Holiday decorating doesn’t have to be complicated or expensive, Apartment Therapy says. Simply fill a decorative bowl with painted pinecones or holiday ornaments for a festive centerpiece. String greeting cards up for display with ribbons and clothespins, and they’ll make a nice conversation-starter without adding to surface clutter. Grab a bough of evergreen and put twinkly Christmas lights and/or jingle bells on it. Or for a holiday touch that will last through the winter, plant a poinsettia in a pot wrapped with shiny paper.
Tag: holiday decorations
Decorations Need Decluttering, Too
Part of any holiday decluttering should be to get rid of the decorations you don’t want, can’t use or are saving for no good reason. Strings of lights that don’t work, for example, should be among the things you eliminate from your home immediately, Apartment Therapy says; admit to yourself that you probably aren’t going to fix them. Toss those greeting cards from Christmases past, too, and any specialty baking accessories — cookie cutters, colored sugars, etc. — you no longer use. Finally, donate surplus ornaments and holiday tchotchkes to ClothingDonations.org, where they can find new homes while helping fund veterans’ programs.
Decluttering Pays Holiday Dividends
If you haven’t done so already, do a quick decluttering around your home before you put up the Christmas tree and other holiday decorations. Each room in your home should take only one or two hours to declutter, according to Slow Your Home’s handy guide, and the rewards will be huge. Not only will you have more space for guests and gifts when the big event arrives, but you’ll also have a better idea of the things you and your family have already (and which are no longer of use or need to be replaced) before you shop. Decluttering will also help you decorate in a more mindful way now and into 2018.
Declutter as You Decorate
The season is upon us! And in the process of digging out boxes of decorations to bedeck your home, you have likely discovered some clothing and household items — holiday-themed and not — that are no longer your style or too worn to use. Do yourself a favor, and set that junk aside for donation or toss it in the trash now, while you’re looking at it. If you just shove those things aside to get to your decorations, they will still be there a year from now, and they will still be getting in the way. Luckily, ClothingDonations.org has pickups available throughout the holidays, so you can declutter as you spread the cheer.
Start Prepping for the Holidays Now
There’s no time like the present to begin preparations for the holidays. With incredibly busy schedules and so many things to make and do before Thanksgiving and Christmas, things can get hectic fast. So, take a cue from the advertisers and start the season now! Not only will you ensure a happy holiday season, you’ll do it with less stress.
Preparation is key. Make lists of the people you plan to buy for, and any ideas you might have for gifts. Unpack those holiday decorations and replace the burnt-out bulbs and dog-eared decorations. If you want to do any DIY decoration projects, bake cookies or make homemade gifts, now’s the time to start.
If money is an issue (and when isn’t it?), make a budget for the holidays to avoid cost overruns and credit-card debt. You don’t want to be paying for holiday 2017 well into the 2020s! Start price-shopping for major gifts, staple food items that keep well in the freezer or pantry, greeting cards and more. If you see a great deal, snap it up — and check that item off your list.
It’s still early enough in the season to get great deals on decorations, candles, sweaters and other festive holiday essentials at the local thrift store — many of which are supplied by generous donations to ClothingDonations.org. When you donate your secondhand goods or shop, the proceeds help fund veterans’ programs nationwide.
Popular Mechanics advises to check appliances that will see heavy use during the holidays, such as the refrigerator, vacuum cleaner and dishwasher. Also be sure to sharpen your knives before carving the turkey, stock up on firewood and take safety precautions to make your home warm and inviting, the story says.
If you plan on hosting a party, get the invitations out early, says The Family Room. Make a list of the things you want to serve and assign tasks to the fellow hosts under your roof. Also, be clear about what kind of party it is and what’s expected of guests: Is it a potluck? Gift exchange? Cocktail or dinner party? Are plus-ones, kids and pets invited?
Most importantly, don’t overschedule, says the HuffPost blog. You’ll only wear yourself out and risk getting sick in the critical pre-holiday moments, or look back to discover that the holidays brought you more hassles than happiness.
“Schedule ‘You’ days to relax and regain energy,” the blog says. “Make appointments with yourself for personal time, workouts or going for a walk; napping, reading, [a] bubble bath or a pedicure. Because you, too, want to be at your best during the holidays and enjoy the festivities, instead of sitting exhausted and grumpy at the dinner table.”