Use the smaller cardboard tubes from toilet paper and paper towels to keep cords together.  Make a slice down the tube from end to end and corral all those cords that collect on the floor by furniture.  It makes vacuuming, sweeping, and dusting infinitely easier!

posted on 5/3/2012 3:36:39 PM

You can also wrap lights around a clothes hanger.

posted on 4/28/2012 12:56:58 PM

great idea!

posted on 4/26/2012 9:38:03 PM

Very good idea. You can also use the wrapping paper rolls cut in half and stuff your plastic grocery bags in and the paper towel roll works great. Makes it much easier to carry with you to the store to be recycled.

posted on 3/20/2012 8:58:23 PM

Brilliant idea! Wish I would have read this before putting up my Christmas decorations!

posted on 3/1/2012 1:12:28 PM

THAT IDEAL ROCKS !

posted on 2/29/2012 11:02:00 AM

Good ideal thoes little tubs come in handly

posted on 2/28/2012 6:05:14 PM

Great idea!!!

posted on 2/22/2012 1:16:15 AM

great idea!! I'll have to try that one next Christmas!

posted on 2/15/2012 10:04:36 AM

thx

posted on 2/6/2012 9:45:59 PM

This is a great idea - I've done it this way in the past and it's a real timesaver. 

posted on 2/4/2012 7:59:00 AM

Great idea

posted on 1/28/2012 7:59:13 PM

Great advice, my lights are always such a mess when I go to get them out.

posted on 1/24/2012 2:40:50 PM

I tried this last Christmas !!! It is a wonderful idea,we  unraveled it this  Christmas and it was sooo simple to use!

posted on 1/23/2012 10:42:32 PM

Wonderful! Wish I could think of simple smart things like that !

posted on 1/22/2012 9:13:18 PM

Great Idea!!!

posted on 1/21/2012 5:57:32 PM

Thanks for the idea.

posted on 1/19/2012 1:19:03 PM

Great idea,money and a time saver all rolled up in one!!!!(no pun intended:)

posted on 1/18/2012 12:26:37 PM

I've been doing that for years, and it sure makes the lights easier to manage (and string) the next year!  I also use them to hold the bead garlands, and the long stairway garlands.  Tubes are even great to re-use for storing electric extension cords in my kitchen drawer, and shorter tubes are great to thread your necklaces through when packing a suitcase for traveling (they never get tangled that way!)

posted on 1/18/2012 11:35:49 AM

very smart idea

posted on 1/17/2012 8:20:26 PM

Another great idea for organizing around the home.  Thanks

posted on 1/16/2012 7:04:32 AM

I love this idea!  I just threw away a bunch of rolls this year too.  dang it!  next year though.  Love it!  Thanks for sharing.

posted on 1/14/2012 10:09:20 AM

Great idea, thanks

posted on 1/13/2012 10:33:40 PM

Love this idea ... thanks for sharing it!

posted on 1/13/2012 12:12:30 PM

Great idea! I wish I would have known about this tip a week ago! Ill be sure to try it next year.

posted on 1/12/2012 11:32:54 PM

What a great idea! We always have trouble with the lights getting tangled. Thanks!

posted on 1/11/2012 7:03:54 AM

Such a simple idea!!!!  THANKS!

posted on 1/10/2012 11:47:59 PM

I have a pre-lit tree but this is a wonderful idea and I'll sure pass it on to family members that still store and then fuss and cuss at the tangled lights.  :-)

posted on 1/9/2012 10:31:49 AM

Brilliant!

posted on 1/8/2012 8:36:06 PM

Thanks for the great idea! Love it!

posted on 1/8/2012 5:58:12 PM

This is a great idea. I never really thought about that. Usually my children play sword fight with these. 

posted on 1/8/2012 4:01:22 PM

What a great idea!  Too bad mine are already boxed up but next year for sure trying this one. 

posted on 1/7/2012 11:26:36 PM

This is a great idea. I'll try it this year.

posted on 1/7/2012 8:22:16 PM

I cut an "I" shape out of cardboard and wrap the lights in the skinny part of the cardboard then cut little slits for the ends so the light stran to go into. I just make sure to use thick cardbord :) I also tape he extra bulbs to it so I can keep track of them

posted on 1/7/2012 11:23:50 AM

I wish I had thought of this before I threw away the empty rolls this year!

posted on 1/7/2012 3:41:41 AM

This is a great idea. I hate to do the lights every year because of the trouble putting them up, so easy idea. Thanks

posted on 1/6/2012 7:15:17 PM

My dad always has leftover plastic reels from his construction business so I use those but we've used zip ties before too.

posted on 1/6/2012 5:54:50 PM

I will have to let my DH know so he won't go crazy each Christmas when he goes to put the lights up inside and outside!

posted on 1/6/2012 4:06:33 PM

Thanks for the hint.  I will definitely be doing this!

posted on 1/6/2012 10:36:10 AM

Great idea !

posted on 1/6/2012 10:24:37 AM

thats actually a really great idea! im deff doing that next year forsure thanks for the great ideaaa!

posted on 1/6/2012 2:23:36 AM

That is a wonderful idea!  And so convenient to use wrapping paper rolls too.

posted on 1/5/2012 6:30:43 PM

This does sound like a good idea if the paper roll is strong enough for your lights.

posted on 1/5/2012 12:18:38 PM

This is a great idea!  Why spend money to buy lights on a reel when you can use leftover cardboard rolls!

posted on 1/5/2012 1:36:01 AM

I did the zip tie thing too. They stacked nice and neat one on top of the other and I was able to manuever them into various corners of my totes.

posted on 1/5/2012 12:49:20 AM

Good idea. I prefer to loop mine like a rope and then use a zip tie to hold in place. I don't have any problems with tangled lights this way.

posted on 1/4/2012 10:19:55 PM

This is brilliant!  How I hate tangled coils of lights every year.  Thanks for posting!

posted on 1/4/2012 2:26:31 PM

Before I had a pre-lit tree this was how I kept my sanity!

posted on 1/4/2012 11:50:12 AM