by Amanda Gates
Gates Interior Design
For most of us, the thought of entertaining can turn us into a tail spin, but the thought of holiday decorating and entertaining plummets us into a nose dive of stress. Thanks in part to the perfection seen in magazines and websites, we have become conditioned to strive for perfection, forgetting entirely that the purpose for holiday gatherings is to have fun and enjoy the festivities.
The biggest trend for this fall/winter season is getting back to basics. Carried over from last year, it is all about blending old with new, getting away from mass produced products, and focusing on homemade. To help make your holidays effortless, be sure to have a few staples on hand that can be used over and over for the next few months. Whether that be dishes, napkins, or staple foods, have those items in close proximity and ready to use.
The art of effortless decorating is in the planning stages. Plan ahead. And I don’t mean Martha Stewart planning. I’m talking normal people planning. For those of you who don’t know, normal people planning is a legitimate quick list on a posty note (that is sure to get lost, buried in your purse, or stuck to your pant leg) but will eventually get you going in the right direction! A quick list is made by filing through everything you have, or may not have, creating a list of what you need and then trying to make do with as little purchasing as possible.
In order to make that list, here are five main areas to decorate for the holidays:
Front Porch
The holidays truly are a magical time of year. Make your decorations work for you through all three holidays and get creative with what you have. It truly is a time of harvest, family and friends. Rather than spending countless hours decorating, spend more time enjoying those closest to you.