One shelf. Your own little houses.
Christmas Village Layout Planner for a Small Shelf or Tray
Find room for the houses you already love. Measure their footprints, leave access for cords, and keep a copy for next December.
Plan your shelf ↓Top view: front edge at the bottom, back edge at the top. X measures from the left; Y measures from the front. Positions refer to each rectangle's front-left corner.
Your shelf plan
Numbered solid rectangles = buildings · Hatched areas = reserved cord access
Measured buildings
Use your own measurements, including steps and overhangs. Sample house sizes are examples only. Up to 12 pieces.
Extra cord access zones
Reserve up to four extra rectangles for a connection or a route. These zones may meet or overlap one another. Set the rear strip to zero if you don't need it.
Top-down footprint plan. Diagram is not actual size. Fit checks do not assess weight, stability, heat, or electrical safety.
Your favorite little houses can fill a shelf before you’ve found room for the last one. Measure their bases first, then try the arrangement here. This free Christmas village layout planner checks one rectangular shelf or tray and gives you a placement sheet to keep with the boxes.
Measure before you unpack everything
Measure the usable flat surface inside any tray rim. For each building, measure its widest footprint from above, including steps, porches, and overhanging parts. A rectangle should cover the whole piece. Use the same unit for every measurement; switching between inches and centimeters converts the plan you’ve already entered.
X is the distance from the left edge. Y is the distance from the front edge, toward the back. Both locate the front-left corner of a building’s rectangle. Rotating a house 90 degrees swaps its width and depth. The shaded strip at the back and any extra access zones stay clear of buildings.
Keep the plan with your village
Start with the shelf example, replace its sample dimensions with your own, and adjust the positions. For a lift-off display, try the tray example. Add smaller trees or figures as buildings if their footprints need checking too; the plan holds up to 12 pieces. The minimum gap applies between buildings, including diagonal neighbors. It doesn’t add a margin at the shelf edges or around access zones.
Print the diagram and measurement table after the checks pass. The diagram is scaled to the page, not printed at actual size. Download a plan file to reopen here next year, and add a note about which box holds each house. Plan files stay on your device unless you share them. There’s no account or email form.
What the fit check covers
This is a top-down footprint check on one flat rectangle. It flags overlapping buildings, buildings closer than your chosen gap, pieces beyond an edge, and buildings in reserved access areas. It can’t assess shelf strength, height clearance, stability, heat, outlets, cord length, or electrical safety. A clear fit check is not an electrical safety guarantee. Confirm the actual arrangement and follow the instructions supplied with your buildings and lights.
For ideas before you measure, see our Christmas village displays for small spaces . If the shelf sits beside the door, use the tiny-hall Christmas entryway guide to keep everyday items within reach. Put the printed plan with your decorations using the small-home Christmas storage plan .