Decorating your home for the holidays is a beloved yuletide tradition, but let’s be honest. It’s also a lot of work! Finding new pieces, getting items out of storage, and putting everything out for display can take a lot of time (a precious commodity during the busy holiday season). Fortunately, there are plenty of easy ways to transform your everyday decor items into magical Christmas decor, saving you time, energy, and even a little bit of cash. Read our tips below to learn how.
Benefits of Repurposing Items
At first glance, your everyday items might not seem particularly festive, but with a little creativity you can create a winter wonderland. Plus, there’s a number of benefits that come along with it.
- Less Clutter: Picture your basement or attic. Do you see all the storage boxes? Now, think to yourself, how many of those boxes are filled with Christmas decorations? Exactly. When the bulk of your decorations are already on display, there’s no need to fill up your storage spaces with boxes.
- Saves Time: Christmas decorating is a fun part of the holidays, but so is sledding, baking sugar cookies, and wrapping presents. Repurposing your existing decor allows you to quickly transform your home, allowing you to enjoy decorating while still making time for other festivities.
- Saves Money: Why spend a lot of money on extra Christmas decorations when you already have pieces that you love and use everyday? Transforming your favorite items allows you to spend more money on Christmas presents.
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Better for the environment: The classic mantra of reduce, reuse, recycle applies during the holiday season. Instead of buying new items, reusing items that you already have can help save on natural resources and energy. Both can help create a happier earth.
Tips for Transforming Everyday Items
Tip #1 Wrap Your Pillows
When the snow starts blowing, don’t throw your outdoor cushions in the garden shed. Bring them inside instead. Turn your cushions into decorative “presents” by wrapping a Christmas ribbon or scarf around them. Place them on your couch or place them around the tree to protect your actual gifts from pets or toddlers.
For additional tips on Christmas tree "defense" check out our article, How to Protect Your Christmas Tree from Curious Toddlers and Pets.
Tip #2 Festive Fills
Give common household items like planters, ash buckets, and bowls a merry makeover with the right fill. Fill these containers with ornaments, pine boughs, or twigs and put them on display for a simple touch of cheer. Best of all, many of these containers can be used either indoors or outdoors.
Tip #3 Display Your Holiday Mugs
A fun holiday mug makes a great gift for everyone. Most of us have received them as a gift in the past. Place these fun mugs on display in your kitchen or on a mug tree for an easy and functional holiday decoration. If you don’t have specific holiday mugs, use any solid colored mugs you have in shades of green, red or white. Line them up on a sideboard or display them on a mug tree.
Tip #4 It’s a Wrap!
Wrapping paper can be used for more than gifts. Wrap your presents early or wrap a few empty boxes and display them around your home to add fun color and patterns to any room. You can also use a strip of wrapping paper as a fun table runner for your dining table. Not only does it create a fun holiday display, it’s also easy to clean up and there’s no worries if Santa gets cookie crumbs on it. Just roll out a fresh sheet.
Tip #5 Deck the Houseplants
Ornaments aren’t just for Christmas trees. Add some sparkle to your houseplants or artificial plants by hanging small ornaments from their branches. This option is great for any home where a full-sized Christmas tree is not possible like the homes of renters or houses with small children or pets.
For more tips for making your house feel merry without a Christmas tree, check out our article, 7 Ways to Create Merry Holiday Decor without a Christmas Tree.
Tip #6 Carts and Wagons
During warmer months, these items are often used to display flowers and plants outdoors. But even when the temperatures drop, you can find new uses for these items. Fill a cart with pine boughs and pinecones to give them a new wintry look.
Tip #7 Use Lights and Ornaments Everywhere
String lights and ornaments are so versatile! String lights can be wrapped or draped around a variety of surfaces to make mantels, sideboards, and bookshelves merry and bright. Ornaments can also be hung from windows, chandeliers and light fixtures, or even napkin rings to spread holiday cheer.
Tip #8 Display Holiday Cards
During the holiday season, everyone sends Christmas cards to loved ones near and far. Instead of keeping these hidden in a box, use them as part of your decor. Pin them to a cork board or string them together to create garland.
Tip #9 Create Cookie Cutter Ornaments
Cookie cutters come in a variety of fun, holiday-themed shapes. When the Christmas baking is done, don’t put them back in the drawer. Tie a brightly colored ribbon around each one and hang them from a garland or a Christmas tree for a fun look.
Tip #10 Add Greenery
It’s amazing how a sprig of holly or a pine bough garland can change the look of a room. Tucking a few pine needles, pinecones, or holly leaves around your books, knickknacks or even inside a napkin ring can add a small but elegant touch of holiday glamour.
Whether your personal style is cute and colorful or simple and elegant, Christmas is the time of year to embrace it. By giving the pieces you already have and a love a festive makeover, you will be able to save money, time, energy, and create a magical Christmas decor that is uniquely you. For more tips on holiday decorating, check out our holiday and seasonal articles.
