5 easy ways to deck your home for the holidays
There’s no better way to get into the holiday spirit than making your home warm and inviting. Luckily, you can liven up every inch of your home without breaking the bank or putting in a ton of time. Take a look at these five ways to prepare your home for guests.
Re-think your everyday living room décor.
If you’re in a time crunch, there are a few tricks to spicing up your living room. Put dark florals in a vase, then add a few springs of wintry evergreens to make it seasonal. You can also put evergreens on sculptural decorative items that you already have.
Ornaments don’t have to be displayed on trees- they can be displayed anywhere in the room. Try placing them on various household items, such as a cake stand, a non-conventional way to show off your ornaments. Place the decoration on coffee tables or end pieces.
Decorate with holiday string lights.
The possibilities are endless with holiday string lights, and they all depend on your personal style. If you prefer a soft glow, place ping pong balls over traditional light bulbs on string lights. Hang on your fireplace mantel. If you prefer colorful party lights, add frosted, round ornaments over bulbs onto multicolored lights. It’s okay if you don’t place an ornament over every bulb, because that gives the decoration a modern feel. These lights can be placed all over your home.
Add holiday touches to your guest bedroom.
There are plenty of ways to revamp your guest room by adding different holiday textures and colors. Miniature trees (available at places like Target, Bed Bath & Beyond and Sears), give the room a cabin-inspired feel. Natural green wreaths are another way to add an outdoorsy-y feel, and you can also add berries or pine cones to them.
Moravian star tree toppers (ones that stay lit up with LED lighting) are also great nightlights. Place one on the bedside table for both a light and decoration.
Get everyone outdoors.
If you’re in warmer climate or lucked out with an unseasonably warm day, take your party outside. You don’t even need a bar cart- just use any bit of functional space, such as a bench. Use a cutting board, drink glasses and holiday decorations to create your own beverage station. In the morning, re-purpose the cart to serve coffee and breakfast food outdoors.
Make your home smell like the holidays.
After your home looks great for your guests, make sure it smells just as festive! You don’t even need scented candles. Just fill a saucepan with water and bring it to a boil. Add cinnamon sticks, apple peels, orange rinds and whole cloves. Boil for a few more minutes, then turn the heat down to simmer. Add water as needed every 30 minutes.