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Make the most out of your decorating, but do it efficiently and without breaking the bank.
How to make winter
DECORATING
unique and easy
It is not the holiday season until homes, stores and town centers are decorated in lights and tinsel. When entire neighborhoods are enhanced by bows and animated figurines, the celebra-
tory tone is set and decorations can trigger happy feelings asso- ciated with holiday gatherings.
Some people find holiday decorating enjoy- able and eagerly anticipate taking out storage containers and sorting through all of their memory-laden trinkets, while others are less enthusiastic about readying their homes for the season.
No matter which group you fall into, the following are some simple tips to make hol- iday decorating easier and more effective.
Plan to decorate on an off day
Choose to decorate on a day when you can devote your full attention to decorating avoiding a day when you might be distract- ed by other things. If you prefer to decorate alone, ask a friend to watch the kids or have your partner take them out of the house for a few hours. If decorating is a family event, find a day when everyone’s schedules are clear.
Don’t overdo it
Decorative accents don’t have to be the dominant feature in a room to have impact. A good way to have an effective but subtle decor is to leave most of the existing decor and just add a few decorations. This can come in the form of something simple like pine boughs or pine cones. A loud accent piece can be distracting and come off as gau- dy. The subtle changes will make the room feel homey and comforting.
Debbie White, owner of White Furniture in Benton, said there are ways to subtly dec- orate while still making an impact. “Cluster your things instead of spreading everything. Cluster them so it’ll make more of a state- ment,” she said. “If [you] do a lot of candles or something, maybe cluster them all together and put them on a big flat tray to make it feel like one big something.”
Take out decorations the day prior
Hauling boxes and containers from the at- tic or basement can take a while. Take some time to move all of the decorating items to a main floor of the house the day or night before your decorating marathon. This way, you won’t get discouraged or tired by the task even before the real decorating has begun. Be sure not to begin decorating too early when it comes to greenery. Since fresh evergreen trees and garlands generally last about four weeks, you may want to wait a bit longer to put those items up.
Dare to be different with color
While the traditional combinations of red and green or silver and gold remain fashion- able choices for holiday-decorating themes, bright nontraditional shades are rapidly gain- ing popularity and can set your home apart. You don’t want visitors just thinking that your home is like the others with drab, stale
colors. You want to be unique while staying stylish. An example of this could be some- thing like cream, white and red. With these nontraditional colors, your home will have a soft, cozy feel while standing out from typical winter and holiday decorations. White said that warm colors can be added to a room by placing pillows on a neutral couch, or put- ting a warm throw across a chair or on the side of a sofa. She added that homeowners can change textures of the pillows by having some with fur, for example.
Divide and conquer
Nothing makes holiday decorating go faster than delegating tasks. Assign specific tasks to your helpers. Put one person in charge of decorating the living room while another handles the outside lights, wreaths and in- flatable items.
Stretch your dollar
You don’t have to spend loads of money on your holiday decorations to get the look you want. Items such as mesh and ribbon in festive colors can be affordable while making a statement. Ribbon is especially useful be- cause of its versatility. You can choose two or three wire-edged ribbons in a pleasing com- bination of colors, patterns and textures, then weave them together for use as a garland to wind through the branches of the tree, drape across the mantel or trail down the banister of the front staircase.
White said interchangeable items can help people afford decorations for dif- ferent holidays. “[You can] change and do some rich greenery on the cocktail table, maybe with some fall colors in it; you can change that out for maybe Christmas balls or something after Thanksgiving,” she said.
Turn on the tunes
Working to music frequently takes your mind off the task and will help pass the time more quickly. Have your favorite holiday playlist at the ready, and turn up the volume. Sing along to carols or contemporary songs while you are elbow-deep in decorations.
Take some breaks
Working hungry or tired may lead to slop- py work or frustration. There’s little chance of untangling a knot in the lights with your patience intact if you haven’t eaten for hours. Plan some time for lunch while you sit and rest. Survey the work you’ve done, and make a list of the next steps. After the hard work of decorating, you’ll likely have a sense of accomplishment. Now it’s time to enjoy the holiday scene and prepare for the excitement of the weeks ahead.
— Courtesy of Metro Creative with contributions by Spencer Griffin, special sections writer
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