Tired of Tangled Christmas Lights?

It's a new year.  Happy 2015!  With the new year, it's now time to take down all the Christmas decorations and stuff them in the attic for another year.

If you're like me (and most people I suspect), when you take down all the Christmas lights, you'll cram them into a bag/box/storage tote and not think about how much of a nightmare it is to untangle them next december (even though it was less than a month ago when you were pulling your hair out because they were tangled from last year).

The REAL nightmare before Christmas

But not this year.  Make a 2015 New Years Resolution you can keep:  Finally organize your Christmas lights so they won't be all tangled for next year with a free D-I-Y Christmas light reel.

I saw this clever idea on a life hacking website (I'm hesitant to say if it wasLifeHacker or not because I don't remember exactly where I found it and I'm too lazy from my New Year's Eve hungover New to take the time to google it).

Most hardware stores have a product to organize extension cords.  It's a plastic "reel" that you wrap the cord around.  They also sell red and green ones to get in on the consumer frenzy that happens in november and december.  Well this life hacking website showed you how to make one for free out off cardboard (which you should have plenty of from all the Christmas gifts).

All you need is some cardboard from one of your Christmas gifts, a pen/pencil/marker and a knife/razor blade/pair of scissors.

First, draw an outline on the cardboard similar to this picture:

Here is a picture of your home made light organizer with a pair of scissors to give you a idea of the size it should be:

Size really does matter

Go ahead and cut along the lines you drew.  The circle at the top will be challenging but it's ok it you don't get it cut perfectly along the lines.  There's no points awarded for precision cutting.

The circle at the top is a carry handle

Now draw a small line about in inch on of the inner sides like in the picture below.  This is were the end of the cord will "attach" to the reel.

Now cut along that line:

If you're going to need more than one light organizing reel, now is a good time to use your first one as a template and trace it out on more cardboard.  Make as many as you'll need.

Take the end of your first string of lights and slide it into that one inch slit you made:

Now start wrapping the lights around the inner section of the cardboard.  I like wrapping my lights directly off the tree so there is no chance of it getting tangled.

I was able to put two lengths of lights on this reel, but I suspect I could fit more if I really needed to.

If you have OCD like me, you can even label the reel by writing on one of the corners.  It makes it very easy for me to identify where these lights go next year too (because I'll probably forget over the next 11 months).

Works on outdoor lights too.  These are plastic bulb LED light so I can be a bit rougher with them when I reel them up since they don't break as easy as the classic glass ones.

Making these cardboard reels is fast, easy and free.  Best of all:  When you put up the lights next year your creation will defeat the attic elves that tangle your lights in the off season.

Happy organizing!