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If you’re finding that your Christmas decor doesn’t look quite right to you for some reason, and you struggle to figure out what Christmas decorating mistakes you’re making year after year, the solution might be much simpler than you realize!
Do you ever feel like for some reason that you can’t quite put your finger on, your holiday decor doesn’t look quite right? If you find yourself feeling more frustrated than jolly when it’s time to pull out the Christmas decorations and deck the halls, you might be making one of these common Christmas decorating mistakes. Solving these little problems may just completely change how you feel about your home this Christmas season! Prepare to have a more merry outlook after making these few small adjustments.
More holiday home inspiration: Simple Christmas Decoration Ideas Using Things You Already Have
Christmas Decorating Mistake #1: You Don’t Have a Plan
Some people can just wing it and walk around the house dusting a little glitter here and putting a little greenery there in a way that’s just so, but most of us can’t. Sometimes all it takes is a simple plan, which can be as easy as “all red and white things” or “woodland things” for a particular room, to get us moving in the right direction. The saying “If you fail to plan, you plan to fail” is almost always true when it comes to big, and honestly, kind of overwhelming tasks like this.
More Christmas inspiration from this space: Red Christmas Tree Ideas and Our Living Room Decor This Year
Christmas Decorating Mistake #2: You Don’t Clean up First
You think it won’t really matter, but it will. You will see the dust and the clutter even with all the sparkly pretty things to distract you and they can pretty much ruin a perfectly good room. Sometimes you may have been staring at the same mess for so long that you don’t even notice it’s there anymore and yet, there’s something that’s bugging you and you can’t quite tell what it is. Take a few minutes to really give yourself a clean, blank slate in your room before you start bringing in the decor and you’ll really notice a big difference.
More holiday season help: 5 Semi-Sneaky Secrets of People Who Are Really Good at Christmas
Christmas Decorating Mistake #3: You Try to do Too Much
I know. It’s so hard. You see so many impressive and clever ideas all over the place and you want to copy them all! But you can’t. You just can’t. Even if you live in a mega mansion with lots of extra rooms and wall space and flat surfaces to hold decorations, there’s just no way that you can give each and every decoration that you want to do the time and care that they need to really look their best. These things require thought and time to stand back and make sure everything is juuuuust right. Not to mention time to admire your handy work. Give yourself a break and just do a few things, but do them really really well.
More outdoor decorating ideas from this Christmas porch: DIY Foraged Christmas Door Swag
Christmas Decorating Mistake #4: You Lack Discipline
I know you still have your favorite blue and orange snowman pillow from 1985 that you put out every year. And that’s great, really it is. But if you just can’t resist putting out every single decoration that you’ve ever met and loved, then things are going to start to look cluttered. There have been so many different styles, colors, and trends in Christmas decor over the years and if you put out every single decoration in that Christmas bin all together, it’s going to be a hot mess. A little restraint and a little stick-to-it-iveness when it comes to your plan will go a long way.
5 minute decorating hack for a better tree: How to Make Your Own Christmas Tree Topper Bow
Christmas Decorating Mistake Reason #5: You’re Over-Thinking it
If you’re reading this post at all, chances are it’s you. And it’s me too, so don’t feel bad. Your decorations don’t have to be fun or edgy or clever just because everyone else’s are. Of course you love those decorations you see in pictures, but if that’s not where your family’s at right now, you’ll be so much more successful in your decor attempts if you just stick to simple things this year. You can still enjoy the clever decor in pictures while you sip your hot cocoa by the fire. Or the fake fireplace youtube video. Whatever works for you!
Read next: Decorating with Foraged Greenery for Christmas
The One Essential Tip for How to Decorate Your Home: Do it for You
Just remember that if you’re the one putting out the decorations in your house, then you’re probably the one who cares the most, so do something that you can really enjoy all season long. Follow my tips above and start a new tradition of really loving your home this Christmas season. If your holiday decor doesn’t look quite right, try these few simple steps first before you do anything drastic like buying all-new decor. Avoid making these Christmas decorating mistakes and enjoy the process. Happy decorating!
One decorating idea that I love: How to Add Vertical Ribbon to a Christmas Tree
How to Make a Ribbon Bow Christmas Tree Topper
Have you ever noticed that it’s really hard to find just the right topper for your Christmas tree? I don’t think I’ve ever found one that I really love, and that works for me year after year, no matter what type of tree decor scheme I’m doing that year. I find that store-bought tree finials always seem just a little too cheesy, or a little too rustic, or a little too tacky. So, I decided to try my hand at a big, fluffy bow Christmas tree topper. It turns out that they’re pretty easy to whip up, and I’ve been making them for all of our trees for the last few years now.
Get the how-to: How to Make a Bow Christmas Tree Topper
Our Most Popular Christmas Decorating Ideas of All Time
I love so many different styles of Christmas decor, but you just can’t do everything every year! I don’t like to completely reinvent the wheel every year, but I do love to draw inspiration from what I’ve done before and then try a few new things here and there, wherever it feels right. I thought it would be fun to look back on a few of my favorite ideas from past years and share them with you here
Get the ideas: Most Popular Christmas Decorating Ideas
How to Care for Fresh Eucalyptus
Eucalyptus, specifically the most traditionally shaped variety with the pale leaves all lined up the stem, has been having a moment for a little while now. You can find it pictured on pillows and in art prints, and there are many different versions of faux eucalyptus that can be purchased, but if I’m being honest, none of them are really all that good.
Learn the tricks: How to Care for Fresh Eucalyptus
How High Should A Chandelier Hang Over a Table?
A stylish chandelier or lantern is often the crowning glory of a dining room or, at the very least, an important focal point in the space. If your ceiling light fixture choice isn’t quite right in terms of style, size, or placement, it can really make the whole room feel kind of “off” and make the design feel incohesive. The right lighting choices, though, can make a simple space suddenly come alive and feel welcoming and complete.
Read the guidelines: How High Should a Chandelier Hang Over a Table?
Courtenay Hartford is the author of creeklinehouse.com, a blog based on her adventures renovating a 120-year-old farmhouse in rural Ontario, Canada. On her blog, Courtenay shares interior design tips based on her own farmhouse and her work as founder and stylist of the interior photography firm Art & Spaces. She also writes about her farmhouse garden, plant-based recipes, family travel, and homekeeping best practices. Courtenay is the author of the book The Cleaning Ninja and has been featured in numerous magazines including Country Sampler Farmhouse Style, Better Homes and Gardens, Parents Magazine, Real Simple, and Our Homes.