Seasonal Decorating Tips:

  ( Photos: MaddiebellaHome)

As the seasons turn, we all run into our storage spaces to pull 

out our decor bins, and busily get to work transforming our homes into

what often looks like one of the seasonal decor aisles at the home decor store.

Here in So Cal, we often find ourselves creating a "winter wonderland"

under 90 degree temps.  But, not even summer-like heat will stop the avid

home decor enthusiast from decorating for the seasons.

And while seasonal decorating is fun, it can be a daunting task that is 

both time consuming and costly.  However, there are ways to eliminate 

seasonal decor stress and cost by following some simple tips.

Here are a few tips that will certainly keep your decorating stress levels at bay

and save your pocketbook from emptying.

#1 Storage:

Proper storage is key when it comes to decor.

Decor pieces will accumulate fast, and if you are not careful,

you might find yourself stuffing decor items in various closets within your home 

making it nearly impossible to recall where these pieces are come time to decorate.

Plastic bins are the most efficient way in which to store decor.  For one, 

they are easy to transport from one place to another around your home as you decorate.  Plastic bins

also keep your items secure and free from damage specially if you 

are storing them in your garage our outdoor shed.

#2 Label Your Bins:

Not remembering where you've place a specific decor item

from the previous year is extremely annoying and time consuming when 

you are in decor mode.  I don't know about you, but as a busy mom, I utilize the time 

my daughter is in school to get as much done when it comes to seasonal decorating; and as we 

all know, a busy mom's day goes by rather quickly.  This is where labeling your bins is a crucial step 

in keeping your seasonal decorating stress free, efficient, and easily recognizable when you are in hurry.

Whether you buy seasonal colored bins or see through ones, 

be sure to label them according to season.  This will keep your 

contents organized especially when you have little helpers helping you

put things away after each season/holiday.

#3 Shop Smart  (when it comes to seasonal decor)

Shopping for seasonal decor is fun, overwhelming at times, and costly, so shop smart!

  
Purchase items that are transitional, and will carry you from season to season.  Faux spring flowers can easily be reused in fall  by placing them as part of a farmhouse fall vignette.

                        spring                                                                                         fall

                                                                                     
                                                       

• Purchase pieces that can be transformed: whether by paint, fabric, or other craft medium. For example, if buying pumpkins for Halloween, keep them around for Thanksgiving by giving them a coat of fresh creamy white paint.  In this foyer vignette by MaddiebellaHome, creamy white paint transformed this clear mason jar in to a muted tone "vase."

 

• Don't purchase costly decorative pillows for each season.   Instead, invest in various seasonal fabrics and pillow inserts.  Wrap your pillows according to the seasons. Store bought decorative seasonal pillows can be very costly so this will save you quite a few dollars in the long run. 

 

   

• DIY...Don't be afraid to make some of your own decor items.  Purchase inexpensive pieces of wood at your local home improvement store.  Have them cut, and paint your own seasonal wood signs.  You don't have to be an artist to create a beautiful, rustic sign.  There are plenty of tutorials online that provide step by step instructions on making your own wood sign.  These wood signs by MaddiebellaHome are available in the MaddiebellaHome Etsy store.

Winter

                                    Summer

 #4 Keep your designs cohesive

Let's face it, when it comes to seasonal decor, home stores and local crafts shops

over represent.  If pumpkins is what you are looking for...pumpkins you shall have.  

From glitter to polka dot, to chevron, there are pumpkins for every taste. With an 

overabundance of product comes the temptation of buying one, or two, or three of EVERYTHING!!!

Before you start filling your shopping cart, consider the look you are hoping to achieve. Once you have identified your desired theme or style, I suggest you stay consistent and keep things cohesively tied to your overall style/theme.  While a mishmosh of pieces might look good in that Halloween aisle at the decor store, 

it won't necessarily look good in your home.  Keeping the overall theme cohesive throughout your space 

will actually allow your theme to come to life in a more subtle, elegant, and organized fashion.

As seen in this Christmas Master Bedroom design 

by MaddiebellaHome, the design is repetitive both in texture as well as in the color palette. The small grape wreaths on the wall compliment the weaved bed basket, and the reds and golds are visible in the fabric of the pillows, ribbons, and in the painted wood sign.

So now that summer is officially coming to and end,

 and you set forth to decorate for the fall and winter seasons,

use these simple tips to make your seasonal decorating a stress free, 

and inexpensive labor of love that won't overwhelm you, and most importantly, 

one that you will enjoy.

Make it fun!

XX,

Betty 

** All photographs in this blog post are property of MaddibellaHome 

Do not reproduce or use without permission.