Like it or not, the holidays are here! Its so crazy how this year has been the longest, but fastest year for a lot of us! And since we are still in the midst of a global pandemic, why not make the most of the holiday season! As anxious as I am to get my holiday decor up, there are a few things that need to be done before we can deck the halls around here! Here is my list of things to do for the ultimate Christmas prep!
- DEEP CLEAN. – With every turn of the season, I make sure to do a deep clean of my house. This includes scrubbing the walls, getting the furniture cleaned, doing the baseboards, cleaning out cabinets, paying extra attention to the nooks and crannies we ordinarily turn a blind eye to. I wash my shower curtains and drapes, sort through closets etc. you get the point! But I do it all! We don’t typically have a house cleaning service, but thus is the one time of year I make an exception. And this year since i broke my wrist, Ive hired out for this! I want my house to be super clean before decor goes up! Here are some of my cleaning must haves to make your pre-holiday scrub a breeze! I get the majority of my cleaning products from Grove Collaborative which offers all non-toxic products that work!
- CHOOSE A THEME. – This may sound silly but I like to decide on a theme or color scheme for the season. I typically stray from just the traditional red and green. In the past I have done silver and golds, purples and silver, black and white. This year I plan to go with a sage green, with some black, white and gold accents. I love working to keep things cohesive throughout my space. This being said, I spend money on decor that can flow year to year and try to save on the super trendy pieces.
- TAKE INVENTORY. – This is super important so that you don’t over buy when all the Christmas decor takes over the aisles at Target and Home Goods. Pull out all of your Christmas decor and see what you already have. So many times I get so eager that I forget what I bought in years past and end up with 5 of the same reindeer statue year after year. Instead of making a bunch of returns or overbuying, take an inventory and then go from there. Taking an inventory also includes testing out all your lights to see if any need replaced. I always add some extras to my shopping list anyway in case any lights go out through the season and need replaced.
- MAKE A PLAN. – After you take inventory, make a plan on what you are going to use and what may need an upgrade. Then make your shopping list of what you need and where you need it from. I typically refresh some things like garland (unless you use fresh) every couple years. I also make sure to add extra lights (battery and plug in) and batteries so that I can replace on a whim. Here are a few things that are on my list every single year that make putting decor up, a breeze.
- GO SHOPPING. – Now for the fun part, go shopping! Try to stick to your list as much as possible until everything is up and you can fill in some gaps if needed. Of course there will always be things that we find and buy and tell ourselves, “I don’t know where I can put this, but i’ll find somewhere!” i’m famous for this but sometimes, some of our best inspiration comes from those “off the list” finds. My favorite stops for holiday decor are Target, Marshalls and craft stores such as Michael’s. Ill be sharing all of my favorite decor in the coming weeks for you to shop!
Christmas prep can take some work but overall, only takes an extra day. I do this so that everything looks cohesive and put together. I have a small house too, so not over buying is important. We don’t have any “extra” rooms to put decor that doesn’t necessarily fit into my main living spaces, and I want everything to look like it flows and isn’t just thrown up.
I hope this helps prepare your house and wallet for holiday decorating! This is my favorite time of year so I like to make my house feel like a Winter Wonderland.
Happy decorating and Much Love,
Shan
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