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Where to Start Your Christmas Decorating: Ideas for Every Room

Looking for Christmas decorating ideas to inspire you this year? Learn how-to decorate every room this Christmas season!

Christmas decorating is always a BIG task at my house because I like to decorate my entire downstairs!

If you are looking for inspiration, I’ve got lots of Christmas decor ideas from seasons past that you can try in your home (you will see some makeovers along the way).

Lots of ideas for living room, dining room, foyer, kitchen, bedroom and even the bathroom.

There are lots of ways to bring Christmas cheer to a variety of spaces in you home!

How-to Start Decorating for Christmas

One benefit of being a blogger and taking pictures of my home each Christmas is I can look back at what I did the year prior.

It shows me what I have in my Christmas decor stash, so I know if I need to buy anything new or not.

“My #1 tip for Christmas Decorating: Take Pictures and Review Them Prior to Buying New Decor”

take-pictures-christmas-decor-porch-daydreamer-camera-mirror

Take them with your phone and store them in a folder labeled by the year.

No need for a fancy camera at all!

This is just a reference for you, so it doesn’t have to be perfect.

Where to start when decorating for Christmas

There are several approaches you can take and choose what is right for you.

  1. Begin with the fastest or easiest area for you to decorate. This could be any space! Staircase, mantel or small tree.
  2. Make the first area you decorate the one you want to keep up as long as possible.
  3. Start with you most favorite Christmas decor like a Christmas Village, kitchen island display, or floral arrangement.

What I am really trying to say is don’t overthink things just get started to get in the spirit!

Maybe you have to start with what is the easiest to get to in the garage, attic or storage closet. Whatever works for you.

This is a marathon and not a sprint, so enjoy the process. I like to throw on some Christmas music and get to it! 

My 9ft Christmas tree always seems to be last because it is the hardest and longest project.

Then I put on a Hallmark Christmas movie and watch as I go…sometimes I’ll sit and watch to take a break 🙂

Here are a few of my past Christmas Home Tours: 

YES, my house was on the cover and had a 10 page spread in a magazine. WOW!

Contains hand selected products, with affiliate marketing links where I may make a small commission if a purchase is made. {full disclosure here}

Christmas Decorating Ideas for Every Room

Remember I am a blogger and create content, so I go all out decorating for the holidays.

If you only want to put up a tree, then just do that!

I’m going to share LOTS of inspiration more to help not suggest.

Family and Living Room Christmas Decorating Ideas

With a Christmas tree usually being the main focal point for the season, I’ll share my “family ornament tree”.

This tree is where I put all of the ornaments we collect every year, so we can enjoy them and the memories they inspire.

christmas-tree-decorated-in-corner-with-gifts-wrapped
Christmas 2019

A little secret is I have boxes pre-decorated to make life easier each year!

Then I have some pretty cohesive boxes that I can put under the tree unfilled and add presents as I buy them 🙂

Or if you like a more decorator tree that doesn’t include family ornaments you can create a monochromatic tree in a mix of a few colors

flocked-pink-and-gold-christmas-tree-in-blue-dining-room
Christmas 2019

See those pretty “fake packages”?

Best decision every to have these handy!

Christmas 2019

Some simple tips to make an interesting mantel:

  1. Lay a simple piece of garland across the top.
  2. Mix high and low items in similar finishes for visual interest.
  3. Use flat/low stocking hangers so you can use as much of the mantel surface as possible.

Also, search for inexpensive winter or Christmas themed artwork to prop or hang above the mantel for a full on Christmas vibe.

Read these posts for more detailed help decorating a mantel:

view-of-trees-on-coffee-table-and-mantel-with-stockings
Christmas 2019

Then for the coffee table think about grouping collections in simple trays with candles.

Yes, I’ve collected quite a few glass Christmas trees!

There are more in my stash LOL.

Say you only have a few things, then keep it simple and put a single important item in a mirrored tray to give it more importance.

white-reindeer-in-mirrored-tray-christmas-mantel
Christmas 2018

This was an inexpensive tray from Home Goods and a beautiful white reindeer from Hobby Lobby.

Simple can be just and beautiful and impactful.

Dining Room Christmas Decorating Ideas

This may be one of the two or three times you use your dining room for entertaining, so go for it!

In the last couple of years, I decided to add a really slim flocked tree to add sparkle in the dining room.

No, it isn’t nuts to want multiple trees and have one in the dining room 😉

view-of-dining-room-with-decorated-tree-and-garland-on-the-stairs
Christmas 2019

There are several areas to think about when decorating the dining room for Christmas.

  1. An open corner with a tree or display.
  2. A sideboard, china cabinet or credenza.
  3. The walls or a mirror.
  4. Tabletop.
  5. Backs of chairs.

YES! So many areas to think about when decorating the dining room.

This is the first room typically people see when they walk into your home.

Why not make it really special?

dining-room-table-decorated-with-pink-flowers-and-garland-round-mirrow-trimmed-in-garland
Christmas 2019

I just love the big round mirror in the dining room and this past Christmas made it look like a wreath!

Using garland with clear clips is an inexpensive way to create the look of a wreath without purchasing a super large expensive wreath.

To continue the wreath theme, I just attached some dollar store wreaths to the backs of the chairs using ornament hangers. 

French-Country-Dining-Room-Vignette
Christmas 2018
close-up-of-dining-room-table-decor-and-candles

Then yes, I have MORE glass trees that I used as a grouping on the credenza.

Mix and match what you have each year for a new look.

Clearly I love symmetry, but that isn’t required!

Use items that are varying heights / finishes and soften the edges with greenery.

For the table, I mix candles and faux flowers or greenery to add a Christmas touch.

Kitchen Christmas Decorating Ideas

Boy my kitchen has changed over the years and I can’t wait to share it for the 2020 Christmas season.

It’s been remodeled since the photos were taken, so I will definitely have to come up with a new strategy for decorating.

When you look around your kitchen, look for all of the areas you can decorate. Here are a few to get you started:

  1. Light fixtures
  2. Countertops
  3. Kitchen island
  4. Chairs
  5. Windows

Yes, I covered all of these areas when decorating the kitchen!

Decorating the chair backs is always a fun concept for me.

Boy I am going to miss decorating this upholstered counter stools because I can stick pins in them to hold ribbon, ornaments and wreaths.

close-up-of-barstools-decorated-with-velvet-ribbon-like-packages-with-silver-bell-ornament
Christmas 2019

The new woven counter stools in the 2020 kitchen are going to prove a little more challenging!

Think about tying ribbon or hanging a wreath to your kitchen chairs or counter stools…I don’t have a kitchen table, so this IS my kitchen table.

Then for a “snowy vibe” I added crystal encrusted snowflake ornaments on the candles of the two pendant lights over the island. 

kitchen-at-christmas-time
Christmas 2018

You can see I am using almost all of the same accessories, but have put them in different locations.

Clear command hooks are your best friend when hanging wreaths on the window or behind the stove.

I used an adhesive disk to attached to the back of the plate and a Command hook on the tile for this look.

Mick-enjoying-sunny-christmas-kitchen
Christmas 2018

Dig through your drawers and pull out all of those fun Christmas plates and display them in your kitchen.

Another option is to buy a plate stand and tuck it in a corner on the counter. 

Bedroom Christmas Decorating Ideas

This past season was the first time I decorated the bedroom for the holidays. 

Seriously, it was so nice at night to turn on the lights and see the Christmas decor.

It made the bedroom feel so cozy!

Master-Bedroom-Decorated-for-christmas-canopy-bed-wrapped-in-lights
Christmas 2019

I found a really cute Merry Christmas sign and simply hung it on the mirror above the bed.

Throw on some inexpensive Christmas or winter themed pillows and voila! 

Now you have a festive bedroom and no need to add lights.

left-side-of-bedroom-showing-painted-nightstand-in-blue

Are you thinking now you may want to decorate your bedroom for the holiday?

Foyer and Staircase Christmas Decorating Ideas

My home doesn’t have a grand staircase, but I do try to make it special.

Then to add a little extra Christmas theme to the foyer, I add artwork in the stairwell too.

stair-banister-decorated-with-garland-and-white-bows-christmas-packages-on-stairs-view-of-power-room

It is easy to simply wrap the banister with some faux garland.

Then hook on ornaments and tie ribbons for a completely new look!

For the powder room just off the foyer, I add a wreath to the door with some ribbon and a little Santa statue.

It’s the simple touches that bring the Christmas cheer throughout the home!

How-to Hang and Store Your Christmas Decor

You can see I have a LOT of different options to choose from each Christmas season.

If you are struggling to hang or organize your Christmas decor, here are a few posts that may help.

I sure hope I’ve inspired some new ideas and helped you get in the holiday spirit!

Please consider following me on Pinterest and Instagram for daily inspiration.

Until next time…

Porch Daydreamer

Tracey

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