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The holiday season brings warmth, magic, and, often, a welcome touch of festive cheer to our homes, but for those navigating small floor plans or packed closets, the aftermath can quickly turn into a post-holiday headache. Finding room for bulky holiday decorations can quickly take the joy out of this time of year. Fortunately, you can find ways to set the scene in a way that doesn’t require taking up too much of your precious storage space. From collapsible, fold-flat Christmas trees and re-plantable living trees to accents straight from your backyard or the grocery store, there are plenty of clever ways to celebrate big without cluttering your home.
Opt for a living Christmas tree.
One way to save space after the holiday is to plant your tree in your own backyard. By choosing a living Christmas tree, you’ll save space, reduce waste, and build memories that last for years to come. A living Christmas tree is sold with its roots still attached, often called a “balled and burlapped” tree. Not only will a living tree fill your home with a fresh pine scent, but replanting it provides environmental benefits, such as minimizing waste, reducing deforestation, providing wildlife habitat, and sequestering carbon. You’ll be able to extend your holiday joy by incorporating replanting the tree as part of your celebration with friends and family, and you’ll be able to enjoy it throughout the year. Look for a living Christmas tree at nurseries, garden centers, online retailers like Lynch Creek Farm and Trees.com, and specialized tree farms.
Our Recommendation
Douglas Fir Living Christmas Tree
This classic evergreen makes an ideal Christmas tree—and it can be planted in your yard after the holiday.
Choose inflatable and pop-up holiday decorations.
Minimize how much space you need to store holiday decorations by purchasing some that inflate or pop up. This Pop Up Christmas Tree, for example, is a smart choice. No assembly is necessary, and it comes fully decorated with Christmas balls, ribbons, bows, and lights already in place. The stand collapses and the tree folds flat, so you can easily tuck it away once the holiday ends. You can also look for inflatables like trees, gift boxes, and snowmen that can be used inside or outside. Once deflated, they’ll be easier to store.
Look to nature for inspiration.
Tapping into nature is one of the easiest ways to decorate for the holidays without accumulating endless bins of off-season storage. By foraging organic materials right from your own yard or neighborhood, you can create a naturally elegant scene. Beyond being completely free and eco-friendly, natural décor easily transitions across seasons or can be safely returned to the earth once the festivities end by adding items to a compost bin, shredding branches into garden mulch, using twigs to kindle a fire in your fireplace or fire pit, creating winter backyard shelters for birds, or setting them out for municipal tree recycling.
Check out these sample natural holiday decorations:
- Branch trees: Arrange a few sturdy fallen branches in a decorative vase or woven basket and adorn them with holiday lights or spray paint them white or gold (although this limits their compostability).
- Pine cone accents: Display a bowl or basket filled with pine cones or string them as window garlands.
- Greenery-wrapped candles: Dress up white pillar candles (regular or battery-operated) by wrapping their bases with boxwood, eucalyptus, or evergreen clippings secured with festive ribbon.
- Dried floral wreaths: Dry flowers throughout the year to DIY your own welcoming wreaths.
Make some edible decorations.
Food can double as holiday décor, from ornaments to a table runner, without requiring any storage space once your guests have left. Either the decor items will get eaten, or you can place them in a compost bin. Here are some ideas for crafting gorgeous, aromatic pieces using simple grocery store items:
- Hang candy canes and other types of festive candy on the tree, banister, etc.
- Style fresh seasonal fruits and vegetables, such as pomegranates, starfruit, apples, cranberries, and bell peppers into attractive table runners and centerpieces.
- String popcorn and cranberry garlands.
- Make wreaths using star anise and gingerbread shapes.
- Add a welcoming scent by placing bundles made of spices like cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg around your house.
- Dry some orange and apple slices in your oven or food dehydrator to string along with pine cones or to hang in your windows.
Find versatile items that you can use year-round.
Investing in multipurpose décor is the ultimate strategy for keeping your home festive without adding post-holiday clutter to your storage space. By selecting items that easily transition into everyday accent pieces, you can maintain a warm, welcoming vibe long after the holiday season comes to an end.
Here are some ideas to get started:
- White string and fairy lights: Choose white LED string lights or fairy lights instead of color options so that they can be used year-round to drape over headboards, bookshelves, mantels, or patio railings to create a cozy ambiance.
- Candles: Keep burnable and battery-operated candles displayed in your home no matter what holiday or special occasion you are celebrating.
- Potted plants: Incorporate potted conifers or festive houseplants into your holiday and everyday décor using versatile, stylish pots.
- DIY glass jar lanterns: Place tea lights or mini battery-operated lights inside glass jars to add mood lighting for everything from holiday dinners and barbeques to movie nights.
The post Holiday Decorations That Take Up Next to No Space to Store appeared first on Bob Vila.