It’s getting colder outside – the holidays are coming, and it’s the time of year to transform your home into a festive wonderland. Decorating for this particular season brings such pleasure. Although sometimes, it can be overwhelming too. But there are ways to make it feel less like work. We asked some experts on tips to make decorating for the holidays merry.
Use What You Have
Before rushing to the nearest store and spending any additional money on holiday decor, take stock of your current inventory. Discard any broken items or anything past its prime and set aside things you know you’ll want to use this upcoming season. Cindy Murphy of Murphy’s Design explains, “If you don’t check your existing stash first, you end up with no theme or cohesiveness and a box of extra stuff in the basement. Before setting it all up, I also do a thorough cleaning first.”
Get wrapping
Use the gifts you will be giving as décor before you give them. “Make them beautiful, and enjoy them yourself for as long as you can.” expert event planner David Stark says. Select a coordinated group of papers, bows, and adornments that complement the theme.
It doesn’t have to be expensive
One may say “It’s beginning to cost a lot like Christmas.” but it doesn’t necessarily have to. You can reuse the decorations from last year. You can check out for Christmas gems at a local dollar store. Go to craft stores for cheaper holiday decor versus big box stores. You can even get creative and DIY using natural items found outside like pine cones, branches, etc. “I love incorporating natural elements like garlands, pine cones, fruit and flowers, like narcissus or white poinsettias. I like to buy one white poinsettia plant and cut the blooms off and put them in water all over the house. They last longer than the season and are so pretty.” Lauren Liess suggests.
Image from domino.com
Less is more.
“The holidays are about tradition and family and if it feels like you’re just creating a picture-perfect photo versus a memory, then maybe it’s too much” explains Cindy Murphy. This season can be about extravagance, but if you overwhelm your home with too much decor, it can distract you from some really beautiful and special pieces. Tone down the themes (e.g. all whites or all blues) or the traditional reds and greens and consider tying together specific themes with complementing colors. For instance, you can use a Winter Wonderland as inspiration and use both white and blue items. Or go Scandi using neutral colors and natural textures.
Image from lifeonsummerhill.com
Don’t Forget the Outside
Try to keep your aesthetic vision connected between the outside and inside of your home. “They should, again, relate, and it’s all about what you see from the inside out,” interior designer Megaan Pelaar said. Make your home’s exterior as festive as the inside. Get inspired by gorgeous greenery, twinkling light displays, and other outdoor Christmas decorations that bring seasonal cheer to your doorstep.
Image from dreamingofhomemaking.com
Remember that this season is all about making memories and getting to see and bond with the people you love. Ask help from friends or family and decorate together. So take a deep breath and enjoy the process of decorating.
Image from giphy.com