Fall is quickly approaching, and while that just means the changing of weather and scenery for some people, for most homeowners it means the start of the never-ending cycle of decorating for Halloween, Thanksgiving, then the cascade into the Christmas season, New Year’s, Valentine’s Day, St. Patty’s Day, and Easter. Decorating all year round can become expensive, time consuming, and can take up a lot of storage space, so here are some tips to help you to get the most out of your seasonal decorations:
Consciously shop for decorations:
If you want all of the little trinkets and holiday décor for your home, but it’s just not in your budget, consider “timing out” when you’re shopping for these decorations. When looking for fall decorations, the best time to buy is usually right after Thanksgiving – but not necessarily on Black Friday if the commotion is too much for you. However, for décor with a hefty-er price tag like Christmas trees or large wreathes, Black Friday or Cyber Monday shopping may be your best bet (1).
Aside from planning out when you buy your decorations, thrift stores like Goodwill and St. Vincent DePaul’s have great options for discount decorations during each holiday.
Use versatile pieces:
Try keeping the majority of your decorations versatile for multiple seasons and then add a few overt decorations like Jack-o’lanterns for Halloween or Santa Clauses for Christmas so that you only have to remove a few decorations immediately after the holiday passes (2).
An example of this is using metallics and neutrals for all seasons so they can easily be incorporated into non-holiday décor as well. Consider orange/beige and gold for the fall season, and blue and silver for the winter season. On the other hand, if you prefer the traditional red and green color waves for Christmastime, pick out pillows and decorations that only have one or the other so that you can eventually use them separately and incorporate into the normal décor of your home. In addition to this, instead of using colored holiday lights, use bulb string lights that look good year-round!
Nail down your storage:
Lastly and probably most importantly, make sure you have a sure-fire storage system for your decorations with storage bins, labels, and a plan for their location (3).
Some clean organization tips for the holidays are to wrap up your holiday lights and use masking tape to hold them together so that they don’t get tangled. In addition to this you can also label the tape to show how long the lights are, or which color they radiate. For even more storage you can use hanging storage organizers for smaller decorations and gift wrap or incorporate a rolling storage bin that conveniently fits under a bed.
Making sure to organize your storage bins so that the most used items are easily accessible and the least used are in the back will also make changing out seasonal décor less daunting. You can have one bin (or more) for each separate holiday’s unique decorations, and then bins for seasonal decorations that can be intermixed with each holiday (4).
A good tip to maximize your storage space is to incorporate a once-a-year item storage area in a high or hard to see area so that it can stay out of the way until you need it. For more storage strategies and tips, visit our past blog, Storage Strategies for your home.
In the end, however you decide to decorate or not decorate your home, we hope these tips can help you save time, money, and diminish at least some of the stress that comes with the holidays. Happy Fall!
Blog Contributor: Rachel Clark | Social Media Marketing Specialist for MDR
If you want more information on styling and designing your home, visit our Home Styling and Design page for a complimentary phone consultation with a MDR Home Design Specialist.
Interested in creating your own fall centerpiece? Join us for our fall workshop! Buy tickets here.
