Changed your home’s style? Time to rethink your Christmas decorations.
If you’re a decorating fiend when it comes to your house at Christmas time, you’ve probably collected quite a bit of seasonal décor over the years. Christmas stirs up feelings of happiness, magic, and hope for many, and as you enjoy the holiday season, you’re sure to see signs of the season everywhere you turn. There’s Christmas music playing wherever you go, and of course, beautiful decorations and twinkling lights adorn everything from street lamps to trees and houses.
Undoubtedly you enjoy all of the decorations that you display around your home for the holidays, but what happens when your style (and the style of your house) changes? Those same Christmas items that you’ve grown accustomed to spreading throughout your home, may not be spreading the same cheer that they once did. If this sounds familiar, then it might be time to do a little editing to your holiday look.
Start with these tips to get your home holiday-ready with a style that works for you this season:
Assess what you have.
First things first, remember it’s been a year since you’ve seen this stuff. Open up the boxes, pull out items, and take a good look at what you have. If you’ve fallen into the habit of decorating with the same items every year and placing them in the same spots throughout your home, it can start to become a little routine. Most likely, you don’t even really see what others see when you look at your house after it’s decorated. Take some time to assess your decorations with an unbiased eye, and consider the style of your home, especially if you have made changes in your house over the year. For example, if you changed your rustic, farmhouse kitchen to a more modern look, then that “Country Christmas” sign is probably no longer a good fit. Placing decorations just because you have them can result in conflicting styles that end up looking cluttered and confusing.
Bid a fond farewell to misfits.
Once you’ve identified the decorations that don’t mesh well with your home’s style, it’s time to bid them adieu. Yes, parting is such sweet sorrow, as they say, but decorating with mismatched items is equally gut-wrenching. Even if the item was once upon a time your all-time favorite piece, if it no longer fits in your home, it needs to go. When it comes to family heirloom pieces that you cannot part with, you can either get creative with how you style them, gift them to relatives who may enjoy them and use them more, or just keep them packaged nicely in the boxes for another year. Who knows, your style may change again (it probably will).
Make a switcheroo.
Nothing says clutter more than placing decorations among your existing everyday decor and knick-knacks. There is no rule that says you have to keep everything on display at all times. Therefore, go through your home and decide where you want to place your Christmas items, and if there is already an object in that place, put it away! For example, if you have a decorative vase on top of a shelf, and you want to display a hand-carved Santa statue in that same spot, then package up your vase and place it in your storage boxes. Do this with any item that battles your seasonal pieces for space. When the season ends and you go to put all of your Christmas decorations up, you will be able to switch them out for the everyday items that you had stored away.
Resist over-decorating.
Switching out Christmas items for some everyday items can definitely help reduce clutter and keep things looking nice, but that doesn’t mean you need to cover every square inch of available space with holiday doodads. Be thoughtful and intentional with your decorating. You don’t need to use every single item in your Christmas arsenal.
Do a final edit.
When you’re done, take a moment to walk through your house and see how everything looks together. You want things to flow well from room to room. If something seems off, make adjustments. You may need to remove the item completely or switch it out with something else. If your style has drastically changed, you may find that you don’t have enough items to decorate how you want to; in that case, you get to do some shopping! However, don’t go overboard, often a few thoughtfully curated pieces make a more impressive impact than a bunch of hodgepodge items.
Hopefully, after reading this, you’re in the spirit to deck the halls! Your Christmas décor should reflect your personal style, so you do you! For more fun tips and advice be sure to check out www.kimandyvonne.com! And of course, if you’re looking for a beautiful new home to go with your gorgeous decorations, you know where to find us for all of your Seattle area real estate needs! Happy Holidays!
Like what they have to say? Follow Yvonne and Kim on Facebook and Instagram for more helpful tips and be sure to contact them today if you’re looking to buy, sell, or lease your home or relocate to the area!
Yvonne Svasand
[email protected]
206-669-4628
Kim Reidy
[email protected]
206-579-2667