Holiday Decorating Tips for Your Home

Holiday Decorating Tips for Your Home

I remember as a little girl my mom would leave no room untouched for the holidays. Even if it was as simple as a festive dish cloth or scented candle, every small detail reminded me that it was the most special time of year. I’ve tried to carry that tradition in our home. My style is a mix of glam and traditional with a range of mostly neutral colors. But from garland and stockings on the mantle to tons of ornaments on the tree, every decoration goes up with our three boys in mind.

Outdoor Decorating Tips for the Holiday

While I love decorating the interior of our home, the exterior has not received as much love. And for as long as we’ve lived in Atlanta (four years), the boys have requested lights on our house for the holidays. We live in a very festive neighborhood and are usually the only house on our street without outdoor decorations. Last year, I had grand plans of lighted rooflines, wreaths and outdoor reindeer. I quickly felt overwhelmed when I stepped foot in the store. I ended up leaving with one of those holiday light projectors in hopes of it doing the trick. It didn’t. In fact, the snowflakes it projected were only big enough to light up our front door. We ended up using it as a nightlight in the kids’ room well into the new year!

I’m so blessed to live next door to my best friend, Leah, who happens to be an exterior holiday decorating pro! We laughed about how my house can no longer be the “scrooge of the neighborhood.” She agreed to partner with The Home Depot to help me out!

After boxes of Christmas decor were delivered to our house, Leah walked over with her ladder and put me to work. She had already envisioned exactly what decorations would go where. Then, she took her time teaching me how to string lights in the trees, hang wreaths from our windows and doors, as well as add lights to our bushes. There was definitely a method to the madness, but I was really surprised at how easy it all was!

A few of my favorite holiday decorating tips Leah shared for beginners:

Plan Ahead

Leah took a picture of the outside of our house so she could get a better idea of what might look best. If you are a visual learner like me, this was key! We drew the lights we used as well as the wreaths we wanted before hand, which helped me feel much more prepared!

Keep it Simple

I always go a little over the top when decorating the interior. Leah encouraged me to keep the exterior simple so that we could build on it as we went along. We started with the entryway, then worked our way out to the yard. It definitely gave me a better sense of what else would look great, without it looking cluttered.

Have Fun

It’s easy to get overwhelmed with new projects. Ask someone for help, grab a neighbor, grab a best friend, or turn on music and dance while you decorate! It took Leah and I an entire Friday to get it all done. But, we had so much fun and felt a sense of accomplishment once it was finished. We couldn’t wait to show the boys! Their reactions were priceless and made all of our hard work well worth it!

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