Shop The Post: dress c/o // blanket c/o // candle c/o // garland {old from Target but similar here & here} // shoes c/o // tree on top of stairs // candles on floor
This year I had grand plans of going wild with the holiday decor. But sometimes things just gotta give, ya know?
None the less, I wanted to show you around our home! I sprinkled in a few pieces of advice I’ve learned over the years too. This holiday decor stuff sure adds up!
Get The Look: couch // “R” pillow // gray and white pillow // rug
How To Decorate For the Holidays On a Budget
- If you’re just starting out with holiday decor and don’t know where to begin, here’s my best advice. Just call the first few years a wash. Put everything you have towards basics and building a solid foundation – examples are garland, wreaths, lights, etc. Your home may look a little barren the first few “building years”. And that’s okay! It will pay off in spades. Promise! These pieces are classics, will last you FOREVER and go with anything. I know it’s tempting to go to Target’s $1 section and stock up there. But you’ll wind up with a bunch of things that result in clutter and don’t transform your home. So save the little items for after you get the basics down! You’ll save SO much money in the long run! And after two years of investing, you’ll be in SOLID shape.
- Take advantage of major sales AFTER Christmas. Garage sales are another great spot to score for almost nothing.
Techniques For Trimming Your Tree
People always ask us if our tree is real or fake – which I take as a compliment! It’s real by the way and a tradition. As for decorating the tree, my mom’s engrained a few techniques that account for these “too good to be real” results.
- If You Get A Real Tree: ALWAYS buy a Fraser Fur. They are the BEST, last the longest and their needles don’t drop.
- Type of Lights: The type of lights you buy, their color and how you string them make A HUGE DIFFERENCE. It’s tedious, but wrapping lights around each branch and weaving them in and out makes for the best ‘twinkle” effect. I know it’s tempting to just get it over with and do a few quick few loops around the tree{AKA my husband!}. But you won’t achieve that “millions of floating lights” look that makes a magical ambiance. I used these very special lights from Tree Time {my favorite Christmas store in the Chicagoland}. They change colors, blink, fade and more!
- Lights Up The Trunk: l learned this genius trick from TreeTime! We love white lights BUT if you look closely, you’ll see we strung special multi-colored lights up the tree trunk. The colors glisten and bounce off the ornaments, giving off a subtle, three dimensional sparkle. You can’t quite put your finger on it {because the tree still looks full of white lights}. It’s SO beautiful!
- Smart Light: No more reaching behind the tree and knocking down the ornaments! This is the best $19 you’ll spend all season. Install this smart outlet and you can turn your tree lights on/off from the comfort of your own bed, a restaurant or couch. All from your phone or even Alexa!
- How To Properly Hang Ornaments: Yes! There IS a proper way to hang your ornaments. Evenly disperse the large ornaments first, then fill in the gaps with smaller ones. Every ornament should freely hang (not resting on branches). Nestle ornaments near the trunk AND from the tippy ends of the branches. When you tuck your ornaments inside the tree, it will look full, with lots of depth.
How To Hang Wreaths Without Nails
Full credit goes to Pencil and Paper Co for this one! It’s hard to see, but I hung dual boxwood wreaths on either side of the door above with just ONE ribbon. It works SO well, even my mom did it at her home. You can get the tutorial on Instagram Stories here {at least for now!}.
A Tree In Your Stairwell
We have a small landing and this skinny tree feels as if it was made for it! I love how it’s the first thing you see right when you walk in the door and adds a festive ambiance upstairs too. This tree is great for any small space because it doesn’t take up much floor room but the height makes a statement.
Don’t forget to add your own touches too. Like a yummy candle, a cozy blanket, or something you love! I always sprinkle in decor that’s sentimental and nostalgic. Like homemade popsicle ornaments from my childhood and items my mom used to decorate our home with growing up.
Although a perfectly coordinated matching house looks fantastic, don’t forget it’s all about the memories too!
P.S. 3 Easy Tips For Planning Your Next Holiday Party and How To Host A Wrapping Party!
Photos by Paige Babilla and few by little ‘ol me 🙂
