December is the month to take down the pumpkins and put up the trees! We have easy steps to follow that will give your apartment a festive makeover to kick-start the season of holiday cheer.

Be Selective

Choose one or two areas to focus your decorating. By choosing just a couple of spaces like the entryway or living room, you don’t need to spend an arm and a leg on decorations. It’s also manageable to deconstruct when the season is over – and we know you’ve probably already filled every square inch of closet and under-the-bed storage.

Choose a Theme

Pick a theme or color scheme that will set the tone for your holiday decor. Reds and greens are traditional, opulent golds and silvers provide a more contemporary look, while whites and browns are best for a rustic feel. Remember, there’s no such thing as too much glitter or glam for the holidays!

Tree Trimming Tips

Make your tree magazine-ready by choosing ornaments with a variety of shapes and styles like spheres and teardrops. If you have kids, pets, or a clumsy significant other, you can find shatterproof ornament sets on Amazon. Decorative tree picks are my favorite way to fill bare spaces and add dimension; they come in a variety of styles and textures like velvety flowers and shimmering berries, and have bendable stems that can be inserted anywhere in the tree. Any extra ornaments can be arranged in a decorative bowl for a simple yet elegant statement piece.

Festive Accents

Enhance the candles you already own with festive candle rings that work for virtually all decor. From poinsettias to pinecones, there are options for every style and can be found at many craft stores for under $10 each.

Switch out your pumpkin spice candle for winter scents like gingerbread, cinnamon, or balsam fir to add some coziness to those cold evenings – and try soy candles that burn cleaner and longer. You can also clip some evergreen branches from the bottom layer of your tree to create a beautifully simple DIY holiday arrangement.  Just add ting ting (or in layman’s terms, a bunch of curly glitter branches) and berries for a pop of color. Bring it home for the holidays to use as a centerpiece for Christmas dinner and you’ll definitely get on Santa’s nice list.

Don’t forget to take photos and videos of your festive décor with apps like KiraKira for extra sparkle and shine!