I have been married for 22 years and have been collecting Christmas decor way before I was married. I have learned some tips over the years that have really come in handy. In this post I’m going to share my top 3 Christmas tips that were game changers in my Christmas decorating. I think you will really benefit from doing these things in your home as well.
Save Everything
Once I started saving everything it really helped. I save every piece of ribbon I cut. I try to keep everything organized. You may have your own system for how things are organized in your home. You can check out some of my organizational tips here and more will be coming in January. I wised up about 2 years ago after getting so frustrated with my attic. I had so much holiday stuff and decor that I was buying duplicates because I wasn’t able to see what I had anymore. I found a clever way to display the majority of my stuff. Pictures of my attic will be coming in January.
Other things I keep are pieces of my artificial tree and garland that fall off as I’m fluffing it. I used to just chuck it right in the trash. Then I found myself buying these exact pieces and picks from Michaels to use in vignettes and holiday trays when I could easily be using the extra pieces that fall out of my arrangements. You never know when you just need one or two of something to make it perfect. This could mean holly pieces, leaves, berries, pinecones, pieces of fruit, etc….
Ribbon Changes Everything
If you don’t have the money to change your ornaments every year, but you want a different look, I would highly suggest investing in ribbon. You can think about your theme ahead of time and find some great ribbon on sale. Right after Christmas you can find designer ribbon on sale at Dillard’s and Macys, and then of course craft stores such as Michaels, Hobby Lobby, and other floral stores. I invest in neutral colored ornaments like mercury glass, silver, gold, clear, and white then I change out ribbon and I have a completely different look every year. The goal is to think of using the stuff you have and shop your home first. Then if you want to go out and purchase a couple nice things to add to your collection every year you will end up with beautiful holiday decor over time. Just remember it is not something that happens overnight. I have been married for 22 years and am still enjoying putting together new Christmas themes.
I got this ribbon from Dillard’s at the end of the year sale. I’ve used it in this coastal themed tree, a peacock tree, and a blue and pink angel tree as well. Just let your creativity run wild. You can recycle your supplies to use them in many different ways. I used to store my ornaments by the tree I was going to use them on. Then I started storing them by color. This gave me the freedom to change how I was grouping my colors and create new combinations in ways I had never even thought of before.
You Can Alter Things From Their Original State
This one is HUGE. It took me so long before I realized it was “ok” to alter things. For example, this year I bought a bundle of greenery from Michaels. At the time, I wasn’t sure what I was going to use it for, but I thought it was interesting and it might come in handy. It is literally one of my favorite pieces I used in my tree this year. It was the exact texture I was looking for to pull off the softness in my white tree pictured below. However, I would never have used it as the bundle it came in on a Christmas tree. It was bulky and would have looked horrible. I’m so glad I didn’t pass it up due to not being able to see past it in the bunch it was sold in. I have never once regretted a decision to cut a ribbon or pull a pear off an arrangement to use in another place. Go with your gut. You know what your decorating needs are and in all honesty, most pieces can be wired back in or glued.
Hopefully these tricks and tips will help you this year when you’re thinking about your decorating. Look for great sales and continue to collect quality pieces over time.
Yours Truly,
Jenn
