How To Decorate A Minimalist Christmas
It’s that time of year to deck the halls! I love Christmas! I love the calm white lights that come from my Christmas tree and mantle in the evenings. I love the music. I love that we find that extra time to be with family and friends. I love the traditions I have created with my family.
What I don’t love? Carrying all the boxes down from the attic and then putting them back up a month later. I don’t love my house feeling cluttered with all the decorations.
Two years ago I began this journey when my house was already decorated. During Thanksgiving, I had started a Facebook group with some friends you wanted to join me on my minimalism journey. We were out of town, so as soon as I got home I went through the many things that were still in boxes that I had not used that year. I got rid of a LOT. I then began minimizing my cabinets in my kitchen and moved on to other areas. As I felt the relief from minimizing, the Christmas “clutter” started closing in on me. I took down some of the decorations and even sold some during that December.
Fast forward to the next year. As I put my decorations up I really thought about each thing. Is this something I really love or something I just want to use because I have it? I feel like it has taken me two full Christmases, but now I only have things up that I really enjoy looking at. My home is festive but not cluttered. I love it!
Another note I want to add is this. When I search “minimalist christmas” on Instagram or Pinterest, it’s not my tree that comes up on the screen. I love ALL the glass and shiny ornaments on my tree. I don’t want a bare tree. Don’t think that because you are embracing minimalism that you are boxed in a decorating corner. Minimalism is about being intentional about the things you have in your home, no matter the particular style.
Now, let’s talk about a few steps we can take to minimize our Christmas decorations. Whether you have your decorations up now or you are just going through the boxes in storage, you can take these steps.
Only decorate with pieces that mean something to you or they bring you joy looking at them. If neither of these are the case, they need to go in the donate or to sell box.
Only keep things you actually use. Sure, these 12 holiday chargers might be lovely on a large table set up for Christmas, but if it’s been years (or never) since you have used them. It’s likely time to let them go. Some of the things I sold or donated were beautiful decorations. But they didn’t fit my house so I let them go.
Don’t feel like you need to decorate every nook and cranny of your house. Choose a few focal points and concentrate on those areas. I add a few touches around my main level, but I focus on my living room. I take everything off the mantle and add my glass trees and garland. This room has the full, cozy, Christmas glow.
When you are putting a decoration on a surface, try moving the object that goes there out of the way for this season. That way it does’t get too crowded and cluttered. On my piano I sit out some little elves that were my mom’s. So rather than just add them, I take down the photo frames and put them in the Christmas boxes to stay there for the holiday season.
Christmas a joyous time! Don’t let the holiday decorations stress you out. Less really is more!