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Faux Garland That Doesn't Look Faux: What I'd Buy Again
The best faux Christmas garland hides three tells: uniform needles, shiny wire and one flat shade of green. Here's what I bought, what I'd repeat and what I wouldn't.
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The small things that make decorating faster, cheaper, or a lot less annoying.
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How Many Lights Your Tree Actually Needs (I Was Way Off)
I counted the lights on my own 7 ft tree and I was using less than half of what it needed. Here's the per-foot number for 6, 7 and 9 ft trees.
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How to Decorate the Wall Your TV Lives On
No fireplace, just a big black screen? Here's how to decorate around a TV for Christmas so the wall looks festive and nobody has to move a candle to watch a movie.
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How to Fluff a Fake Tree So It Stops Looking Fake
Fluffing a fake Christmas tree takes about two hours nobody warns you about. Here's the bottom to top method I use, plus the gloves I wish I'd bought sooner.
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How I Hang Outdoor Lights With Zero Holes in the House
How to hang christmas lights without nails, matched to what your house is actually made of — plus the outdoor timer that finally let me stop going outside at 11pm.
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How Much Garland You Need for a Mantel (and How to Hang It Without Nails)
The garland math I wish someone had told me: double your mantel width. Plus how to hang garland on a mantel with Command hooks and floral wire, no nails.
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Garland on a Stair Railing, Finally Done Right
My stair garland slid down overnight three years in a row. Here's the measuring trick, the tying spot, and the supplies that finally made it stay put.
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How to Keep a Real Tree Alive Past the First Week
My first real tree dropped half its needles in eight days. Here's how to keep a Christmas tree from drying out, from the fresh cut to where not to put it.
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Half My Pre-Lit Tree Went Out. Here's What Actually Fixed It
Half my pre-lit tree went dark and I almost dragged the whole thing to the curb. Here's the order I check things in now: fuse, then shunt, then bulb.
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Damage-Free Christmas Decorating for Renters
Three rentals in, here's my whole no-holes kit for renter friendly Christmas decorations, plus how to get it all down in January without peeling paint.
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Toddler-Proofing the Tree Without Making It Look Sad
The December my daughter was almost two, she pulled my tree halfway over. Here are the seven compromises I made that actually worked.
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Tree Collar or Tree Skirt? What I Switched To and Why
A skirt looks prettier under a pile of gifts. A collar survives a toddler and a dog. Here's how I picked, and how to measure your stand before you buy.
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Etsy Picks Holiday Season 2019
My 11 favorite Etsy Christmas decor picks for 2019 — a Merry Christmas sled, ice skates, gift boxes and more, most with a discount code for y'all.
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How to Decorate Your Small Space This Christmas
Seven ways to decorate a small space for Christmas without the clutter, from pencil trees and corner trees to a wall advent calendar and tiny festive touches.
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Where to Find the Best Ribbon for Your Tree
The three places I actually buy Christmas tree ribbon (Hobby Lobby, Amazon and Etsy), plus what to check so you get your money's worth on every roll.
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4 Ways to Make Any Tree Look Full
Tree looks lush on the box but full of holes once you fluff it? Here are 4 ways to make any Christmas tree look full — no trip back to the store.
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A Better Way to Hang Ornaments
Tired of tangled hooks and heavy ornaments that won't stay put? Here's how I hang ornaments with floral wire so they sit right on the branch and stay there.
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How to Add Fresh Greenery to Your Decor
Skipping the real tree? Here are 5 easy ways to add fresh greenery to your Christmas decor — and every one of them stays out of reach of pets and kids.
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How to Choose the Perfect Christmas Tree
Real, PVC, molded branch, pre-lit, flocked or pink? I did the research on all seven Christmas tree types so you can pick the perfect one for your home.
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Where to Find Fresh Greenery
Where to find fresh greenery for your holiday decor — six places I've actually shopped, from Amazon and Lowes to tree farms that deliver to your door.
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6 Ways to Hang Stockings (No Fireplace Required!)
No mantle? Same. Here are 6 ways to hang stockings without a fireplace, and some of them only need things you already have in your home.
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Guide to Useful Christmas Decor
Christmas decor starts to feel like clutter fast. Here are 8 useful Christmas decor ideas that look beautiful and actually earn their spot all season long.
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How to Keep Pets Away From Your Tree
I have two cats who didn't care how many times they got sick from chewing my tree. Here's the one spray that finally kept my pets away from it.
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How to Keep Your Greenery Fresh
Fresh greenery smells amazing, but it won't last like artificial does. Six things I do to keep Christmas greenery fresh all the way through the season.
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Everything You Need for a Glam Christmas
Love a little extra sparkle? Here are the six things I'd start with for a glam Christmas: a flocked tree, mixed metallics, faux fur and lots of glitter.
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Everything You Need for a Mid Century Modern Christmas
A silver aluminum tree, a sputnik topper, vintage style ornaments and lots of tinsel: the eight essentials for a mid century modern Christmas.
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Everything You Need for a Classic Christmas
Classic Christmas decor is red and green, velvet ribbon and poinsettias. Here are the six things I'd start with for that homey, nostalgic look.
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Everything You Need for a Farmhouse Christmas
If you love Chip and Joanna, farmhouse Christmas decor is for you! Here are the six basics I'd start with, from a flocked tree to buffalo check stockings.
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Everything You Need for a Scandinavian Christmas
Scandinavian Christmas decor is one of the easiest styles to pull off. Here are my six essentials, from a bare tree to gnomes to wool garland.
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Send Beautiful Holiday Cards, No Post Office Trip Required!
I once forgot a whole stack of Christmas cards I'd handwritten in November. Here's how I send holiday cards now without ever going to the post office.