- Clean and declutter first. Be sure to deep clean and declutter your home before you decorate. Powers says. If your living room is already piled high with clutter
, your ceramic reindeer collection is only going to add to the sense of overcrowding. - Create a warm and cozy vibe. Typically less is more, but a few subtle touches like a bowl of pinecones, an evergreen wreath, or a pot of cider simmering on the stove can make your home feel warm and festive.
- Complement your home’s color palette. Make sure your holiday decor doesn’t clash with the color palette that’s already in your home. If much of your home is in a calming light blue, bright red might be a little jarring. Try using white and silver or gold decor. A home decorated in more earthy tones might benefit from pine and berry accents.
- Accentuate the positives. Too many decorations can feel cluttered and distract buyers, but the right accessories can draw attention to your home’s best features. Have a beautiful mantel? Show it off with some pretty holiday decor! Accentuate an arched doorway with some hanging greenery. Put some wreaths on your freshly painted front door.
- Go light on lights and outdoor decor. Step away from the inflatables! We don’t want to go Clark Griswold when trying to sell! It’s important to make sure your decor appeals to a wide range of buyers, so simple white lights are often the best option.
- Mind the tree. From HGTV: “A tall Christmas tree can help you show off your two-story great room, but make sure the wide base won’t overwhelm the floor space. If your living area is on the small side, save space with a skinny tree. Swap the more taste-specific heirloom ornaments (that may have meaning for you, but won’t for buyers) and trim your tree in a cohesive theme, like icicle lights and silver tinsel, for example, or silver and gold glass balls.”
- Don’t overdo it. A few decorations can definitely make your home feel inviting, but don’t feel the need to hang every last ornament. You still want your home to look as spacious as possible, and too much decor can make it feel crowded and smaller. Limit yourself to a few hints of holiday touches, but keep the rest in the basement or other storage for now. If you start to miss your snowman figurines collection, just remember that with our help and guidance, you’ll likely be celebrating next year’s holidays in a new home. And you can decorate that one any way you’d like!
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