Express - Home Sweet Home (Steps 21 to 25)

Seven Tips to Outside Decorating

Can you land a plane in your yard?  Not because of space but because of all the lights you put up during the Christmas season?  If so then you most likely have a routine down that starts in September or October and that is great - my hat is off to you and I invite you to submit your hints and ideas to use on our site.  For the rest of us who want to do some decorating to the outside of your house without spending months, here are seven tips to help the process go smoother.

Make Way For Holiday Decorations

It's the most wonderful time of the year, or so says the one of the songs of the season...but as well as being the most wonderful time it is also one of the busiest.  We have places to go, people to see, parties, gift giving, card sending, decorating and cleaning.

Notice I saved the best to for last, cleaning.  Yes Cleaning.  This is the time of year when most busy women do the most cleaning.  Many of us don't do "spring cleaning" as much as out mothers and grandmothers did.  But come November/December and we start to plan dinners, parties, family gatherings and decorating.  This all requires cleaning.

The other step after cleaning is decorating.  In order to decorate we have to make room for the decorations.  For many of us, we will have to clean and after cleaning we will have to remove much of the current collect of items that is presently in the place that will soon be covered by Holiday decorations.

So our steps are:

Clean, Decorate & Relocate.

I personally do these three steps in a room by room plan.

Make Way For Holiday Decorations

It's the most wonderful time of the year, or so says the one of the songs of the season...but as well as being the most wonderful time it is also one of the busiest.  We have places to go, people to see, parties, gift giving, card sending, decorating and cleaning.

Notice I saved the best to for last, cleaning.  Yes Cleaning.  This is the time of year when most busy women do the most cleaning.  Many of us don't do "spring cleaning" as much as out mothers and grandmothers did.  But come November/December and we start to plan dinners, parties, family gatherings and decorating.  This all requires cleaning.

The other step after cleaning is decorating.  In order to decorate we have to make room for the decorations.  For many of us, we will have to clean and after cleaning we will have to remove much of the current collect of items that is presently in the place that will soon be covered by Holiday decorations.

So our steps are:

Clean, Decorate & Relocate.

I personally do these three steps in a room by room plan.

Theme Trees as Focal Points in Each Room

Many people have theme trees in their homes and no matter if your tree is small enough to fit in your hand or barely gets in your door theme trees can add extra meaning during the holidays.  Most people who have theme trees have multiple trees in their house and the trees are specific to the rooms that they are located.  Today we will look at different rooms in your house and some ideas for doing theme trees for that room.

Living Room - Your main living area or living room tree is usually the "main tree" and for this reason can be whatever theme you choose like Victorian, country, Santa's, snowmen, hand-made, etc.  Some people change the tree theme each year while others stick with the same theme and just add new decorations each year.  Either way it is fun finding new items to add to your main tree each year.

Step 21 - At Home Activities

Step 22 - Entertaining 
                  Journaling
                  Entertaining for the Holidays

Step 23 - Decorating Inside

Step 24 - Decorating Outside

Step 25 - Cleaning for the Holidays