Okay, admit it. You hate the title of this post and that’s exactly why you clicked on it. Well, guess what. I don’t like it either. It’s misleading and confusing and goes against everything I ever talk about. Like, don’t decorate for the holidays? Bye.
Stick with me for a second.
The older I’ve gotten, I’ve discovered that decorating for the holidays can very quickly become overwhelming. I’m not just talking about the semi-quick decorating decisions like whether or not to go with the white mums or burgundy mums (although, that applies). I’m specifically thinking about the TIMING and SPACING of it all. It seems like each year, it’s a race to start decorating for the holidays sooner and sooner. When mid-August hits we’re thinking about bats and skeletons, while also trying to pay a nod to pumpkins and mums. As soon as October 31st ends, we’re busting out the Christmas tree (omg it’s November!!!). It all starts to jumble together and it drives me insane. Unless it’s your job, who actually has time to decorate and redecorate over and over again in the span of just a handful of weeks?
Listen, if you don’t admit that this way of decorating gives you a little anxiety – I don’t believe you one bit. I love all things home decorating and even I get a little stressed out about it. It’s a whirlwind of a holiday season and my hope is that we’d love the decorating process, spend LESS TIME doing it, and actually be able to enjoy some of the items for longer than a month.
Here’s my solution – let’s start decorating for the SEASON, and not the holidays. This really applies to all seasons of the year, but we’re going to stick with fall for the purpose of this conversation. I believe with a little thought on the forefront, you can go into the season with a greater purpose for your home and the decor items that you love. Keep reading for my take on seasonal decorating.
Establish a color scheme
Decide on a color palette that will last you through early fall, halloween and thanksgiving. Bonus points if you can transition it into Christmas as well. This color scheme doesn’t have to match every single item that you display, but you want it to land in every main area of your home to create a sense of consistency and purpose. It also doesn’t have to be a color! You could incorporate a seasonal pattern or texture – like knit fabrics or plaid patterns.
For example, this year I’m loving copper material, with shades of browns and neutrals. So everything that I’m decorating is a nod to that concept. From flower stems, to the table runner, to the throw blanket – everything somehow fits into this look. My suggestion is to start thinking about this early August, and have your decision made by the end of August. Some home decor retailers start putting out fall content as early as July – so take in what they’re creating as inspiration and go from there.
Focus on the main areas of your home
Think about the main areas in your home and START THERE. This will look different from house to house, but typically the main areas include the front porch, entry way, dining room table and fireplace mantle. Do you consider your kitchen island a focal point of your home? Then include it. This list is specific to you. For me personally, I don’t like clutter on my kitchen island – so it’s not a main focus for me.
It’s these main areas that you will decorate at the beginning of the season, and keep them the same with minor tweaks along the way.
Add your holiday touches at the end
The part we’ve all been waiting for. YES! You can still decorate for the holidays, but the goal is to decorate for the season first. Once you feel like all the main areas of your home have been touched first with your seasonal (fall) decor and colors and textures, then start adding in those holiday specific items.
With this idea, you’re not doing so much taking away and redoing – rather, you’re adding to what you’ve already established. Definitely add in the holiday specific pieces to your main areas, but you can also incorporate holiday-only decor in these smaller spaces too – kitchen island, coffee table, bar cart, powder room, office. These areas are typically smaller areas to decorate and easier to change.
Seasonal DECOR Examples
Pumpkins
Mums
Wreath
Bottom Layer Doormat
Fall Stems
Vase
Vase Filler
Table Runner
Candles
Lanterns
Artwork
Holiday DECOr Examples
Bats
Skeletons
Witches Hats
Jack O Lanterns
Top Layer Doormat
Coffee Mugs
Cooking Supplies
Cornucopias
Turkeys
Garland
Napkin Rings
That’s it! Three simple steps and a few examples to consider as you decorate for the fall season this year. It’s not too late to get started! Follow along with me on instagram (@ashthigpen) for more ideas along the way.