Decorating

10 Holiday Decorating Hacks We Wish We’d Known Sooner

written by EMMA GINSBERG
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Source: @ispydiy
Source: @ispydiy

In a perfect world, decorating for the holidays would be a magical experience. The tree would go up seamlessly, garlands would cascade perfectly across every surface, and all your wreaths would hang perfectly on the first try. But in reality, holiday decorating can often feel like the bane of your existence. Somehow, the lights on your tree are all wonky-looking, your garland keeps slipping off the mantel, and nothing seems to be working the way you planned. Trust me, I get it. One year while hanging ornaments, my Christmas tree literally fell on top of me. When holiday decorating starts to seem like more effort than it’s worth, it’s time to bring in reinforcement. In this case, reinforcement means the internet and its treasure trove of holiday decorating hacks that are pretty much guaranteed to make your life easier this season.

Whether you’re looking to reinforce the holiday decorations you’ve already put up or you haven’t yet gotten around to decorating, TikTok is a treasure trove of ideas for your seasonal set-up. Here are 10 holiday decorating hacks we wish we’d known sooner—and that we’ll be using for years to come.

1. Hang a garland with a curtain rod

@thekwendyhome

Here’s a Christmas decorating hack for you! Damage free garland hanging with a shower curtain rod! I had to try it for myself after seeing @Letneeutro do it! I took the shower curtain from our guest bathroom and tested this out for myself. It has held up really well! I even put my heavy Norfolk pine garlands on and it didn’t budge. This is perfect for renters and those who don’t want to put nails in their walls. And an added bonus is that you don’t get a crick in your neck or get tired arms from decorating 😅 I linked everything on my LTK in my bio. Now go forth and deck those halls. #deckthehalls #christmasdecorating #christmas #christmas2023 #christmasdecor #decorhack #decorhacks #christmashack #christmashacks #garland #christmasgarland #christmasgarlandhack #homedecor #damagefreedecor #rentalfriendlydecor

♬ Twinkling Lights (Reimagined) – Auni

If you haven’t seen this viral decorating hack yet, you’re in for a treat. Simply purchase a tension curtain rod and tighten it to the width of your hallway or doorway. Then, drape a garland (or two!) around the rod and add some string lights or ornaments for an extra festive look. Once your garland is decorated to your liking, raise the rod up to your preferred height and tighten to hang. Important safety tip: Be sure to check the weight limit on your curtain rod to ensure you don’t load it down too much.

2. String lights on your Christmas tree vertically

@casa_anguiano

the easy way to string lights on your Christmas tree! posting this early before the trees make they’re appearance 😜 #christmas #christiantiktok #christmaslights #howto #christmashack #christmastreelights

♬ original sound – Nina | Home & Style Finds

PSA: If you’re not stringing your Christmas tree lights vertically, you’re doing it wrong. This is one of those holiday decorating hacks that you’ll wish you had thought of earlier. Instead of wrapping lights around the tree in circles, string them vertically from top to bottom. This method takes way less time and is much easier to remove once it’s time to put the tree away.

3. Hang your garland with binder clips

@lemonleafhomeinteriors

🍋 Steal this garland hanging hack! Attach a binder clip to the stem of the garland and hook it over the toggle clip. You’re welcome! Find the garlands i used at the ⬇️⬇️ in my bio. #christmasdecor #holidaydecor #garland #homehack

♬ Ooh La La – Josie Dunne

Google “garland hanging hacks” and you’ll end up in some comments section or forum somewhere reading an extraordinarily heated argument about the merits and shortcomings of Command hooks. However, this particular garland hanging hack is as easy as it is practical: No matter what hooks you choose to use, secure your garland to the hooks using binder clips. This will add some extra reinforcement to prevent it from tumbling off the mantel and makes it easy to layer several garlands on top of one another for a fuller look.

4. Dress up your doorway with an ornament arch

Garlands and greenery not your thing? No problem. Instead of using foliage, dress up your doorway or archway with some hanging ornaments. To provide something to hang your ornaments on, attach some chicken wire to the ceiling using thumbtacks. Then use clear fishing line to hang ornaments at varying lengths and create a fun, arch-like effect.

5. Turn your kitchen cabinets into giant gifts

@charochelle

This makes my heart so happy 💗🎄🎀 It’s begining to look like Christmas ✨ . . Kitchen Cabinet Christmas Decor DIY Christmas Kitchen Decor Cozy Christmas Aesthetics Christmas Kitchen Christmas2023 #christmastok #christmasdecor #christmascountdown #holidaydecor #decoratewithmeforchristmas #christmasdecorationideas #cozychristmasaesthetic #apartmentchristmasdecor #christmas2023 #fyp #foryou #foryoupage #explore

♬ It’s Beginning to Look a Lot like Christmas – Michael Bublé

Since bows and ribbons are all the rage this year, why not put them on your kitchen cabinets? Make your kitchen look like it’s been gift-wrapped by buying some thick ribbon (ideally the kind that’s wired to help it in place) and taping it to your cupboards in the shape of a tied bow. You can use store-bought bows to complete the look, or tie them yourself and secure them with more tape.

6. Dress up a plain wreath with your own ornaments

@keepingitcaitlin

how I dress up my flocked wreath 🤍 such an easy holiday diy that doesnt require glue or tools! #holidaydecor #diydecor #christmaswreath

♬ original sound – keepingitcaitlin

For a budget-friendly alternative to pricey wreaths, dress up a plain one by adding some bottle brush trees, ornaments, ribbons, or even pinecones and other natural elements. Simply select the accents that you prefer—we love the color of these mini trees against a flocked wreath—and attach them to the wreath with floral wire. The final look is a totally unique wreath that you can undo and re-do year after year.

7. Hang wreaths on your windows with clear fishing line

If you’re lucky enough to have large, double-hung windows like these, definitely try out this window wreath-hanging hack. Instead of worrying about your wreaths falling or getting torn away by the wind, loop a length of ribbon around the top of the wreath and some clear fishing line around the bottom. Open the window from the top, place your wreath outside, and shut the ribbon in the window to hang it in place. Then repeat with the fishing line on the bottom to prevent the wreath from swaying. For extra security, you can even tie a knot in the ribbon to prevent it from slipping through.

8. Deck out your tree with ribbons and bows

As previously mentioned, bows are it this season, so why not use them to dress up your tree instead of traditional ornaments? Grab a few different shades of ribbon and make as many bows as your heart desires. You can either tie them directly on the tree or pre-make the bows and attach them using floral wire or ornament hooks. The result is a trend-forward tree that still has that classic holiday feel—plus, it’s cheaper than buying regular ornaments!

9. Store your holiday decor with cinnamon sticks

@megleonardco

Save your holiday decor from smelling like basement AND bring in the festive scents by storing your items with cinnamon sticks! My favorite ones are linked on my I G stories, now! #christmashack #christmasdiy #holidayhomedecor #holidaydecortips

♬ original sound – Meg Leonard Co.

Worried about your decorations getting musty when you pack them up and store them for the next year? Save yourself the stress and put some cinnamon sticks in the box with your decorations. This will ensure that when you pull out your favorite garlands, wreaths, and other decorations next year, they already smell like the holidays.

10. Make a light-up holiday cookie jar

@kelsimsavage

Gingerbread cookie jar!! I love displaying some cute gingerbread cookies in a jar for a fun holiday decoration! I added some twinkle lights to make it extra magical especially at night! Such an easy Christmas DIY! #christmas #christmasdiy #diychristmas #christmastok #christmastiktok #diycraft #holiday #christmasdecor #christmasdecorating #christmasdecorations #holidaydecor

♬ Elf – Main Theme – Geek Music

If you’re looking to make your kitchen a little more festive this holiday season, look no further than this light-up holiday cookie jar hack. String some fairy lights around a clear glass and put it in the middle of the jar. Then, fill the jar up with cookies and turn on the lights for a super fun twist on holiday treats.