How to Get Your Home Decorated and Ready for Guests this Holiday
The winter holidays are just around the corner! It is time to organize, clean, declutter, and decorate your home for the holidays so that you can enjoy the season with your friends, family, and loved ones. Whether you are looking for some festive decoration ideas for your home or you want to spruce up your living space for the holidays, here are a few tips on how to get your home in tip-top shape.
What To Do Before You Start Decorating Your Home For The Holidays
Many families have holiday traditions and systems for decorating their homes. However, no matter how you plan to decorate your home this winter, it is important to start with a clean and clear space. Take some time to declutter before you start decorating so that your ornaments do not end up competing with piles of books or other knick-knacks. This will also help you set the stage for your holiday decoration plans! Also, when you are decluttering, it is also a good idea to clean each area of your home so that it looks nice and shiny when guests arrive. Here are some ways you can prepare and declutter your home before putting up your ornaments and holiday decorations.
Set Aside Time to Work on Your Winter Holiday Preparations
Last-minute tasks and preparations often happen during the days leading up to and during the holidays. Trying to do everything at once is guaranteed to overwhelm you and might make it difficult for you to relax and make the most out of the holiday season. Also, many of the items on your holiday to-do list will take longer than one day to complete anyway.
Here is a strategy you could try: dedicate 30 minutes to an hour each day specifically for working on holiday preparations, decorating, decluttering, cleaning, shopping, cooking, or other tasks that can help you stay on track. Also, once you get started, it is common to gain momentum and make even more progress than expected. With this time-management method, creating a list that divides and prioritizes tasks into small time segments is a good idea.
Declutter Before Decorating Your Home This Winter
One of the first things you will want to do when getting your home ready for holiday guests is decluttering. Although sorting through and organizing everything in your home is ideal, it can seem exhausting and daunting. To make this more manageable, try to identify and focus on decluttering different rooms, spaces, and areas in your home. For example, you can declutter your garage, drawers, cupboards, spare bedrooms, sheds, laundry rooms, basements, and any outdoor spaces that will be decorated this holiday.
Also, consider donating, selling, or putting any furniture that you do not need and any clutter that is taking up space into storage. Not only will this make your home look nicer, but it will also give you more room to store holiday decorations and extra guest bedding.
Make Sure Each Room Is Clean and Dust-free
Once you have decluttered and created some space for your decorations, it is time to start cleaning—and we mean really cleaning, not just straightening up a bit! Wash all the linens, vacuum all the carpets, and dust every nook and cranny. The goal is to create a clean, clear, and welcoming environment before you start putting up ornaments and lights.
It is common for people to use scented candles and other scents to improve their homes over the holidays. If you are expecting guests or visitors, or know someone is sensitive to perfumes and colognes, then you might want to avoid these scents or check with the individual if this will be a problem.
How To Make Room for Guests and Holiday Gatherings
Even if you have decluttered, chances are you will still have some extra items taking up space in your home during the holidays. For example, your guest bedding, extra table linens, holiday serving dishes, wrapping paper, and decorations. You can free up some much-needed space in your home by getting a self-storage unit or portable storage container for seasonal items. That way, they will be out of sight but still easily accessible when you need them! You can also allocate holiday storage space in your home or use your storage unit for summer clothes and household belongings you will not need during the holidays.
If you have a spare vehicle, boat, or trailer that is not being used, consider parking it at a storage facility during the winter. This will not only create parking for your guests’ cars but also help with your overall decluttering.
Practical Winter Holiday Decoration Tips For Your Home
Having a winter holiday theme helps tie all of the elements together in an aesthetically pleasing way. You do not need an over-the-top theme if that is not your style—even something as simple as “rustic chic” is enough to give you some direction when shopping for decorations. This can help prevent any impulse buying that could lead to feeling overwhelmed when starting to tackle putting up holiday decorations. If there are any ornaments or items you love but do not want to use this year, you can simply keep them in storage until next year.
Decorating Homes with Color and Texture
When it comes to decorating for the holidays, colour is key. If you have an eye for design, consider creating a theme by choosing one or two colours as your palette and adding textures such as velvet, satin, or burlap. This will give your home a warm and inviting ambiance while also including festive touches like garlands of greenery, twinkling lights, colourful pillows, and sparkly decorations. This can all be done without breaking the bank; in fact, many of these decorations can be made from items that are already around your home!
Give Your Holiday Decorations a Fresh and Natural Appearance
Adding some greenery to your decorations is a great way to bring life into any room during the winter months. Whether it is real or artificial plants, adding pops of green around your house creates an inviting atmosphere that makes guests feel welcome. You can even incorporate pinecones into this look by bringing them inside and placing them strategically within your décor. Not only will they bring a touch of nature indoors, but they also act as natural air fresheners throughout the holidays!
Be Creative With Your Indoor and Outdoor Holiday Lights
Lighting is another essential element when it comes to decorating for the holidays. Consider adding string lights around your roof, fence, window sills or door frames — they create an ethereal glow while also adding some extra sparkle to your décor. Candles are also great additions; not only do they provide light, but their subtle scent can help fill any room with warmth and comfort. If you are feeling adventurous, why not try incorporating coloured light bulbs into lamps? The soft hues add an unexpected touch of colour that really brings out the holiday spirit!
Don’t Forget To Deck the Halls (and Walls)
What better way to make your home festive than with decorations? Start by hanging up a few pieces of holiday wall art in the main living areas of your house. This can be anything from framed prints featuring winter landscapes or traditional holiday scenes to printed canvases with seasonal quotes. Finish off the space by adding some festive garlands or wreaths around door frames, windows, and mantles.
Final Thoughts
Holiday preparations and decorating do not have to be complicated or expensive. With just a little extra effort, you can make sure everything looks perfect for when family and friends visit your home this holiday season! Remember to keep in mind that while decorations can be fun and whimsical, too much of them can make a room feel cluttered and disorganized. So be sure to keep the winter holiday décor minimal but impactful. Happy decorating!
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