Simplifying Holiday Decor

Last year I decided to take on the huge task of simplifying my holiday decor once and for all.  Since I was already getting the bulk of my holiday decor out for Christmas I figured I should just simplify everything in all my decor storage tubs.  It can seem like a really overwhelming project but if you do it all at once when you're on a roll, it can go much quicker and you will be motivated to keep going.  What counts as holiday decor? 

Everything that you use to decorate your house for specific occasions or seasons.  Whether it's actual decorative items or even dining decor like tablecloths and charger plates, now is the time to go through EVERYTHING. 

 

Where to start? 

Start like you're going through the calendar.  For January you may have seasonal winter decor or maybe you have specific New Year's Eve party supplies. Either way - go month to month.  In the end you can combine and store similar themes together to make it easier. 

 

Things to Consider

When I started this project I looked at everything I had in storage and then went through and picked out anything I hadn't used in a year or so.  Obviously it was because I either didn't have space, the items were broken or outdated, or I just forgot about them.  When I decided what I wanted to keep, I then evaluated those items all over again and really asked myself if they were worth keeping.  For one thing, I wondered why I needed a different color tablecloth for each holiday when I had a really nice thick white one that I could just use for every holiday.  Not only would this free up storage space but it makes it easier for me to actually prepare physically for holiday gatherings and meals.  I just grab the universal tablecloth and I'm done. 

I also ended up getting rid of things like charger plates and decorative napkins. To be honest, I was annoyed by having so many cloth napkins. So I kept 8 plain white ones and got rid of all the rest.  And most of the time I don't even use those napkins so down the road I may end up getting rid of those 8 altogether.  The charger plates took up valuable space in my kitchen cabinets and I literally only used them a couple times a year. They didn't serve any other purpose.  While they look neat, it's really not practical for me so in order to simplify everything, I did away with them.  

I also noticed that a decade ago I had so much enthusiasm and energy for decorating for holidays.  I would remove the existing decor off my shelves and replace it with fall decor or Christmas items.  But it was exhausting.  And as I age I like the more simple look.  I asked myself what I really decorate in my home for the major holidays.  The answer was very simple.  Each season/holiday I change our wreath on the front door.  So that was an easy decision - I could keep my 5 wreaths.  I actually had 2 others but they were falling apart so I got rid of them because I figured a Spring/Summer wreath, Fall wreath, Halloween wreath, and Christmas and Winter wreath was enough.  

I also love my Christmas tree so I kept that and I went through the ornaments and put the ones I don't use in a bag to set aside. After a few years if I still never use them, I'll get rid of them.  

My tabletop decor or shelf decor included all kinds of bottle brush trees and deer figurines. They were cool but I just don't need them any more so I gave them away and now when it comes to decorate for Christmas it's so much easier.  I add a wreath, my tree and ornaments, some garland above the TV stand, some colorful tassels on the door handles, and I'm done! Okay wait - I lied - I forgot about my nutcrackers. I had so many. I kept my favorite 3. 2 that go on either side of the TV stand and 1 that goes next to a pretty deer statue at the bottom of the tree next to the gifts.  

When it came to Fall decor I had a ton of pumpkins. I loved them for many years but it became a hassle to decorate with them in recent years. For one thing, I didn't have space without completely removing tons of regular decor from my living room. They also had glitter and embellishments that fell off all over the place.  I ended up keeping just a few pumpkins that will fit on my existing shelves here and there.  I even got rid of my front porch decor because honestly, it was being worn out from the weather and would blow around on windy days.  

 

I now have a storage tub for ornaments, my storage bag for my tree, 2 wreath bags that store 5 wreaths, 1 Christmas general decor tub that also includes my tablecloth and napkins and 1 Fall decor bin. I saved SO MUCH space in my basement and got to empty out a bunch of storage bins.  I even was able to replace some broken bins that were storing other things with the bins I freed up from getting rid of holiday decor. 

What to Do with the Leftovers

Whatever you don't want - throw away the broken things and then list the rest online for a few bucks or just list it in a free group in your area.  

 

Moving Forward

When you are shopping and see really cool holiday or seasonal decor, think twice before you impulse buy it.  It may look nice but do you really have the space to display it AND store it? You can also incorporate less wasteful decor by simply buying fresh flowers to display in Spring, collecting pine cones from your yard to put in a bowl on your counter in Fall, and adding candles to your living room in Winter.  

Simplifying my holiday and seasonal decor has made a BIG difference with holidays so far.  I enjoy them much more now and they are less of a burden.  Christmas decorating takes much less time than it used to and taking it down is a breeze.  

Hopefully, simplifying your own decor while be a relief for you now and in the future.

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