Christmas decorations are one of my favorite parts of the season. They make every day sparkle. I love the twinkle of Christmas lights, holiday cards hung on the wall, the smell of pine and cinnamon in the air. It’s magical.
But getting those decorations up can take forever, especially if you go all out. However, unless your house looks like Clark Griswald’s, you can put up your decorations in a single day if you follow these simple steps.
Keep your decorations organized. This really should be done the year before, but if you didn’t get to it, take some time before decoration day to sort out your stuff. Since our decorations basically stay the same (with some tweaks and additions each year) I like to store our decorations by room.
Leave up hangers. I like to use small Command Hooks, and leave them up all year. I use the same hooks for other decorations, and because they’re clear I don’t really notice them. We also use gutter clips to hang the outdoor lights and leave them up all year. It makes hanging the lights a much more manageable task.
Start with a clean slate. The day before you decorate put away any everyday items that aren’t going to be part of your Christmas display. Also, take a few minutes to dust or wipe down surfaces while they’re empty (or less cluttered). That way all you have to deal with is decorating.
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Have a plan. It’s really helpful to take pictures of your displays, especially if you really loved what you did. You can use the pictures as you decorate to recreate your favorite setups. If you don’t have pictures make sure you have an idea for each room. Nothing’s set in stone, but it’s nice to have a place to start.
Delegate. Personally I have a hard time letting someone else decorate. But that doesn’t mean Mr. O can’t help. He’s in charge of getting all the boxes out and to the proper room. He hangs the outdoor lights, and he can take some other tasks, like making lunch, off my plate.
Get going early. One of the biggest ways to drag out the decorating process is to procrastinate. It sounds obvious, but if you don’t get up and get going early, you waste time and increase your chances of getting distracted by something else.
Stick with it. Stay focused on your task until it’s done. I’m sure there are a hundred other things that could be done, but unless there’s an emergency, don’t get sucked in. Those other tasks will still be there when your halls are decked.
It should be noted that I don’t put up our main tree on this day, which is typically on the weekend of Thanksgiving. The tree wouldn’t last and since we don’t put decorations on until Christmas Eve (Santa puts the decorations up when he brings the gifts), we wait.
What are your tips for getting your house decorated quickly and easily? Share in the comments.
