The Easy Hack That'll Make Your Damaged Bottle Brush Tree Look Brand New

A lot of us count down the days until we can finally pull our holiday decoration boxes out. But if you open them up and discover damaged items, it can dull your cheery spirit. Bottle brush trees are notorious for getting smashed in storage. Instead of being all fluffed out, many times their branches are wonky and flattened, making you wonder if anyone will even guess they're Christmas trees. No need to hide them away, though, simply bring them back to life with a container of warm water.

Start by filling a container or bucket with warm water. Then, dunk a flattened bottle brush tree in so that all of its branches are submerged. Using your fingers, gently comb the bristles, which will help loosen and fluff them back up. After a few moments, take the tree out, then run your hand over it until it reaches its original appearance. If any of the bristles are being stubborn and remain crisscrossed, you can comb them with a fork to help straighten them out. Once you're happy with the results — set it aside to dry and move on to the next.

With just that bowl of warm water, your bottle brush trees should be looking like their original, charming selves in no time. Even pre-decorated bottle-brush trees will come back to life with the warm water trick. Then you can use them as stunning mantle decor, or group several together to create a festive table centerpiece. They're a perfect and inexpensive item for decorating your home for the holidays.

When it's finally time to put them back into storage, you can do so in a way that keeps them from getting smashed in the first place. If you have little trees, a cardboard bottle carrier would give each one its own tiny home. Place the carriers into a big plastic tote to help protect them even more.

Bottle brush trees can also be stored in other ways, such as using empty oatmeal canisters or plastic shoeboxes. If you have to store the trees together, gently wrap them individually in tissue paper to avoid their branches getting tangled. This can also help with keeping any glittery snow contained. However, if they do end up getting squashed, you'll know just how to rejuvenate them. With this hack, you can stop rejecting ones just because their bristles are bent and have lost some form. Think of it like giving your trees a bath to help them look fresh and new again for each year's holiday decorations.