Photos By: Unsplash

Year after year, you try to be organized but take last-minute stress. However, Christmas is a time to celebrate, rejoice and give. It is a time to take it slow and remember what peace feels like. But for most of us, it is the opposite. A stress-free holiday season is possible. Here are some secrets to help make it a reality this year.

Start Shopping Early

Many families tend to shop at the last minute, and they end up scrambling around on Christmas Eve for last-minute shopping. This means the famous Christmas dinner gets delayed, and so do the family festivities. Hence, always start shopping early. Make a list and head to the store quickly to find exactly what you want. There are some things you buy each year, and if you know what you want, do not wait for the last moment. Shopping early can reduce a lot of stress and you will also be able to avoid the massive line at the billing counter.

Get the Gifts and Decor Ready

Another last-minute task that stresses all of us is getting the gifts ready. If you wait until the last moment to wrap gifts, it will cause a lot of trouble and stress. It makes no sense to stay up until 5 am on Christmas morning to prepare the gifts. Once you have bought the gifts, set aside a night to wrap them. If you have the time, you can turn on a Christmas movie and make a party out of it. If you are hosting a party, you can hire a Christmas interior designer to elevate your decor and take the load off of you. Also, remember to buy wrapping supplies and decorations like ribbon, tape, and paper before time.

Be Flexible

Whether you are partying, traveling, or having guests over, there is a chance that your routine will be put to the test. But this is also a time to let go and enjoy. Do the best you can, and do not let a few days put you under stress. You will only feel worse if you try to control everything. It is important to be flexible and go with the flow. When it comes to traveling or partying, you might not have control over everything and you will have to adapt and adjust. You will have less stress if you remain flexible.

Simplify

This is the time of social media, and it is easy to get caught up in the idea that you have to do everything to make the holiday special, but this is not true. The lists can be never-ending and could only cause more stress. You do not have to do it all during the holiday season, and you should not try to cram just one more thing to make a difference this year. It is okay to simplify and do only what you enjoy. If you do not want to host a party or have a lot of people over, you can avoid it. And if you are hosting a party but do not have the time to cook everything yourself, you can simply order. Try to simplify as much as possible, and it will make a huge difference.

Stock up on the Snacks

This is the time of the year when you can expect an unexpected drop-in from anyone who has ever had a chance to know you. And you will be obliged to welcome them with the right nibbles or snacks. This is why having enough food at home is a huge Christmas worry. Remember to stock up now to ensure that you do not feel awkward with the snack offerings when someone drops by.

Schedule the Big, Deep Clean Up

The one everyone feels stressed about- is the deep clean before the guests arrive. Everyone will be very busy cooing about the new dishes and gifts to even pay attention to the little dirt or an odd cobweb in the house, but you will feel obliged to take care of it. You can make the task less tedious by breaking it down into small tasks and getting them done over a period of time. You can hide the clutter in the cupboards or under your bed if you need more time. Just focus on the living room, kitchen, and dining rooms.

It is natural to feel overwhelmed before the holiday season but you must remember that the festival is all about having fun and spending time with your loved ones. If you plan well and remain flexible, it is possible to have a stress-free holiday season.

Photos By: Living Etc.

Match Your Existing Decorating Style

Just because it’s in the store, it doesn’t mean it will match your home! There are so many beautiful Christmas decorating objects that you can decorate your home with, but you want to be careful that it won’t clash with your existing decorating. If you have bohemian style decorating at home, you want to try to choose holiday decor that will match this specific style. If your home is monochrome (black and white), you might want to make your tree like this too, with a pop of one color such as silver. Being cautious of how you decorate your home is one way to make sure it looks designer-ready when your guests come over!

Wrap Garland Around Your Windows

Fresh green garland isn’t only for wrapping around your staircase and mantel, you can even spruce up your windows with it too! Since garland can be super pricey in some places, its easy to make it at home yourself. All you need is some wire and twine to wrap and secure branches of pine tree around the wire. Then, attach some Christmas ornaments onto the garland for a customized, and unique look.

Make Easy Decorations Out of Paper

There are a ton of easy holiday inspired decorations that you can make with just paper! The living room above shows how you can use just metallic paper to create circular style decorations that scream “Christmas is here!” for only a few dollars. Cut out out a piece of wrapping paper and fold it up into a fan. secure the ends to create a circular decoration that’s easy, peasy, and most importantly, affordable.

Mini Christmas Trees

These mini trees are absolutely adorable and are a fun way to spread the holiday spirit throughout your home. You can purchase mini faux trees or even real small trees at your local Christmas tree stand and place them into decorative planters. Then, hang some ornaments on them and voila – you have yourself a cute and easy decoration that costs only a few dollars. There are also stores like Magnolia and Decorator’s Warehouse that sell mini trees and other decorative holiday objects that are affordable and super cute!

Go Big with Your Staircase Railing

Make the entrance of your home stand out and make a grand first impression to any family and friends that come over. This means, going big with your staircase railing and packing on that garland. Skip the thin store-bought plastic garland, create your own and home and pile it on to create a layered, rich look. You can also stack some fake presents along the stairs to really get your guests in the mood!

Photo: Xerxes

It’s that time of year again where twinkle lights, giant red bows, and wreaths are all we can think about when it comes to home decorating! Decorating for the holidays is fun, cheerful, and is a great way to make your home stand out from the rest in the neighbourhood. To really amp up your holiday curb appeal, here are some unique ways to make your home shine this holiday season:

Get Down to Curb Appeal Basics

Before you get started on your outdoor holiday decorating, make sure to do a full clean-up of your home. There is nothing more ugly that hanging decorations when your windows are muddy and your porch is looking run down. If necessary, hire curb appeal professionals to do a full clean up including pressure washing your driveway, roof, and walls, as well as trimming your grass, bushes, and removing dead trees. Here are some quick ways to increase your home’s curb appeal this holiday season:

[perfectpullquote align=”full” cite=”” link=”” color=”#ff0055″ class=”” size=””]Find a perfect day and then get down to your holiday cleaning. On a sunny day, it will be easier to tell what needs cleaning and what doesn’t. You’ll also want to make sure to do a full blow cleaning before the temperatures drop even further to prevent your washing from freezing over.[/perfectpullquote]

Turn Everyday Decorating into Holiday Themed

We all know how trendy large lanterns have become for outdoor decorating, and you probably already have some outside. A smart way to decorate your home for the holidays is to use what you already have. Fill up your lanterns with extra Christmas ornaments you may have and then tie a ribbon at the top of the lantern. To add some extra cheer, take a few evergreen clippings and tie them at the top as well. There you have some instant holiday decor, literally for free!

Photo: Elle Decor

[otw_shortcode_quote border_style=”bordered” background_color_class=”otw-pink-background” color=”#ffffff”]Suzy’s Tip: Stocking up on holiday decorations is a no-no for me. I try to use what I already have around my home. For example, my tomato cages from this summer’s harvest make great mini trees wrapped in garland. Try to get creative with what you already have to save money, and reduce your carbon footprint.[/otw_shortcode_quote]

Make a Statement with Oversized Pieces

Wreaths have long been a holiday staple, but why not take them to the next level and oversize them? If you have large gates in front of your home, cheer them up with huge hanging wreaths tied with a red bow and beautiful pinecones. You won’t need any other additional decor since your huge wreaths will already be making a beautiful statement.

Photo: Nesting with Grace

Create Easy Christmas Signs

Signs with joyful sayings are easy to make and are a big holiday mood booster for guests and those passing by. You can easily use old wooden pallets, use a belt sander to sand them smooth, paint them white, and finally purchase large letters from your local Michaels store. Give them a few coats of red paint and you’ve got yourself a cheerful sign ready to kick start the holiday season!

Photo: Golden Boys and Me