hand it off when:
- The move is close and you're out of time. It's the holidays. Your calendar is already full.
- You have a lot of glass. Big ornament collections, glass village pieces, framed holiday art and mirrors are exactly the kind of work a partial pack covers. Our partial pack list includes lamps, decor and anything that rattles.
- You'd rather spend the week on everything else. Utilities, school records, the kids, and getting the new place ready for family.
Our crews are background-checked, and they know how to wrap fragile pieces and pack them so they don't shift on the truck. One customer told us they "really appreciate them taking care of all my furniture & fragile things," and another said "All items were wrapped and safely moved from our apartment and to our new home."
You don't have to pick all or nothing. You can pack the clothes, books and holiday linens yourself and have the crew pack the kitchen, the glass and the ornament boxes.
Book it here:
How packing fits your move
Packing sits on top of the move you already picked.
- Full-service: we bring the truck, and packing is scheduled so the boxes are ready before the load starts.
- Labor-only: you rent the truck, POD or container. Our crew can still come early and pack the fragile rooms before they start loading the furniture.
Not sure which one fits? Read full-service vs labor-only movers.
Moving right before or after Christmas
If you're moving in mid-December, think about a smaller setup this year. Pack most of the decorations early and keep one small box out for the house. If you're moving right after Christmas, box the decorations as they come down and label them for the new place.
The days right around Christmas and New Year's are popular moving days, so book early. Our post on moving in December in San Antonio has more on timing.
Holiday decoration packing questions
What's the best way to pack Christmas ornaments for a move?
Original boxes if you have them. Otherwise wrap each one on its own in paper or bubble wrap, fill the empty space so nothing shifts and label the box fragile on more than one side.
Should I move my artificial tree in its original box?
Yes, if you still have it. If not, break it into sections, wrap each one and label them.
Can the crew pack only my fragile holiday decorations?
Yes. That's a partial pack. You pack what you want, and the crew packs the glass, decor and anything else you'd rather not handle.
Can I add packing to a labor-only move?
Yes. The crew can pack before they load the truck you rented.
Where can I get boxes in Corpus Christi?
Boxes, tape, bubble wrap and packing paper are available at our Corpus Christi location.
Get a free estimate
Tell us what you're moving, which rooms you want packed and when. We'll put it on a free estimate. Get a Free Estimate, or call our San Antonio office at (210) 650-4911 or our Corpus Christi office at (361) 937-7615.