3 Ways To Simplify Decorating For The Holidays
November is here and I am starting to prepare for decorating the house to create a festive look during the holidays. I use to be steadfast on not allowing myself to decorate for the Christmas holiday until the day after Thanksgiving. This was a tradition I practiced since I was a kid and I enjoyed the special time between the holidays to savor the Christmas season. As I have gotten older I have changed this tradition to allow for more time to enjoy all this season has to offer and to celebrate a time which often brings feelings of joy and hope into our living spaces. For me, this shift started during the pandemic when many of us had endured a tough year filled with loss, fear and an unnerving change in how we experienced our day to day lives. Since then, I have continued this practice and have identified three ways this has also helped me simplify decorating for the holidays while staying in my budget!
Time To Review
I often forget during the year the items I already own in my holiday bins. The marketing starts early for the must have seasonal items and at times I am putting something in my cart for a future purchase only to realize I already own something similar! I have found getting the bins down in early November, allows me a few extra weeks to look through the items to make decisions on what to set out this year, what to donate and what, if anything, I may want to intentionally add to help curate the look. Below is a sneak peek of items I already own and love which will be set out again this year to create a festive look in the entryway for the holidays.
Most of the items in the entryway are a mix of products from Target and Crate and Barrel, which are my go to stores for classic pieces. This coffee table book, coffee table book, round mirror, similar basket, and similar table lamp are items from Target which are out on the console table all year. These similar ceramic trees were an addition last year and a simple way to layer in decorations in a small space. The ceramic vase, cypress door swag and white linen pillow cover are all from Crate and Barrel. I added the black ribbon and gold bells to the cypress swag to enhance the look for this classic piece. The black ornament tree is no longer sold, however this ornament tree is a nice alternative option which adds a warmth showcasing the acacia wood. The ceramic house is a sentimental favorite of mine as it was a gift from a friend and adds a sweet charm to any space. I found this ceramic holiday cottage at Crate and Barrel which comes in several different styles of homes including a farmhouse, split level home, tavern and church making them perfect for any home!
Several years ago I discovered this norfolk pine garland at a couple of local boutique stores which has become my go to for both garland and faux branches to add to vases during the winter months around the home. You can find this style in a variety of different stores both online and in stores. I recommend shopping early for these if you are in the market as they sell out fast every year!
Time to Donate
Last year when I was packing up the holiday decorations, I found a couple of items which I realized I was not setting out for the past several years after moving into our new home. I wasn’t ready to donate them yet, so I packed all of those items into the same bin knowing this year I would take a few minutes at the start of the season to make a decision. Donating holiday items early in the season which no longer bring you joy or have a space in your home means someone else can find these treasures early to add to theirs! Thrift store shopping is a popular way to both save money and find unique items which are sometimes no longer sold in stores. Take a few minutes this year as you start to decorate and see if there is anything you can donate so you can donate those items early in the season. Someone will be silently thanking you!
Time to Purchase
The stores are putting out holiday decor earlier and earlier which means the best seller items are often gone before most people start to think about decorating their homes for the season. I found these Alpine Balsam trees at Target a few weeks ago and went into the store to see them in person before purchasing to get a better idea of how they would work for our pots on the front porch. These come in 4ft, 5ft, and 6ft and I started off with bringing home two of the 4ft trees. Once I put the 4ft trees in the smaller pots, I knew I had to go back to get the 5ft trees to complete the look. They were already out of stock in the different sizes and only had one 5ft in store so I opted to have the second one shipped to me. Thankfully Target’s two day shipping means I don’t have to wait long! I am so pleased with these trees, which are Pre-Lit with LED lights to help create a warm, inviting space on the porch in the evenings. The downswept branches are darling and sets the stage for a charming look to invite guests into your home! I’ll share the finished porch look soon once I have the completed set. Below is a sneak peak of the first set of two I have set out. If you are in the market for a new tree, check these out!
This simple system of decorating for the holidays has allowed me to no longer feel overwhelmed with too much stuff to put out then what I have space for or no longer enjoy to use each year. This has also allowed me to efficiently put out what I do love and feel simplicity in the magic of the holiday season. Have you started decorating yet? Even if you prefer to wait until the passing of Thanksgiving, it’s a good idea to start reviewing any stored holiday decorations early so you can take advantage of both donating items and intentionally adding to your living spaces this year.
Cheers!
