Who doesn’t love a clever space-saving Christmas tree solution? This design doubles as a memory board you can use all year long once the holidays are over.
Last year I received so many holiday cards that I didn’t know where to put them all—my refrigerator isn’t magnetic, and I didn’t want to toss them. This project is a tidy solution: a geometric bulletin board shaped like a Christmas tree that stores cards, photos, and keepsakes during the holidays, then converts into a modern geometric display for everyday use.
For the holiday version, the triangle board holds greeting cards, handmade tinsel tassels, color-block ornaments, and bright art prints. When you convert it to the year-round geometric board, it becomes a mood board for prints, magazine clippings, and photos you want visible and accessible.
Materials Needed for Alternative Christmas Tree
- Compact circular saw or table saw
- Sandpaper block or power sander
- Plywood (size will depend on the final dimensions you want)
- Paint (flat or eggshell house paint works well)
- Paint brush
- Pencil
- Straight edge or yardstick
- Velcro (heavy-duty)
- Greeting cards, prints, notes, and other items to display
How to Make a Space-Saving Christmas Tree
1. Start by drawing a large triangle on the plywood using a pencil and a long straightedge or yardstick. The triangle’s proportions will determine the overall look, so sketch to scale first.
2. Secure the plywood with clamps and cut along your lines with a circular saw or table saw. Make sure the section you cut is safely away from the clamp area and the table edge. After cutting, smooth the edges with a power sander or a sandpaper block for clean, safe edges.
3. Clean the surface of dust and apply paint. A paint-and-primer-in-one speeds the process—apply one to two coats, allowing drying time between coats. Choose a color that fits your holiday palette or a neutral tone for year-round use.
4. While the triangle dries, cut a long rectangle from the scrap wood to serve as the tree trunk—about 4 inches wide by 30 inches long in this example, though you can adjust dimensions to fit your triangle. Paint the trunk the same color as the triangle for a cohesive look.
5. When paint is fully dry, attach the trunk to the back of the triangle using heavy-duty Velcro strips. Velcro makes it easy to remove the trunk later; if you prefer a permanent assembly, wood glue is an alternative.
6. Add hooks, clips, or small nails to hold cards and prints. You can secure clips with Velcro or glue, depending on whether you want the fixtures to be removable. Arrange greeting cards, prints, photos, and notes with tape or clips to create a layered, collage-like display.
When the season ends, simply unfasten the trunk and hang the triangle on its own. Attach a couple of sawtooth hangers or picture hooks to the back and mount it on the wall as a stylish geometric board for photos, notes, and inspiration.
Photography by Amelia Tatnall Lawrence
Styling by Brittni Mehlhoff
Would you use this project as a holiday-specific decoration or prefer it as a year-round memory board? Share which version you’d try and how you’d personalize the colors and display elements.