Top 10 Holiday Decorating Don’ts

Decorating the home for the holidays is a tradition that spans the generations, but what many people discover every year is that getting it right isn’t always as easy as it looks. In the very worst of cases, being careless with your decorating can be a risk to your family and your new home. Trusst’s home builders in Wilmington NC want to help ensure your home is safe and beautifully decorated this season, so here are the top ten holiday decorating don’ts you need to avoid.

#1 – Not Inspecting Holiday Lights

Holiday lights are only used for a few weeks out of the year. The rest of the time, they’re stowed away in a box in the garage, attic, or basement. In some cases, the light strands can suffer some damage from year to year. Common problems include frayed wires, broken bulbs and/or sockets, and faulty plugs. Don’t take for granted that your lights are safe to use.  Inspect each strand of lights thoroughly and even if they appear ok, replace them if they’re more than three years old.

#2 – Over-Decorating

With so many fancy ornaments and decorations on display at your local retailers, it can be tempting to buy a ton of decorations for your home. But, there is a fine line between a perfectly decorated home and a gaudy one. With holiday decorations, less is sometimes more and family heirloom decorations always beat out newly acquired one.

#3 – Keeping Outside Lights on All Night

It’s ok to be proud of your home and your decorating prowess, but if you leave your holiday lights on all night, you’ll not only be a neighborhood nuisance, but your energy bills will skyrocket. Use a timer on your lights so they automatically turn off at a reasonable hour. The environment and your neighbors will thank you.

#4 – Setting the Dining Table with Disposable Silverware

The holidays are often the only time of year when many families actually get together anymore. Leave the plastic silverware and paper napkins in the closet and bring out the good silverware and your china. Of course, if you’re worried about the kids breaking your good dishes, you can always deck the kids’ table out with the disposable items.

#5 – Not Branching Out Beyond Red and Green Decorations

Red and green might be the standard colors of the holidays, but adding other colors to your decorations will help diversify your home’s décor.

#6 – Avoiding Poinsettias Because You Think They’re Poisonous

Poinsettias are the season’s most popular flower, but many people won’t put them in their homes because they believe them to be poisonous. But, the truth is one has to ingest a very large amount of the flower in order for it to be toxic.

#7 – Putting the Tree Up Too Early

If you haven’t carved the turkey for Thanksgiving yet, then there is no reason for your Christmas tree to be up yet. Some families have a tradition of putting their Christmas tree up on Thanksgiving night after dinner and that is the earliest the tree should be put up.

#8 – Leaving the Tree Up Too Long

There’s nothing better than a Christmas tree in the living room, but at some point, the tree overstays its welcome. If Valentine’s Day is around the corner and your tree is still up, take it down.

#9 – Forgetting to Decorate the Powder Room

The holidays is prime time for visiting, so always make sure your powder room is well stocked with the essentials, like toilet paper, hand soap, and towels. You can also add a decoration or two in there to give it a festive touch for the holidays.

#10 – Expecting Everything to Be Perfect

Some homeowners can easily get caught up in trying to make everything “perfect” for the holidays. But, inevitably, things go wrong and for all your effort, you can’t really help some things. So, don’t get too worked up over it. Stay calm and go with the flow; you’ll wind up enjoying the holiday that much more.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays from Trusst’s Home Builders in Wilmington NC

It can be easy to fall victim to a holiday decorating disaster, but by keeping these ten things in mind, you’ll improve your chances of enjoying a beautifully-decorated home and a safe and happy holiday.

If 2015 is going to be the year you start looking for a new home, just visit Trusst Builder Group today or schedule a consultation with one of our home builders in Wilmington NC and let us help you get your search underway. Just give us a call today at 910-371-0304 to see what we have to offer. Happy Holidays from Trusst Builder Group!