Holiday Decorating

69 Days to Christmas! Decorate for Halloween!

   October 17, 2017 by Cynthia Ewer
decorate for halloween

If you haven't done so already, it's time to decorate for Halloween! Jack O'Lanterns and black cats set the stage for a spooky good time as little goblins take to the streets on the big night.

To keep seasonal decorating changes simple, use solid-color or generic fall decor for the bulk of the decorations. Tuck a few Halloween-specific items into the mix this week.

After the big night has come and gone, they're easy to remove and replace with Thanksgiving decorations. Keep decorating simple to keep the focus on the good times!

78 Days to Christmas! Focus on the Decor Big Three

   October 8, 2017 by Cynthia Ewer

When it comes to holiday decorating, less can be more! To save time and cut holiday stress, simplify holiday decorating by following the decorating Rule of Three!

To bring a festive feeling to any home--and do it simply--put your decorating focus on the Big Three elements of holiday decor:

  • Front Door
  • Living Area Focal Point
  • Christmas Tree

So long as you have a wreath on the front door, decorations on the mantel (or a holiday tablescape on a living area tabletop), and a Christmas tree, you've covered holiday decorating basics ... for a simpler, stress-free holiday season.

79 Days to Christmas! Inventory Holiday Decorations

   October 7, 2017 by Cynthia Ewer
Inventory Holiday Decorations

With autumn in full swing (and Halloween on the horizon), seasonal decorating will soon be underway. Do you know where your holiday decorations are?

While hauling out the jack-o-lanterns and Thanksgiving turkeys, make an informal inventory of Christmas holiday decor. Reason? If you know what you have, you'll immunize yourself from impulse buying as the season progresses--and you'll pick up any needed items in good time to decorate for Christmas.

To "shop at home first", record holiday decorations with a free printable decorations inventory form.

Print a Holiday Decorations Inventory Form

80 Days to Christmas! Simplify Autumn Decorating

   October 6, 2017 by Cynthia Ewer

It's Autumn ... and seasonal celebrations abound! Will you decorate your home to celebrate the coming of fall, Halloween, and Thanksgiving?

Think "simplicity" when it's time to decorate for fall holidays. When selecting decorations, choose solid colors (green, gold, red) and general themes ("pumpkins", not "Jack-o-Lanterns") that can multitask throughout the Autumn months.

By keeping the background items simple and basic, it's easy to swap out smaller, more holiday-specific items for a fresh look! For example, a gold tablecloth graces October's stacked apples, then serves as a base for Halloween's candy-corn table runner. After October 31, roll up the runner and substitute small pilgrim candles. Come December, replace the centerpiece with a colorful mound of shiny glass ornaments in a clear bowl. Easy!

81 Days to Christmas! Plan Holiday Decorating

   October 5, 2017 by Cynthia Ewer
Holiday Decorating Tips

Holiday decorations! For many families, Christmas trees, centerpieces and collections take a starring role during the season ... but do you have a plan?

Even when it comes to Christmas, planning pays! Investing in holiday decorations on-the-fly can lead to clashing themes and "what was I thinking?" purchases.

Starting today, invest a few minutes planning holiday decor to keep it sane and suitable. We've got help, with a free printable room-by-room decor planner form:

Room-by-Room Decor Planner

82 Days to Christmas! Declutter Before You Decorate

   October 4, 2017 by Cynthia Ewer
Declutter Before You Decorate

Thinking about seasonal decor? Get ready!

The decoration tide sweeps in with October's falling leaves, breaks against Halloween's goblins, and is streaming full-force by Thanksgiving's turkeys and pilgrims. Come Christmas, the average home is drowning in tinsel.

Do your visual field a favor: declutter tables, counters, mantels, shelves and the entire surface of your refrigerator before you decorate your home for Autumn holidays.

Using a sturdy box, corral all knick-knacks, photos, decorative items and mismatched socks, and stow the box in a dark closet. Don't even bother to sort your stuff--you'll do that when you return the items after the New Year.

Clear surfaces make a house look clean--and your decorations will shine in solitary splendor when they don't have to compete with ashtrays in the shape of armadillos!