Holiday Decor Tips

I am a lover of all things contemporary, modern, and trendy. So when it comes to holiday décor, I lean that way as well.
Even though I prefer the more edgy décor, it is not always the most practical! We whip out our décor for only a few weeks a year, so keeping up with the latest holiday trends can prove very pricey. Even if you stock up during the after Christmas clearances, turning over décor year after year can be an expensive hobby. (Plus who knows what will be "in" next year!) Then there is the issue of storage: where will you keep all your items you are stockpiling every year? As Americans we find it difficult to get rid of our stuff, thus things can get out of hand quickly. I think with holiday décor you can get away with it being a little dated. Who knows why – maybe nostalgia. But we all love a great old-fashioned evergreen holiday wreath with a red bow to welcome in guests!
Here are a few tips on keeping up with the trends in holiday décor without breaking the bank and having to store/find/sell/trade out items too often!

1) Color Theme - Stick with a theme on your tree each year. In our family we started with just gold items on the tree. It was easy to pass on those trendy, different color themes that were always on clearance after the season, since I knew our tree would continue to be gold the next year. After Christmas I would just look out for anything that was gold. We did add red to our tree after a few years and then last year added some chocolate brown as well. So this year instead of all three colors, I opted for just the gold and brown. I still have the red decorations stored away, but I intend to stick with the gold and brown for a while. (Yes, I am a mean mom by making a designer tree versus adding all the homemade ornaments. Our girls do have their own tree in their room, so they can still decorate however they wish.)

2) DIY - Pinterest makes this a great challenge nowadays! You can find tons of items to whip up on the cheap, and you can choose items that will create a fun trend. Without breaking the bank, you can still match your traditional standard base.

3) Hoarders - You know who you are! Give up that stuff you don't like (or always find an excuse to never put up)! If you don't like your décor this year, don't put it back in the holiday box to shove in the attic. Instead, you should donate it to a thrift store. Or you could set aside some of your staple items, compliment it with some new ones, and then give it all as a gift to some newlyweds. (They never have anything to start with and usually don't have the money to get stuff right away.) Then you can hit up a few clearance sales and grab some items that coordinate with your base items.

4) Tradeout - Next year grab a few of your boxes and trade them out with a neighbor or your best bud. You cannot be that attached to your décor since you use it only for a few weeks a year! If there is something you cannot live without, keep that at your place and do a swap with the rest. Then you can each use "new" items for the season and swap back for the next year. You may even find your friend has a much better spot for one of your items and vice-versa.

5) Don’t Be Afraid To Ask – In recent years, all the stores go into “deck the halls” mode right after Halloween. Starbucks puts the holiday décor items on clearance after Christmas, since I am sure everyone was asking for it for free! My mom scored a sweet hot pink ribbon tree from the Coach store one year. If you know someone that works at the location, start there so you have an “in”. Otherwise just inquire – the answer is always ‘no’ unless you ask!

Happy Decorating!