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How to take down your Christmas tree lights WITHOUT tangling them – all you need is some cardboard

EVERYONE knows the pain of detangling lights each year, after haphazardly shoving them in a box once the festivities are over. 

If you’re thinking about taking down your Christmas decorations, experts have shared their top tips to pack away your fairy lights - and the secret is cardboard. 

If you don't fancy untangling lights again next year - follow these simple hacks
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If you don't fancy untangling lights again next year - follow these simple hacks Credit: Getty Images - Getty

The team at shared some simple storage hacks, and for the first one you’ll need to get your hands on an empty kitchen roll tube. 

They told : “Either chop a large rectangle of card with a little notch in each end, and wrap your lights around them so they stay nice and neat. 

“Or do the same thing with an old kitchen roll tube. The notches keep your lights in place, the sturdy cardboard keeps them safe. Next year just unwind and enjoy.”

The next tip is to grab some cable ties, which can be picked up at a hardware store, and for this method you’ll need at least three. 

The notches keep your lights in place, the sturdy cardboard keeps them safe

Electrical Direct

Start by wrapping the lights around your fist - or anything which allows for a fairly sizeable gap in the middle. 

The experts said: “Tie one twist, or secure one cable tie at each end and another in the middle.”

If you’re isolating and don’t have any cable ties lying around, Electrical Direct says you can use a coat hanger instead. 

Grab some hangers you won’t miss for a year, and start by wrapping the lights around the plastic, or metal. 

They advised: “Wrap your lights around an old clothes hanger, tying the ends over the hook to keep everything in place. Then you can hang them up in a cupboard to keep them out of the way and secure.”

And finally they shared a tip most people don’t think of - use the original box they came in. 

While most of us usually chuck it out as soon as we unwrap our lights, if you have the space it can sometimes be the simplest solution for your fairy lights - and it will ensure they don’t get knotted. 

The experts added: “Wrap the lights around it with a bit of tape at each end to keep them in place. A simple storage solution that recycles something instead of throwing it away.”

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