Top 10 Holiday Home Decorating Mistakes

Holiday home decorating is a great way for people to show their holiday spirit. However it is important to keep some general principals in mind when selecting your seasonal home decor. The list that follows is a general guide on what not to do when selecting your holiday home decorations. Don't Over Do It: Pick a color scheme and stick to it. Many people make the mistake of being too "loud" with their decorating colors and end up with a chaotic mess instead of a calming holiday effect. Of course, when there are children involved, there are more knick-knacks and decorations that won't exactly fit in, but that's the fun of youth. However, for adults who want to pull a seasonal room together, carefully think what holiday home decorating you really need and if those items gel harmoniously. Keep Decorations Balanced in the Home: Again, when placing seasonal decorations such as the tree, wreaths, centerpieces, and religious icons around the interior and exterior of your home, keep a tasteful balance. Many light up the night sky with far too many lights around windows, around porches, and sometimes on the roof. Make a more prudent choice and go with a more minimalist approach. Plan out where fairy lights and the tree will go in relation to the picture window neighbors can see through. Keep a close eye on the distance put between items on mantles and table. You never want to create a more chaotic look which makes any room feel less comfortable to occupy. That's not what you want for those who visit your home. Keep Inflatable Ornaments Out of Your Yard: If there are children in the home who fall in love with a Frosty the Snowman snow globe the size of your home, perhaps it's nice to appease them. However, make sure that the ornament is securely attached to the ground due to high winter winds or an unexpected storm. If you do not have children, the wise choice to maintain a sophisticated look is to avoid these type ornaments like the plague. It draws away completely from any tasteful decorating you may have hung. No one is looking at the handmade wreath you spent hours putting together. Neighbors see only the Santa and reindeer that are perpetually inflated by a loud generator will make all your creativity moot. Choose Lights and Related Illuminates Carefully: Not only does this apply to the lights on your tree matching those on the porch outside, this includes such items as a string of icicles across your roof or around a column. These icicles could be light up, or reflect that the light. It's not a bad idea to have a tree outdoors, again have a theme going with the lights you use. Never Half-Finish a Job: Even though life can be fast-paced, especially those with children, have a million different events to prepare for as well as attend. When you choose to decorate, perhaps have grandparent look after children, or if business keeps you away, schedule one, free day to devote to decorating. This can make sure everything is done in-whole, and all the stress of getting it done is behind you. Don't Hide Your Christmas Tree: Many make the Christmas tree the focal point of all interior decorations. Don't hide this prized-decorating item in a corner, but in front of a window which adds cheer to those who drive by. Avoid Using Candles: There are many, tasteful, natural-looking alternatives sold in decorating stores to prevent one from using candles at all. When decorating a home, many candles were lit and placed on windowsills. This proved to create many house fires due to the heat igniting holiday cloth window treatments. Carefully Choose the Wreath for Your Front Door: When looking at the exterior of the home, many eyes are drawn first to the wreath adorning your front door. There are a plethora of fun, adventurous, or traditional looks to meet any personality. However, be mindful of how this wreath corresponds with the other decorations. Pick the Right Time to Put Up or Take Down Decorations: It seems that Christmas decorations go up earlier and earlier every year. Where many didn't break out the tinsel until the first week of December, however, during current years, many Christmas trees go up before Thanksgiving. Likewise, there are a few who don't seem to want to let go of Christmas, let those lights keep blinking well into January. Think before you put up decorations and remove those decorations no later than New Year's Day. This marks the time of a new year, and another time to put the last holidays behind us. Avoid Mixing Religious Icons: The basic problem here is that the mixing of religious icons can be seen as disrespectful to some of varying faiths who visit your home. It can also project the idea that you have a scant knowledge of religious traditions and prove embarrassment.