How do I decorate a small house for Thanksgiving and Christmas?

Barb Nickliss
by Barb Nickliss

I like to decorate for every holiday, but it always seems to look cluttery instead of beautiful.

  6 answers
  • Oliva Oliva on Nov 06, 2018

    Think small. Place no more than 3 items on a table. Decorate windows/walls and windowsills with only a few objects that can't be disturbed.

    Fewer, well chosen items appear more tasteful and less cluttered. You can always rotate decorations from year to year.

  • Kim Kim on Nov 06, 2018

    Hi Barb,

    Use decorations that are useable such as placemats, cups, pillows, etc.

    Remove what you normally use and fill the void with the decorative item.

    Add a door decoration or mat and you’re done!


    I hope that helps!

    😊

  • Mary Ann Goldberg Mary Ann Goldberg on Nov 06, 2018

    You don't need to cover every surface with objects. A couple well placed items do the job. Ex.: A topiary with large bulbs; a wreath on the mantel, a $ store glass container filled with Christmas bulbs, a small basket with pine cones, a manger scene on a side table, to name a few.

  • Kathy Gunter Law Kathy Gunter Law on Nov 06, 2018

    Small accent pieces placed in grouping of 3 will add a small touch of holiday without clutter. Holiday napkins on the table and a centerpiece is enough to transform a dining area. Don't mix themes or color schemes. Go with lighter colors, add lighting and candles. Once you feel you are done, remove one group.

  • I sometimes think the same thing at our home. I have 6 kids and my world was not a designed home, it was Fisher Price and Lil Tykes clutter. I do try to use natural elements as decor. Mini boo Fall pumpkins are inexpensive to decorate, a real beauty is finding those velvet fabric pumpkins which are lux, acorns, pinecones and eucalyptus are simple, but stunning. Instead of a lot of retail seasonal decor, maybe choose to decorate your dinner tablescape as your WOW factor. Using greenery, on top of a simple table runner like a neutral burlap and choose a color theme for your season. Keep that simple by adding in the pop of the color you chose with only a few simple ornaments within the greenery, berries and deer antler sheds all wonderful add-ins to the top of the greenery and runner. Adding small votives adds sparkle and this can be simple rustic nature- themed by using wood slab chargers and possibly the red berry and ornament pop with a black and white buffalo check napkin. Or change it up to lux with crystal candlesticks, mercury glass votives, add a glass hurricane vase and fill it with the pop of color of ornaments you chose, instant elegance is added when you choose silver and gold loose ornaments put inside a glass vase or jar from the dollar store and then set on a faux fur runner. I also make the centerpiece a focal point. It can be faux snow scene created on a cake plate stand using miniature snowy white houses, mini deer, and don't forget a bottlebrush mini Christmas tree! Another cute miniature winter scene is buy a die cast vintage truck, tie a mini bottlebrush tree with twine to the bed of the truck ! Set the truck on a bed of that snow or epsom salt which glitters within a glass hurricane vase. For sparkle, add miniature fairy lights! Another idea for natural element decor is use a galvanized bucket or olive bucket, add natural birch logs and pinecones. Add Fairy lights within the bucket and tie a big bow for pop on the handles. I add scented pine cones to my empty lanterns and also add fairy lights or a battery operated glow candle and add a bow to the lantern. Budget-wise, You can literally find things like these at your local goodwill or dollar store. Just by making a welcoming tablescape and porch. You can use the glass jars or cake plates and corral these miniature decorations in one place and not even have to decorate and add clutter to items like shelves and coffee tables that tend to look cluttered. Sometimes using less can be more impactful to your home's decor if you choose just a few of something with the wow factor instead of a lot of individual retail decorations. Greenery on stair spindles with bows attached can also be enhanced with dollar store picks to add color and pop. Don't forget to tie in the color of the ribbons used on stairs to be the same ribbons you use on the lanterns and other decor, then you will have a more cohesive look. If you are not interested in creating any of the winter scenes on a cake stand or glass jar winter vignettes, you can't go wrong with fresh flowers. You can carve out either a real pumpkin or a plastic one and drop in a glass vase full of fresh flowers. Flowers are so welcoming to your guests! A small greenery wreath or for rustic maybe a grapevine wreath and set it on a beautiful charger to enhance the wreath whether it be in its natural state or spray painted in silver or gold decorated with dollar store picks can used as a table centerpiece with votives & candles. It is quick and supplies found at the nearby dollar store. Don't stress, plan ahead and get the decor choices you really want to add that season early. I can tell you from experience, I have had years where I want to decorate, then it's really late and by then I am knee deep in trying to pull off family visitors, planning meals and decor gets pushed right to the bottom and sometimes I would feel the tree was enough decor and I didn't have any additional time or energy other than setting out a scented candle from Bath and Body! I would see all those magazines, pinterest and social media posts and say to myself, but my home doesn't look like their decorated homes. Don't put that stress on yourself to be like bloggers who do that for a living! Some years, it was oh well. I will plan better next year. Ha! If I got to bake and decorate cookies and gingerbread houses instead of decorating my own house then that still was ok. Enjoy the season, involve the family and make memories during each of your holidays !!

  • Less is more. Clear out your normal pieces. I take out the Christmas stuff and store the everyday items in the same box. Use larger, but less items than tons of itsy bitsy pieces unless they hold sentimental value. If you use them, place in a grouping of 3 or 5 on an end table, maybe with a mirror underneath them. Or on a coffee table. I never decorate the same way twice and rotate the decor from year to year.