Holiday Decorating for Small Spaces

Are you getting excited for the holidays? If you love all the spirit that goes along with holiday decorating, don’t feel you will be missing out because of your apartment. A small space is just as much fun to decorate – and it’s probably easier, cheaper and quicker to put away come the New Year!

First step is to upcycle anything from previous years. If you saved any of last year’s décor, see if any of it can be reused – like holiday cards, old ribbons and bows, etc. If you still have any photo greeting cards from friends and family, clip them to some ribbon and hang in your entry way or string from a shelf.

Crafty types can put old bows to use by creating mini wreaths. Simply cut the center out of a sturdy paper plate and glue on your bows. Tie a ribbon from the top and hang anywhere.

If you are a thrift store shopper, check out the kid’s winter clothing bin. Tiny colorful mittens can be hung on yarn for a fresh wintery door hanger. Scarfs can be stitched together to create a tree skirt or table runner.

If you don’t have any, look for ornaments. Hang one from gift wrap ribbon and dangle just about place that could use some holiday cheer – your curtain holders, bookshelves, door knobs, etc. When grouping items, odd numbers work best and if you are hanging in a window be sure to alternate the ribbon lengths. Cookie cutters are another fun option for this idea. If you like a more rustic look, use large pine cones. These can also be sparkle painted for a little more cheer.

If you have a long space to fill, like a mantle, tightly string ornaments together and lay across. This also works well over a doorway. There are sure to be an overload of holiday themed plates, glasses, mugs, etc. at secondhand shops. Turn a mug into a mini plant pot for a couple weeks, or replace all your pencil holders with something more festive.

For me, the holidays are so much about the beautiful smells. Be sure to replace your current candles with ones that smell like pine, cookies, pumpkin, etc. Incorporate little bundles of cinnamon sticks tied with yarn into a centerpiece or knotted to a tree or wreath.

If you don’t have space (or the energy) for a tree, get some pine boughs and place in a large seasonally colored vase. You can tie some ribbons on the branches or even a few ornaments if you’d like. You can also recreate a ‘tree’ on a blank wall (or a wall you make blank for a few weeks.) String garland or lights in the shape of a tree (or other seasonal shape you like). You can ‘hang’ ornaments or get creative with pine boughs.

If you are looking to do a centerpiece, you can easily make one by using a store bought wreath as the base. Then take short candle holders and group taper candles within. If you’ve overbought on the ornaments, find a large and interesting looking bowl to group them in. Line the bowl with some small pine branches or wrapping paper if you’d like. You could do something similar by getting a large cylinder vase and filling it with in-the-shell nuts and berries. In the middle add a large pillar candle and holder.

However you decide to decorate (or not) have a jolly holiday season!