Enjoy Traditions
Most of us love the holidays, the joyous mood, the familiar traditions, the tastes, the smells, the sounds, and the celebratory decorations. The lights twinkling and shining; the neighborhood aglow. As much as you love the sights and sounds though, they can become overwhelming. By giving a little extra attention to the balance of the elements you use in your decorating plan; you will be able to enjoy your decor just as much at the end of the season as you do at the beginning.
Choose a Theme
Many people have large collections of holiday decorations. Remember, just like your other decorative pieces, you do not need to use every piece, every year. It can be fun to sort through your collection and divide the pieces into themes. Choose a theme that feels special for this year and follow that throughout your home. A little touch here and there will go a long way in bringing a warm smile to those who happen upon your thoughtful touches.
Create Calm
Find a balance in color, texture and size. Combining colors will create a more peaceful atmosphere. Too much of any one color will create a sensory overload and will detract from the feeling you were hoping to achieve. Avoid clutter and be sure you clean your holiday treasures before you place them on display. You do not need any of this past year’s dust hanging around your happy holiday! Be sure your lighting does not overload the circuits. Reflective ornaments will enhance the light so you can use less strands and still reap a great look.
Enhance the Chi
Consider the placement of your holiday tree. The tree is wood, the shape (triangular) is fire and the color is green. Typically this is where gifts are placed. The tree is often lit with lights and it is brightly decorated. A perfect place for a tree is in the abundance area of the home, the far back left corner of the room from the door. An excellent location for gifts that you will be giving away is in the helpful people area, the section to the front far right area of the room closest to the door.
Moderation Succeeds
When talking to clients about their holiday decorating, it is important to remember that although it is true their home is a product on the market, it is still their home. Most buyers appreciate a moderate amount of holiday decorating. Unless a buyer is infatuated with the idea of living on “Candy Cane Lane”, they are certain to be turned off by excessive decor, just as they would be by any excessive decor any other time of year.
Enjoy!
Enjoy this holiday season with a perfect balance of holiday decorating that is happy and bright, complemented by your favorite tastes, sounds, traditions and most important, the people you love. With a winning balance like this, you are sure to have a beautiful holiday that you will enjoy from now to the beginning of the New Year!
Image by ivz
Paula Henry
December 6, 2008 at 8:34 am
Nikki – Most of my sellers this year are keeping it to a minimum, which I truly appreciate. We put our tree up, simple white lights and ornaments and nothing else this year. It actually feels good to not have a decorative piece in every room.
Kinda magical, actually!
Karen Goodman
December 6, 2008 at 3:28 pm
I have a seller that just came on the market last week and lives all year in anticipation of being able to decorate for Christmas.
Luckily, they value my opinion and are prepared to do what it takes to get their home sold.
I suggested that one Christmas tree instead of 2 was enough this year and that for every Christmas decor item put out on a table, one regular one should get put away…no one likes clutter…even Christmas clutter. I also said no to garland up the stairwell…since buyers may have young children with them that need to hold on as they go up the steps.
I think that most buyers appreciate some Christmas decorating even if, like me, they celebrate Channukah instead of Christmas. But, I do think that it is important that the decorations not be overly religious in nature since we still want people of all faiths, or no faith at all, to feel comfortable in the house and be able to imagine themselves there.
Phyllis Harb
December 7, 2008 at 1:39 pm
Home sellers should remember that you want the buyer to focus on the home, not the holiday decor: not the tree, not the ornaments… etc.
Hardware Antique
December 7, 2008 at 11:17 pm
Great home decor ideas for this festive season.
Thanks for sharing.
Lucy
Nickie Rothwell
December 13, 2008 at 2:41 am
Hi Paula! Isn’t it interesting how one year we might feel like decorating every space and the next year we enjoy simple, easy decor? I find simple so much more calming and lifting to my spirit now too.
Hi Karen, Absolutely, Christmas clutter is every bit as much a turn off as any other clutter! It sounds as though you gave your clients some great suggestions for their holiday decorating while having their home on the market.
Hi Phyllis, Yes, you are right, definitely the house is the product. A little bit of holiday cheer can go a long way.
Hi Lucy, Thank you!
Home Improvement
May 11, 2009 at 1:42 am
not only on Christmas but also on all days my parents love to keep house neat and clean and decorated with home plants and good decorative things on the walls and they look good enough.