DECK THE HALLS OF YOUR HOME

Getting ready for the holidays is always much more than getting your Christmas tree out of storage and hanging garland on your stairs. With shopping for everyone on your list, cooking meals for guests, and endlessly wrapping up presents, it may seem like there is little time to relax and enjoy the season. The Quiet Moose is here with some tips to help you to find ways to relax and enjoy your holiday this year!

Before you get out all your decorations and dress your home in its Yuletide best, be sure to give it a thorough cleaning. It may not be the most fun way to prepare for the holiday season but it can really help in the long run! After Thanksgiving, there is a quick turnaround for setting up winter decor, in all the haste it is easy to forget where everything is or leave yourself with a messy home. Take half of a day to organize and clean your home before you begin to set up. Wipe, scrub, and dust top to bottom in every room. This will help you throughout the month because you will just have to spot clean elsewhere having already done the heavy lifting.

Rooms to pay close attention to:

The Hallway/Entryway: The Hallway and the entryway are both great areas to add holiday decor. 

The Kitchen: This is where you spent most of your time prepping for Turkeyday just a little while ago. Give a thorough cleaning to all your cabinets, countertops, floors, and cookware before the next big meal so you don’t have to worry about it later. This can also be a great time to organize! Put all your matching dishware and cutlery in their proper places, clean out your refrigerator and all the expired products you haven’t noticed in a while, and match your cooking and baking utensils with a system so you’ll know exactly where everything is when you need it.

Finally, communal rooms. Family rooms and Dining rooms will be a hot spot of celebration within the next few weeks and you will want to be sure that they are ready for your guests to enjoy! Clean the floors, vacuum the couch, and dust behind the TV. This is a good time to get these chores done, especially if they haven’t been since last season’s Spring Cleaning! Try adding a seasonal scent plug in or candle to the room to add a little more holiday spice to your space.

Now that the nitty gritty part is done, you can start with the fun, decorating!

In your entryway and high traffic areas add some tinsel and warm lighting to the area to make it more inviting and festive. Warm lighting promotes feelings of relaxation and comfort in humans due to our circadian rhythm. Warm lighting, like that of the sunset, helps us to wind down and relax from our day as we prepare for night. Adding this little touch can make your home feel calm and even joyful, which is especially important when it gets dark earlier in the day.

Upgrade your furniture! When you host your next holiday event, you will want everything to be perfect for you and your guests. The Quiet Moose is available to help you find the perfect piece for your space that everyone will enjoy. Browse through our inventory and even have it delivered straight to your home before the holidays arrive! A new stylish, comfortable sofa in your family room can set the mood for your cheery and cozy holiday party. 

Setting up and decorating the tree. This is the centerpiece of the holidays, your decorations, presents, and even furniture are all centered around the Christmas tree. If you don’t decide for a real tree this year, be sure to invest in a high-quality artificial one. High-quality trees are much more able to stand the test of time and remain beautiful through the years. Also go for a traditional look rather than following trends. A traditional style tree will remain in style for years instead of going out when trends change.

• Fluff and shape your branches! Real or artificial, you won’t want to see bare spots in your tree when it is fully decorated. After setting it up, do an initial sweep of the tree and shape spots that need to be filled, you can continue fluffing as you decorate to get a full picture of your tree. 
• Start with the lights. The tedious process of unwrapping and stringing lights is much easier done if it is the first step in your decorating process. You will be able to see clearly where lights need to be strung to avoid dim spots and know exactly how many feet of them to hang. It’s best to use about 100 lights, or about 16 feet of lights, per 1 feet of tree – for a 6 foot tree, you will want to use 600 lights!
• Cluster different sized bulbs in groups of 3. Multiples of 3 give a more balanced feel to your tree, you can add larger size bulbs toward the trunk and smaller ones on the outer stems to give your tree extra depth. Hang delicate bulbs toward the top of the tree to avoid breaking from kids and furry friends wanting to play. 
• Choose the right topper. An eye catching topper can perfect the look of your tree and give it an amazing glow. Whether you go for a sentimental piece, large bow, shiny star, or traditional angel, your tree topper will be what everyone looks up to this season.

With your mistletoe in your doorway, tinkling lights on your tree, and of course, stockings hung by the chimney with care, you will be ready to enjoy and relax this holiday season. Happy Holidays to you and your loved ones from the Quiet Moose.