Could you get a much smaller tree?
A tabletop could work, or just a thinner one. Or one that comes apart in a better way. Maybe see what's available?
Or, if you have a good-size yard, get a not-too-big live tree, then plant it afterward (or do the same and donate it to someone/somewhere that needs landscaping).

I could never have an artificial tree, but there are some compelling environmental arguments for not chopping a fresh tree every year. So, that one's your call.

Departing from Catherine's problem for a moment (there's no reason to believe she's guilty of this, so I'm NOT picking on her!): This does dovetail into something I've always found puzzling: That people store so much fake greenery or other decorations to put up once a year -- fake pine swags and wreaths, foam pumpkins and fake straw, styrofoam Easter eggs etc. Some people stuff their closets with displays for holidays, then have no room to store the stuff that should go into the closets. Then complain about how hard is is to get ready for the holidays.

I don't get it.

But no doubt I do stuff that puzzles people too.

I vote for the basement. I would put some cedar chips in the boxes or bags which you keep the tree in. If it will flatten down enough, I would put it in several bags and put them under the beds.

We have a tree we haven't used in a couple of years. The pre-lit lights burned out and I'm not into rewiring the thing. It goes in two boxes and they are soooo heavy. Probably time to freecycle the thing.

Gloria

Thanks for your ideas everyone!

We keep ours in the attic. It gets hot up there in the summer, but not hell-fire hot. We're in Michigan and our house isn't air conditioned, but there are lots of vents up there so it should be OK for a fake tree. We hope!

My parents (in Dallas) store all their Christmas decorations in their (obviously hot) attic. The only thing that ever melted was a wax candle that was shaped like Santa Claus.

The house next store to me (identical to mine) is for sale. I would love to buy it and move in, leaving my paperwork, collections and clutter here! I heard Marie Osmond (the country singer, sister of Donnie) owns two houses. She lives in one and the other holds her massive doll collection. When I win the lottery . . .

Jannie,

I love the 2 house idea! I actually know someone who retired to a really fancy gated condo community. The condos are HUGE. She owns two, with "secret" connecting doors.

Race you to the lottery tickets! LOL

In my perfect house I would have a trap door that the tree simply drops into after the season is over. Then it would have a magical hydraulic lift that brings it back out each year . . . fully decorated. But, since I live in the real world and have two full sized artificial trees, mine are under the steps in our basement. It works, but uses a lot of good storage space. We tried to put them in our garage up in the rafters, but after trying to slide them in at every angle while balancing precariously upon a ladder, we realized the rafters are spaced too close to fit them through in boxes and leaving them unboxed is just too good of a home for possible future rodents.

Brenda

My basement just stinks too bad to put it there. I like the idea of a trap door with a hydraulic lift!!

My attic does get hellfire hot in the summer...I'm in North Carolina. But I keep my artificial tree up there (assembled! ) and it's fine. Did yours melt?

I live in the South & it gets really hot in our attic in the summer, despite insulation & vents. We've stored our articial tree and all the decorations up there for years & have never had any problems.

I also live in the south and it get over 100 degrees in the summer so I hate to store my tree in my shed even though it is in a tree bag. I was buying a fresh tree every year but am older now, the kids are gone but I still love to have a nice tree! I would like to hear from more southerners and how they store there tree. It's much to large for a closet if I want anything else in it. My home is older so closets aren't all that large. I guess I could at least put a fan in the shed, it is ventilated but do I really want to run a fan all summer?? Any other southerners store your tree in the heat??