How To Start Decorating For Christmas

Have you ever wondered how to start decorating for Christmas? Here are a few ways tips that I use to make the process smooth and easy!

I love decorating for Christmas. However, there are times when I wish that we could snap our little fingers and have all of our holiday decorations magically placed for us. I don’t know about you, but I usually dread the idea of taking down ALL of the bins from the attic and closets. I simply do NOT enjoy pulling everything out and the inevitable mess that comes along with that step. I find that all of the totes and mess can be a tab bit overwhelming at times.

Even though I do pack things up neatly at the end of each season (see some of my packing tips here), the process of getting it all out and displayed can seem a bit daunting. I do have a few suggestions that I think may help as you begin planning “HOW TO START” decorating for Christmas.

Take Down What You Have

This is always my first step. I try really hard (and I usually fail) not to buy anything new each holiday season until I can see exactly what I already have. This means pulling down all of the totes from storage – and man I sure do have a lot.

Because I have so much, it can be hard for me to remember exactly what I DO already have. Often times I buy a few new things at the END of each Christmas season on clearance and that means that there are usually things that I have forgotten about. In addition, I decorate with both new and vintage holiday decor. I also shop for vintage holiday items year round and can not always recall what I have purchased. This is why I really do need to pull it all out to see what I have.

Tip: I usually designate one room in the house to hold all of the totes and bins while I am organizing. That way, every bit of Christmas is all in one spot.

Empty Out ALL The Totes

I always like to take out my decor to see exactly what I am working with. I normally empty each and every bin and lay it all out. This helps me to be able to ‘map out a plan’ before I start the decorating process.

I usually begin by sorting out any items that I no longer want. While I do like to do a purge at the END of each holiday season, sometimes I will also do a purge at the beginning of the season too. My tastes sometimes change over the course of a year and when I feel like I no longer need an item then I just throw it in the donate pile. That is always such a great feeling and what I love most is that donating things will create ‘a space’ for something new – yay!

Sort and Make Piles

After all the decorations are out, I like to sort and organize my piles by color and/or by theme. For example, I like to lay out all of my vintage Santa mugs in one spot. Same for my faux trees, my vintage candy holders, my garlands, and so on. Whether its old or new, I sort out and separate what I have so that I can see exactly what I have at my disposal.

Shop Your Home

Once I have a good idea of the holiday items that I have, I then like to take a mental note of available ‘non-holiday’ decor that I can use. Things like baskets, candle sticks, vases, etc… These items are usually going to be neutral in color. I like to use things like boxes to add height and blankets to add texture. I like to put some of my trees in baskets and I like to add pops of white with dishes. Combining everyday items in with your Christmas decor can help to elevate your spaces.

Determine Your Spaces

The next step is deciding where to put all of your Christmas goodies. I always decorate the same places each year: my cupboards, my mantels, my tabletops, etc… but I usually don’t decorate them the same way twice! Once I decided WHERE I want my Christmas goodies to live for the season then the rest is pretty easy. I just play around with the spaces until I like them. (You can click here to see my thought process on shelf styling.

When determining which spaces to decorate in your home, you may want to consider a few things. Where do guests enter your? Where will your tree be located? Where does your family gather? Where will you sit for your holiday meals? Answering these questions can help guide your decorating process as well.

Note: Check magazines, pinterest, facebook, and Instagram if you need inspiration for your home.

Shop To Fill In Any Gaps

This is the fun part. I love to add to both my new and my vintage Christmas collections. Especially if I see a ‘need’ or a hole in my spaces or if I need an extra goodie to complete a look. For example, you may have a shelf that needs just one more Santa Mug. You may have a new bench that needs just one more holiday pillow. Maybe you have a need for one more stand of garland. Once you know what you already have then it becomes very easy to shop for anything new that you may need to fill in any gaps.

There are many times when I purchase items that I don’t need at all. I buy them because they speak to me and make me happy. For example, when I spot an old bottle brush tree for a reasonable price I will absolutely buy it because they are getting hard to find. I love having a home curated with things – both old and new – that is filled with the Christmas spirit.

Tip: You may want to create a ‘holiday decor’ budget to help you stay on track. It is easy to get carried away when shopping! Finally, don’t forget that resale stores and tag sales can be an excellent spot to get basics for cheap!

Enjoy the season

While I love creating beautiful and inviting spaces for my friends and family, I always feel a sense of relief when I have completed decorating for the holidays. These easy and simple steps help me to stay on track and help me to get it done without feeling overwhelmed. It is so nice to be able to kick back and enjoy all of the Christmas Magic after you have worked so hard to create your spaces! I hope you found this to be helpful as you start decorating for Christmas in your own home.