Tips & Tricks for decorating your home for the holidays when it's on the market
1. Certain holiday decor has the potential to be distracting for potential buyers, such as family photos and heirlooms can be in the non-holiday season.
Too much holiday decor can be overwhelming to a buyer. We all have a friend that has a few too many Santa Claus figurines that end up filling the entire house and distracting from the beauty of the actual home. Just as you can get overwhelmed looking at all of the seasonal decor, too many family photos or trinkets can be a little much as well. You want the focus to be on your house, making it easier on potential buyers.
2. Holiday decor should fit the style of the home, with neutral but festive colors.
You work hard to create a home aesthetic that you can be proud of. Your holiday decor should feel the same way! Try solid-colored stockings and minimal string lights. An overly cluttered decorating style can sometimes clash with the style of your home. Remember that the holidays "extras" are not in your house throughout the year, so you want a buyer to know what your home will look like year-round!
3. To achieve great curb appeal, keep outdoor decorations simple.
First impressions are everything. Your house is beautiful, and everyone should know it! Don’t cover your listing with lights and inflatable reindeer. While this is fun for you and the family, the buyer is focused on your house, so highlight it while using decorations as a way to enhance the friendliness of your home!
4. Try not to eat up precious floor space with an oversized tree.
Keep tree size to a minimum. While having a big tree can be great, they can often make the room appear significantly smaller. A tree should add to the room, not make it uncomfortable to be in. Keep your furniture where it normally is so that buyers can get an idea of how comfortable it is in everyday life.
5. If your tree is live, clean up any needles just before showings.
Live trees shed a lot! Just like you would clean up pet hair, be sure to sweep or vacuum any loose needles or limbs. It’s unavoidable that live trees will do this. Making sure to sweep the needles up before a showing will ensure a clean and complete look to your holiday decor!
6. Choose decoration colors carefully.
Just like sticking to the style of your home, matching the color is super important. And you’re not tied to red and green. If red and green doesn’t match the existing style of your home, it may be best to use silver and gold. These are the least distracting and can also enhance the details of your current furniture/décor. Red and green accents may be your go-to, but just make sure your signature every day style can still be seen!
7. Put away or keep religious decor to a minimum.
You never know who will be walking into your open house. Never assume that they will have the same beliefs as your family. A large display of religious celebration could be the make or break for a buyer, so it is best not to introduce that variable or keep those decorations simple and subtle. This is just a safer way to go.
8. Keep holiday cards in one neat stack, not displayed.
A few pictures of you family can be great, but don’t fill your countertops with cards and pictures from everyone you know. People want to see your beautiful home and imagine their own family living in it!
9. Beauty is in the details.
Adding those little things can make a big difference. An easy idea is placing holiday hand towels in the bathroom or a couple of Poinsettia leaves in a vase! This is easy and minimalistic, without being distracting.
10. A few wrapped gifts under the tree can be tastefully done. Not too many, though.
Everyone loves guessing what gifts are under the tree, but you don’t want too many gifts that take up a lot of space. Just like the size of your tree, you don’t want to have to change how you live in the house to accommodate the holidays.
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