Garlands and Lights and Trees, Oh My!

So what do we mean by fluffing? If you had your holiday decorations out before Halloween was over, you know what we’re talking about. But for the rest of you, fluffing means sprucing up the house so it has that holiday feel.

For many of us, the lighting and decorating of the house is a highly anticipated and enjoyable tradition. But there are other options if you don’t have enough time or you just need some help or inspiration. If you aren’t able to channel Martha Stewart (no matter how much mulled wine or spiked eggnog you drink), here are some other folks you should call to let the fluffing of your home begin.

Need a little inspiration this year? Ask an interior designer. Photo: www.vithouse.com

Bring in an Interior Designer
At this time of year, this design professional just might be worthy of wearing a super hero cape.  Whether their efforts are on a modest or grand scale, they are sure to create a holiday-scape that’s special. And their services are not just helpful for getting decorations up, but also for picking out new pillows and lamps, choosing paint colors so the house looks fresh for the Christmas family photos, and rearranging furniture to breath new energy into your room.

Enlist the Help of a Professional Organizer
You’ve got the inspiration and decorations covered, but you can’t stand to dig through another cardboard box to find what you’re looking for. Give yourself an early gift and call a professional organizer. They will help you find, unpack, and get everything assembled and hung. And even better, they come armed with their tape measure and label maker to pack things up in an organized and efficient way for next year. Oh, and they can work wonders with your Tupperware cabinet too.

Home Stager to the Rescue
What do you do when you want to enjoy the holidays but your house is on the market? A home stager can guide you through the decorating decision-making process. Stagers are a fantastic asset at any time of the year, but especially through the holidays. They can help you navigate the line between enough festive decor so that the house doesn’t feel soulless and one too many dancing Santas that could be distracting for potential buyers.

Professional Lighting Service or Trained Monkey?
Sir, put down the staple gun and step away from the ladder. If you have always dreamed of having that house that is all a twinkle with lights, à la Clark Griswold in Christmas Vacation, call a professional and save yourself a trip to the emergency room. Many landscape companies offer holiday lighting services that are well worth the investment if you are looking for the wow factor.

A Good Contractor/Handyman – Keep Them on Speed Dial
While we’re on the topic of fluffing your house for the holidays, we should probably mention routine maintenance or emergency repair, take your pick. Take advantage of these next couple weeks and winterize your house and avoid some potential problems as the temperatures drop.

This is a good time to be sure your furnace is in good working order and have it checked for carbon monoxide leaks. Also, test your smoke detectors. It’s silly that we’ll spend hours poring over catalogs and surfing Pinterest but yet we neglect to push the little test button on the detector and change out the batteries.

If you are anticipating a visit from Santa or are planning on using your fireplace, then a call to the chimney sweep should be on your To Do list as well. There’s a whole list of other areas of the home to tend to. You can read more on winterizing here.

Whether you embrace this season of holiday preparation or opt for a little help, this is a special time of year. The changing fall colors and the ceremonious switching of the thermostat from cool to heat is enough to get us in the spirit. What does this time of year mean to you? What do you do to give your home a holiday feel?

Learn more about getting your home ready for the holidays in Episode 12 of The Architecture Happy Hour podcast.