Prepping for Holiday Decorations

Over the years, I heavily decorate for the holidays. But this year, I am scaling back quite a bit. I think it has to do with the fact that the last several months have been overwhelming and I’m up for some simplicity. Do you ever feel like you are so busy yet nothing seems to be getting done?

Preparation

After several months dealing with my late aunt’s house and affairs in Connecticut, I have not had the time to do simple maintenance on our home. So before any holiday decorating gets done, I am deep cleaning each room. So far, I only have the dining room completed, so this may be a short-lived mandate!

As I mentioned in Saturday Meanderings, it is time for the annual crystal chandelier cleaning. With the dining room light fixture now clean and sparkly, I notice the windows need washing. At one point in the past, I did have someone wash the windows 3-4 times per year, but unfortunately he cut corners, damaged screens and scratched the window glass. And we’ve yet to find someone who will do an excellent job.

I don’t know if you wash your own windows, but isn’t it amazing how dirty they get? Our screens are dusty; the window sills have cobwebs and the window panes match the mess. There are four 6 over 1 paned double hung windows and 1 fixed 6 paned one in the dining room. I don’t think I’ve ever counted the number of windows in the entire house. It’s easier for me to tackle this chore one room at a time.

Screens are removed and washed with soapy water. Exterior windows are washed to remove most of the grim and then given a final washing and wipe down. Seems easy but tends to rather time consuming especially if you need to move a ladder.But the results are so rewarding.

Touch Up Paint

Now the chandelier and windows are so clean, then I start to notice all the chips in the painted woodwork. Typically, every October I will go around the house and touch up scuff marks, chips and other telltale signs of wear and tear. Obviously I’m running a bit late this year.

So I get out my jar of semi-gloss paint and take a small paintbrush and go to work. I love this maintenance tip because it is a very quick way to make your home look put together for the holidays.

Once I get the rooms in order, then I can begin the process of decorating. Here are the very first things I do to get some quick holiday results without a lot of extra effort.

Change Slipcovers and Pillows

One of the easiest ways to get a start on holiday decorating is with seasonal pillows. Here is our family room sofa which also gets a slipcover change to a dark green velvet. These pillows are from Pottery Barn years ago, but if you only use them a few weeks a year, the initial investment lasts forever.

You can find a nice selection of holiday pillows here.

Hang Wreaths

Getting a good quality wreath means you can use it year after year. Here at Bella Terra, we have several locations for wreaths from the front entrance gates to our well tower. Once I take down the fall wreaths and put up the holiday ones, the transformation to holiday decor is instant with little effort.

Even the guest cottage, gets its own lighted wreath. Wreaths are a simple seasonal way to decorate.

I feeling a bit encouraged that many people are just now starting their Christmas and holiday decorating. Sometimes it seems like I am so behind, but I need to remind myself that it is okay to take your time. Why get worked up into a frenzy and imposing artificial deadlines on yourself?

Let’s promise each other we will ENJOY the weeks leading up to Christmas. Hope this post finds you happy and healthy. Have a wonderful Tuesday!