5 Steps to Plan for Your Christmas Decorating

How early do you decorate for Christmas? Regardless of whether you are a “decorate before or after Thanksgiving” person, planning is important for decorating in a stress-free way. I’m sharing my 5 steps to plan for your Christmas decorating.

Now that we are into November, we can make a plan for decorating for this year’s Christmas. I used to be in the “never before Thanksgiving” camp. Now, I find myself getting ready for Christmas earlier and earlier. 

Last year when we had kids and grandkids here for Thanksgiving, they were surprised to see a mix of Thanksgiving and a little bit of Christmas decorations. Before they left, they helped us set up our tree and organize all the Christmas decorations. It helped me immensely. 

It will be the same this year. When family arrives in a few days, I plan to have our bedroom, bathroom done. The new white tabletop tree in the sitting room will be done. I’m trying to talk Sweet Shark into decorate his bar now.

How can you be prepared for Christmas? Having a plan is crucial to getting ready for Christmas decorating.

Welcome to the Merry & Bright Christmas Blog Hop, hosted by Kristy of At Home with Kristy. Our group of bloggers is sharing a variety of Christmas-themed ideas to help and enhance your Christmas season.

Thank you if you are joining me from Cindy of Cloches and Lavender. I’m thrilled to have you drop by for this look at planning your holiday home.

Keep in mind that the earlier you start decorating, the more time you have to enjoy the process. Christmas decorating will be less stressful. You’ll be able to purchase new items while the inventory is still available.

Here are my 5 favorite steps to plan for Christmas decorating.

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Remove Fall or Thanksgiving Decor from Rooms

Before you begin decorating for a new season, I always remove any previous seasonal decor before adding new holiday decorations.

TIP: This is the time to examine your fall/Thanksgiving decor for future years. It is also the time to replace cardboard boxes with new plastic bins.

You can do this all at once or room by room, adding your Christmas decor to specific living spaces.

Since we tend to add a lot of Christmas decor, I recommend packing up some of your year-round decorative accessories, such as picture frames, books or coffee table decor. Put these in bins and label them before packing them away. They will be ready to come out of hibernation after the holidays.

Examine Your Decorations

Christmas decorating for this year begins the previous year. 

Ideally, as you pack up your Christmas decorations, you examine those that may need to be discarded, mended, or donated.

Here’s what I recommend culling out:

• Decorations that are obviously broken and can’t be mended
• Christmas lights that are not working; fairy lights, as much as we love them, don’t last indefinitely.
• Broken ornaments
• Decorations that are very out of date (vintage is great, but worn out is not)
• Garland that has seen better days. You may be able to salvage parts of the green garland to embellish other garlands.

Storage for Christmas Ornaments

Most of our Christmas decorations are stored on custom-built shelves in our garage and in our attic. Years ago we started replacing random cardboard boxes with clear plastic bins for storing our Christmas decorations. I suggest you do the same:

TIP: We have found the 70-quart are the right size. Any bigger and they are difficult to lift and carry.

Why plastic storage bins?

• They keep the decorations more secure (from critters chewing in your attic) and dust-free.
• Plastic bins last longer.
• This allows us to see what is inside each box.
• Plastic bins also stack more easily. 

I still try to label each bin. Since breakables are wrapped in tissue and bubblewrap, the labels help identify the contents of each bin.

This picture from several years ago shows all our decorations gathered in our dining room. This was before we had switched all our boxes to plastic bins.

If you have not yet looked at your decorations for this Christmas season, then as you unpack them, take these steps:

• Set aside those items that meet the criteria I listed above.
• If you find Christmas ornaments or other decor that need repair, do it immediately.
• Set aside supplies that you can use to make new Christmas decorations. I have drawers full of DIY supplies that I haven’t used that I plan to use this year.

Make a List of New Christmas Items You Need

Once you have gone through your Christmas decorations, you can make a list of the decorations you need to replace or new ones for the current holiday season.

​Yearly items might include:

• new scented candles
• faux battery-operated taper candles and pillar candles with remotes
• fresh or faux greenery garland or faux green wreaths
• new wired velvet ribbon
• new holiday paper napkins
• Christmas gift wrap
• supplies for DIY Christmas decorations
• Christmas candy, especially candy canes and kisses
• fairy lights
• packages of batteries for fairy lights and other decor – we go through hundreds of batteries at Christmas

Remember, the earlier you shop, the more likely that you’ll find what you need. 

Choose Your Color Scheme

Unlike days of yore when all Christmas decor was red and green, today we see a wide range of colors from pink, blue, teal, gold and silver, rustic and natural elements.

As soon as possible, decide on the color palette you want to use for the different rooms in your home. This way you can purchase new decorations in your chosen colors.

I still love these metallic jewelled-color DIY trees from last year.

We have often decorated our living room mantel in multiple colors for Christmas with lots of garland and lights.

Our color palette has changed over the years. We tend to use red, green and silver in the dining room, entry, staircase and in Sweet Shark’s bar. They are all adjacent and can be seen in one view.

Every room in your home doesn’t have to have the same color palette. The master bedroom is a great place to choose different colors. 

This was our console table the year I decorated our bedroom in pinks and pastels.

That Christmas I bought a new white tabletop Christmas tree for the master bedroom and decorated it in pink.

Last year, I switched our bedroom color scheme to red and white. We loved it so we are repeating that color this year.

TIP:  Decorate adjacent rooms, such as the living room and dining room or the kitchen and breakfast room, in the same or similar color schemes. Decorate separate rooms, such as bedrooms and bathrooms or the family room, in different color schemes.

Organize Your Christmas Decorations by Room

How do you decorate your rooms? There are lots of ways to add your decorations to the various areas of your home.

My favorite way to get started on decorating?

TIP: Before you begin decorating, purchase new batteries for your fairy lights and other Christmas decorations. You can either add new batteries to all your fairy lights at once or do it as you go from room to room. I’ve done it both ways.

TIP: I empty our new batteries into a battery storage box.

Here are my best helpful tips for decorating:

• Open all your Christmas bins so that you can see all the decorations.
• Take particular decorations to the room where you will use them. I usually place them on the dining room table, coffee table or kitchen island. 
• Once you have all the decorations for a room, you can begin to place them in your favorite places – or find new ways to arrange your Christmas decorations.

Once you have finished with one area, step back and look around. Rearrange any decorations as needed. You don’t have to find the perfect place for your festive decorations on the first go-around.

​Repeat for each room. Once you have completed all your rooms, take a home tour of your home. Don’t hesitate to move items from one room to another. 

Everyone has their favorite way of decorating their homes. I like to decorate each room. Fewer steps, less time, and that way I feel that I’ve completed an entire room before going on to the next one. 

Speaking of Decorating

I’ve started a list of great Christmas decorations that I’m excited about. Hope you like these ideas.

For adjacent rooms, you can see how the decor works together and make adjustments. 

I hope that these 5 steps to plan for your Christmas decorating will help you get started on this most wonderful time of the year. 

I invite you to check out these Pinterest Boards and follow for Christmas Ideas.

Now I hope that you will visit Rosemary of My Home and Travels before going on to the rest of the merry & bright bloggers.

Kristy – At Home With Kristy – French Country Vintage Christmas Decorating Ideas
Crystal – Sweet Valley Acres – Elegant Winter Door Wreath
Kimberly – From Farmhouse to Florida  – Shabby Chic-Inspired Christmas Tree
Cindy – Cloches and Lavender  – Rusty Mod Podge Jingle Bells
Carol – Bluesky At Home – 5 Steps to Plan for Christmas Decorating
Rosemary – My Home and Travels – How to Set a Table without Christmas Dishes
Rachel – Tea and Forget Me Nots – How to Dehydrate Orange Slices
Alicia – Design of Your Life – DIY Pottery Barn Dupe Demi-Village Wreath
Sherry – Houzewize – Best Christmas Mantel Decor
Mary Anne – House of Mar – How to Host a Fun Christmas Luncheon