Photo by Toa Heftiba via unsplash
All is merry and bright. Well, maybe not yet, but perhaps you’re getting there? If you’re in the throes of the post-Thanksgiving ramp up to Christmas and Hanukkah, we hear you! It’s full-on winter holiday decorating time for all the non-Scrooge’s out there! Every year the stores are bursting with the latest ornaments and festive trimmings that inspire you to create a winter wonderful environment in your home.
That said, some of those trimmings and decorations can not only prove to be difficult to install, but they can also leave evidence of their placement well after the holidays are over. To make these tasks less of a hassle, we suggest having these essential supplies on hand before you get up on that ladder or reach for that hammer. So, while you’re decking the halls, you’re not wrecking the walls!
Photo by Genevieve Rusnac via unsplash.
Removable adhesive hooks
This little innovation has been a game-changer when it comes to tasks that require attaching items to surfaces throughout your home all year long. This is the time of year when they are especially helpful for hanging garland swags, wreaths, and even stockings. If dressing the mantle is your goal, the pros suggest attaching the hooks at appropriate distances atop the mantle with the hooks facing the fireplace wall. Then you can easily lay your garland behind them making sure you catch a sturdy piece of the greens with the hook as you go. These hooks are also the pros’ first choice for hanging wreaths on a door directly using the hook or even securing it from the back if you turn the hook upside down on the inside of the door and use a festive ribbon laid over the top of the door to secure wreath on the other side. Fortunately, these hooks are available in various sizes, so you can even hang a string of lights directly on a wall or around a window if you wish with the smaller versions, instead of making holes in the walls with tacks or nails.
Removable poster putty
This pliable material is definitely your friend if you have kids that love applying paper snowflakes or other embellishments to windows. More good news: Putties are oftentimes reusable and come in various colors so blending with a wall color is easier if you wish to use it as an alternative to adhesive small hooks for décor. There’s even a type that is clear in color called Clear Museum Gel, specifically made for glass and crystal use.
Images courtesy of quillingcard.com.
Hot glue gun
Pros use this device in tandem with adhesive hooks when attaching garland to exterior brick surfaces, as it provides a secure hold on a porous surface, but the glue can be peeled off when it’s time to remove the decoration after the holidays.
Photo by Caleb Fisher via unsplash.
Zip ties
Find the most festive ribbon to go with your holiday theme and affix garland to your stair banister first with the ties and then cover each tie with the ribbon. The pros swear by this method as the most secure, non-invasive application.
Image courtesy of homeyohmy.com
Washi tape
this colorful alternative to masking tape, can really come in handy for a variety of uses around your home during the holidays. It comes in many colors and holiday themes, and when removed it leaves no marks or residue. Because it is strong yet easily removable, some DIYers are even using it directly on the wall to create displays in smaller spaces where there’s no room for a tree.
Image courtesy of greenstreetgardens.com.
Velcro
An oldie but still a goodie, Velcro, is the ultimate holiday card display perfecter. When used as a strip around a doorway or fireplace you can create a clever garland of cards. And the coin-sized Velcro circle works wonders affixing smaller decorative items like bows and balls to mantle-top and stairway displays.
Ultimate Holiday Light Hack
If you’re a home holiday decorating pro, there is one hack you’re not going without these days—adding timers to your holiday light displays. Technology has made it easier than ever to cease pulling the plug one-by-one, or even thinking about your lights after you initially set them up. Simply plug in and program with an on and off time, and you’re done—until after New Year’s that is, when everything needs to go back up to the attic!
So, let’s get peeling, puttying, and putting those creative talents to good use as we spruce up our homes for the holidays!
