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Artificial Christmas tree smells musty? Here's how to fix it
A musty artificial tree almost always means it got damp in storage. Air it out, dust it dry, check for mold, and change how you store it so it doesn't happen again.
54 posts
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The small things that make decorating faster, cheaper, or a lot less annoying.
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Outdoor Christmas lights tripping the GFCI when it rains? Here's how I find the problem
Why outdoor Christmas lights trip the GFCI every time it rains, how to find the bad connection in about 20 minutes, and the fixes that keep them on.
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How to transition from fall to Christmas decor without starting over
My rule for going from fall to Christmas: keep the green, wood, brass and cream, pull anything orange or harvest, and swap rooms porch first, table last.
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Flocked tree shedding: how to stop the mess (mostly)
Some flocked tree shedding is normal, but you can cut it way down: set it up once on a sheet, handle it less, skip the hairspray, and store it right.
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How long does a fresh wreath last outside?
A fresh wreath lasts about 4 to 6 weeks outside in cool shade, longer in real cold, and 2 to 3 weeks in warm sun. How to tell it's done and make it last.
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How many lights for outdoor bushes (a chart by bush size)
Plan about 100 mini lights for every 10 square feet of bush, or one 4x6 net per 3 ft shrub. A size chart, net light math, and spacing so bushes look even.
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How many ornaments for a Christmas tree (the per-foot number I use)
Plan on 15 standard ornaments per foot, so about 105 on a 7 ft tree. Here's my height table and what makes the number go up or down.
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How much garland do I need? The math for doors, mantels and stairs
How much garland you need for a front door, a mantel and a stair railing, with the formula for each, a lookup table, and how many 9 ft pieces to buy.
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How much ribbon you need for a Christmas tree (by height and style)
About 3 yards per foot of tree for a wrapped ribbon look, so 23 yards on a 7.5 ft tree. Here's the table by height and style, plus which width to buy.
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How to add picks to a flocked tree without snow all over the floor
Adding picks to a flocked tree: match the flock finish, push stems in at the pole, wrap them on a sturdy branch, and never bend the flocked tips to make room.
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How to fix a leaning Christmas tree (real or artificial)
Most leaning trees aren't seated flat or got tightened unevenly. How to fix a lean in a real or fake tree: re-seat, shim the stand, re-cut, and anchor it.
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How to hang a wreath on a glass storm door
Five ways to hang a wreath on a glass storm door: over-the-top hangers, suction cups, magnets, ribbon, or the inside door. Plus why fresh wreaths brown behind glass.
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How to hide Christmas tree cords (without hiding them under the rug)
Run one green cord up the trunk, out the back, and along the wall to a remote outlet. My step-by-step for hiding Christmas tree cords, plus what never to do.
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How to keep a tree topper straight all season
A leaning tree topper is almost always a too-thin top branch. Brace it with a dowel and zip ties, tuck the battery pack low, and wire bows to the pole.
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How to make faux garland look fuller (without buying a new one)
Thin faux garland looks fuller when you fluff it in three directions, layer a second garland, tuck in 20 to 25 stems per 9 feet, and add more lights.
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One bulb out and the whole strand of lights won't work? Here's why (and the fix)
Why one missing or bad bulb can take out a whole string of Christmas lights, and the order I fix it in: fuse, loose bulb, then a light tester. Plus when to toss it.
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Pre-lit tree section won't light? Check the pole connection first
When one section of a pre-lit tree stays dark, it's usually the connection between sections. How to reseat, rotate, and check the pole connector first.
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Pre-lit vs unlit Christmas tree: the honest tradeoffs
Pre-lit saves you an evening every year, but the lights usually give out before the tree does. Here's how I decide, and the light count to check first.
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Real tree won't fit in the stand? Don't shave the trunk
If your real tree won't fit in the stand, don't whittle the sides of the trunk. Cut off the lowest branches, take more off the bottom, or get a stand that fits.
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Warm white vs cool white Christmas lights: which one I'd pick for your tree
Warm white is about 2700K to 3000K and glows gold. Cool white is about 5000K and up and reads icy blue. Which to pick for gold, silver, flocked, or green trees.
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What order to decorate a Christmas tree (and when the topper goes on)
Fluff, lights, topper, ribbon, picks, big ornaments, small ornaments, skirt. Here's the order I use and why the topper goes on earlier than you think.
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What size Christmas tree fits an 8 foot ceiling?
A 7 ft tree is the safe pick for an 8 ft ceiling if you use a topper, 7.5 ft if you don't. Here's the math, a table for 9 and 10 ft ceilings, and width.
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What size tree skirt do I need? Measure the tree, not the box
Most full 7.5 ft trees need a 56 to 60 inch skirt, not the 48 inch most charts say. Here's how to measure, a size chart, and how to size a collar.
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What size wreath for a front door? The two-thirds rule
A 24 inch wreath fits a standard 36 inch front door. Here's the two-thirds rule, a size chart for narrow, wide and double doors, and windows.
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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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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.