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Best Pencil Christmas Trees for Small Spaces (That Fit Tight Corners)
The best pencil Christmas trees for small spaces are the ones that give you full height without asking for floor space you do not have. A 6 foot pencil stands as tall as a normal tree, but its base is only about 20 to 30 inches wide, compared to 50 inches or more for a standard tree. That one difference is the whole trick: the tree slides into a corner, an entryway, or the gap between the sofa and the wall, and the room keeps its walkways.
If you want every tree type in one place, start with our small Christmas trees for apartments guide, which covers pencils, slim trees, half trees, and tabletops. If even a pencil feels like too much, our tabletop Christmas trees guide moves Christmas onto furniture with zero floor space. If you want the decorating side first, read our Christmas decorating ideas for small apartments. This guide is the buying half for pencils only: 12 trees from 6 to 7.5 feet, all narrow, with the corner measurements that decide whether each one actually fits. No prices are printed below, because they move. Every pick has a price check link instead.
How to buy pencil Christmas trees for small spaces: the corner test
Do these four checks before you look at a single listing. They take five minutes and they prevent the one return nobody wants to carry down apartment stairs in December: a tree that does not fit the corner it was bought for.
1. Corner width. Tape a square on the floor where the tree will stand. The tree’s listed width must fit inside it with a couple of inches to spare for fluffed branches. A pencil Christmas tree is the best choice for most small rooms precisely because that square is small: usually 20 to 30 inches wide compared to 50 inches or more for a standard tree, according to a Shiplap and Shells guide to small space trees. Measure the corner, not the room, because the corner is what the tree actually gets.
2. Ceiling minus the topper. Measure floor to ceiling, then subtract your topper and a gap of 6 to 12 inches above it. A 7.5 foot tree plus a star needs about 8.5 feet of ceiling, not 7.5. Most small living rooms with 8 foot ceilings fit a 6.5 to 7 foot pencil or slim tree, and that ceiling rule is the reason this list stops at 7.5 feet: taller trees belong to taller rooms, not to apartments.
3. Walkway left over. After the tree goes in, you still need 24 inches for a side path and 36 inches on a main route. A corner is the easiest place for a tree precisely because it keeps the walkways clear and does not compete with furniture, but a corner beside the front door still has to leave the door swing free. If the tree eats the path to the kitchen or the front door, it is the wrong tree, no matter how pretty it looks in the listing photos.
4. Viewing sides. A corner tree is seen from two sides, not four. That is good news: the back can stay sparse, you need fewer ornaments, and you can push the tree closer to the walls than a room center tree. Fluff the two front sides properly and leave the back simple. Nobody sees it except the wall.
Slim vs pencil: know which narrow you are buying
Listings use slim and pencil as if they mean the same thing. They do not. A slim tree has a height to width ratio of about 2 to 2.5, meaning it is 2 to 2.5 times as tall as it is wide, while a pencil tree is even narrower, with a ratio closer to 3 to 3.5, according to an Absolute Christmas guide to pencil and slim trees. In plain numbers: a 6 foot slim tree is about 30 to 40 inches wide, while a true 6 foot pencil is about 20 to 30 inches wide. If your corner is under 30 inches, buy the pencil, not the slim. That ratio check is the fastest way to read any listing in this guide.
| Tree height | Typical pencil width | Ceiling you need | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 ft | 20 to 30 in | About 7 ft with topper gap | Standard 8 ft ceilings, most apartments |
| 7 ft | 24 to 32 in | About 8 ft with topper gap | 8 to 9 ft ceilings, taller corners |
| 7.5 ft | 30 to 35 in | About 8.5 ft with topper gap | 9 ft ceilings, statement corners |
One more rule from small space decorators: keep ornaments small and light on narrow branches so they do not droop, and buy the pre-lit version when you can, because hand stringing a pencil tree evenly is a job nobody enjoys. That corner first logic is the whole idea behind pencil Christmas trees for small spaces.
The 12 picks: pencil Christmas trees for small spaces, by height
The picks are grouped by height so you can jump to your ceiling. The 6 foot trees first, then the 7 foot trees, then the 7.5 foot trees for taller rooms. Every dimension below comes from the product listing, not from a roundup that guessed. Together they cover every corner a small apartment actually has, which is what makes this list the best pencil Christmas trees for small spaces we could verify with real numbers, rather than a list of guesses.
1. Goplus 6ft Pre-Lit Slim Pencil Christmas Tree, Snowy
The snowy 6 foot pencil. This one carries 618 snowy branch tips, 280 warm white LED lights, and snowy pine cones with red berries already in the branches, on a metal stand, at about 2.3 feet wide for the 6 foot size. The snowy tips are the point: the tree looks decorated before you hang a single ornament, which matters on narrow branches where heavy ornaments droop. It also comes in 5 and 7 foot sizes from the same listing, so if the 6 foot size sells out, the same tree in another height is one click away. Check the Goplus 6ft pre-lit slim pencil Christmas tree and check the current price here.
2. Hykolity 6ft Prelit Snow Flocked Pencil Christmas Tree
The color changing 6 foot pencil. This flocked tree has 544 branch tips and 200 color changing LED lights with 10 modes, switched by a foot pedal, on a metal stand, at 30 inches across the base. It was also one of the most bought pencil trees in this research, with 100 or more bought in the past week at check time. The foot pedal is the detail that matters in a corner: you can change the lights without bending behind the tree to find a switch. Check the Hykolity 6ft prelit snow flocked pencil Christmas tree and check the current price here.
3. HOMCOM 6ft Prelit Snow Flocked Pencil Christmas Tree
The decorated 6 foot pencil. This flocked tree carries 618 branch tips, 300 LED lights, 30 pinecones, and 34 red berries, at 25.5 inches across and 70.75 inches tall, and it was also one of the most bought pencil trees in this research, with 100 or more bought in the past month at check time. Setup takes about 20 to 30 minutes, which is honest for a tree this full: fluffing 618 tips properly is what makes it look real instead of flat. If you want a tree that arrives looking like Christmas with minimal ornament shopping, this is the one. Check the HOMCOM 6ft prelit snow flocked pencil Christmas tree and check the current price here.
4. iCapeson 6ft Slim Pencil Christmas Tree, Unlit
The realistic unlit 6 foot pencil. This one has 754 PVC tips with bendable branches on a metal stand, at 29 by 29 by 72 inches, and it is the fullest looking unlit pencil on this list. Honest note: it arrives unlit, so you will need a light string of your own if you want it to glow. What you get for that extra step is a tree you can light exactly how you like, warm white, multicolor, or micro fairy lights, instead of living with factory lights you did not choose. Check the iCapeson 6ft slim pencil Christmas tree and check the current price here.
5. SLEKVERSA 6ft Pre-Lit Pencil Christmas Tree
The indoor outdoor 6 foot pencil. This slim tree has 477 branch tips and 200 lights on a metal foldable stand, and it is waterproof, so it works on a covered balcony or porch as well as in a corner. That matters in an apartment, because a balcony tree is the one tree that never competes with indoor floor space at all. Keep it under cover in rain, even though the listing calls it waterproof: a dry tree lasts years longer than a soaked one. Check the SLEKVERSA 6ft pre-lit pencil Christmas tree and check the current price here.
6. iCapeson 6ft Snow Flocked Pencil Christmas Tree
The simple flocked 6 foot pencil. This one has 358 flocked branch tips on a sturdy iron stand, with flame retardant PVC branches and a simple three step wrap assembly. It is the least fussy flocked pencil on this list: fewer tips than the fuller trees, but also less fluffing, less shedding, and a lighter box to carry upstairs. If you want the snowy look without the 30 minute fluffing session, this is the trade to make. Check the iCapeson 6ft snow flocked pencil Christmas tree and check the current price here.
7. Alupssuc 7ft Prelit Pencil Christmas Tree, RGB
The color show 7 foot pencil. This slim tree stands 7 feet tall with 1,809 PE and PVC branch tips and 330 RGB lights in 16 colors, with a remote control, 4 brightness levels, 8 color change modes, and 3 timing functions. That tip count is the highest on this list by far, which is why it reads as full rather than skinny even at pencil width. If your corner is the room’s main event and you want the lights to do the decorating, this is the one. Check the Alupssuc 7ft prelit pencil Christmas tree and check the current price here.
8. NALONE 7ft Pre-Lit Flocked Pencil Christmas Tree
The timer flocked 7 foot pencil. This slim tree has 824 tips with snow kissed branches, pinecones, and red berries, plus 300 warm white and multicolor LED lights with 9 modes, a remote, and a timer that runs 6 hours on and 18 hours off. The timer is the detail that matters: the tree lights itself every evening without you reaching behind it. Honest note: ornament balls are not included, so if you want baubles, buy a set of small light ones separately. Check the NALONE 7ft pre-lit flocked pencil Christmas tree and check the current price here.
9. YITAHOME 7.5ft Pre-Decorated Pencil Christmas Tree
The whole look in one box, 7.5 foot version. This partially flocked and frosted pencil stands 7.5 feet tall with 1,075 tips, 68 pine cones, and 350 warm white and multicolor lights with 11 modes, all on a remote that works from 13 feet away. It was also one of the most bought pencil trees in this research, with 100 or more bought in the past month at check time. For a tall corner that needs to look finished on day one, with cones and lights already in place, this is the strongest pick on the list. Check the YITAHOME 7.5ft pre-decorated pencil Christmas tree and check the current price here.
10. Goplus 7.5ft Pre-Lit Flocked Pencil Christmas Tree
The most bought tall flocked pencil. This one has 820 flocked frosted tips and 350 warm white LED lights on a metal stand, at 2.9 feet across with a 20 inch base, and it was the most bought pencil tree in this research, with 400 or more bought in the past month at check time. That demand is the point: hundreds of buyers a month chose this exact tree for the same tall corner problem, which is the best real world test a listing can pass. Check the Goplus 7.5ft pre-lit flocked pencil Christmas tree and check the current price here.
11. ClouFairy 7.5ft Pre-Lit Snow Flocked Slim Fir
The brightest tall flocked pencil. This slim fir has 1,424 mixed PE and PVC branch tips, 900 warm white LED lights, and 40 real pine cones on a metal stand. Nine hundred lights is nearly triple the count on most trees here, which is why it glows from across the room even with few ornaments. If your corner is dark, far from the window, or the room’s only light source in the evening, this is the tree that fixes it. Check the ClouFairy 7.5ft pre-lit snow flocked slim fir and check the current price here.
12. SLEKVERSA 7.5ft Pre-Lit Black Pencil Christmas Tree
The statement color 7.5 foot pencil. This tinsel pencil stands 7.5 feet tall and 33 inches wide, with warm white LED lights on a metal stand, in black. Honest note: black is a statement, not a default. It suits modern and glam rooms, Halloween crossover decor, and metallic ornament palettes, and it looks wrong in a traditional red and green room. Buy it for the room you have, not the room you wish you had. Check the SLEKVERSA 7.5ft pre-lit black pencil Christmas tree and check the current price here.
How to decorate a pencil tree without drooping the branches
Narrow branches have one rule: small and light, or nothing. Ornaments no bigger than about 2.5 inches, in one or two colors, spaced so the lights still show between them. Run one ribbon in a spiral from the top to the bottom: the spiral leads the eye up and makes the tree look taller, which is exactly what a pencil tree wants. Leave some green showing, because a pencil tree stuffed edge to edge with ornaments looks lumpy, not lush. And remember the viewing sides rule: decorate the two front sides properly and leave the back simple. A pencil tree in an entryway is the first thing guests see, so put your best ornaments at eye level on the front, not at the top where nobody looks.
5 mistakes that make a pencil tree look wrong
Most pencil tree regret comes from one of these five decisions, and every one of them is avoidable with a tape measure. Pencil Christmas trees for small spaces fail when they are bought for the wrong corner, not when they are bad trees.
1. Buying by height only. Height is the least useful number on a pencil listing. Width decides whether the tree fits your corner, and listings bury it in the specifications. Always read the width first, then check the height to width ratio.
2. Forgetting the topper gap. A star or angel adds inches, and in a low ceiling apartment those inches are the difference between a tree that fits and a topper bent against the ceiling. Measure ceiling, subtract topper, leave 6 to 12 inches, then shop.
3. Blocking the walkway. A tree that forces you to sidestep every time you cross the room will annoy you by week two, no matter how good it looks on day one. Keep 24 inches on side paths and 36 inches on main routes, even in a corner.
4. Heavy ornaments on pencil branches. Narrow branches droop under big glass baubles. Keep ornaments small and light on pencils, and save the heavy pieces for a full width tree or a tabletop display that does not hang from branches.
5. Buying before measuring January storage. Every tree on this list has to live somewhere from January to November. Pencil trees fold down and their boxes slide behind a wardrobe or under a bed. If the closet is already full, our small closet organization ideas will help you make room before the tree arrives.
FAQs
What size pencil Christmas tree is best for a small apartment?
For most apartments, pencil Christmas trees for small spaces work best at 6 to 7 feet tall, with a base 20 to 30 inches wide, under an 8 foot ceiling. Measure your corner square and your ceiling first, then let those two numbers pick the size. A 6 foot pencil in a measured corner beats a 7.5 foot pencil squeezed under a low ceiling every time.
What is the difference between a slim tree and a pencil tree?
A slim tree is 2 to 2.5 times as tall as it is wide, while a pencil tree is 3 to 3.5 times as tall as it is wide. That makes the pencil noticeably narrower: a 6 foot slim tree runs about 30 to 40 inches wide, while a 6 foot pencil runs about 20 to 30 inches wide. If your corner is under 30 inches, buy the pencil.
Are pre-lit pencil trees worth it?
Yes, especially for pencil trees. Pre-lit lights are spaced evenly at the factory, they remove the hardest decorating step, and they remove one storage box in January. The only reason to buy unlit is a light string you already own, or a color the pre-lit versions do not offer.
How many ornaments does a pencil tree need?
Fewer than you think. Pencil trees look best with small, light ornaments in one or two colors, spaced so the lights still show between them. Twenty to thirty small ornaments dress a 6 foot pencil beautifully. More than that hides the lights and drags the narrow branches down.
Can I put a pencil tree in an entryway?
Yes, and it is one of the best spots for one, because an entryway corner is usually empty and a pencil tree fits it without blocking the door. Measure the door swing first: the tree must sit clear of the door’s arc, and the walkway past it must stay at least 24 inches wide.
Will a pencil tree look skinny from the side?
From the front, no: a well fluffed pencil looks like a full tree, just narrow. From the side, yes, you can see how thin it is, which is why pencil trees belong in corners and against walls, never in the middle of a room. Treat the walls as part of the tree and the illusion holds all season.
Where do I store a pencil tree in a small apartment in January?
Pencil trees fold down into slim boxes that slide behind a wardrobe, under a bed, or on top of a closet shelf. Keep the original box, because a loose pencil tree in a bag sheds tips and tangles lights. If storage is the deciding factor, the 6 foot unlit pencil is the lightest box on this list.
Final Thoughts
Pencil Christmas trees for small spaces are not the smallest trees you can find. They are the trees whose width, height, and ceiling gap match numbers you measured yourself, in your own corner, before you ordered. Tape the square, check the ceiling, keep the walkway clear, and then pick from this list by height: 6 foot for standard ceilings, 7 foot for taller rooms, 7.5 foot for statement corners. Do that, and the tree will look like it was made for your apartment, because in the only way that matters, it was. And when January comes, the same measurements tell you exactly where it all packs away, which is the part of Christmas decorating nobody photographs but every small apartment feels.