Holiday Decorating Tips for Des Moines Apartment Dwellers

Winter is upon us and it’s often dreary outside. But you can bring some winter cheer to your apartment by creating a magical holiday setting. With a little creativity, you can transform your space into a winter wonderland in no time. 

Tree Wisdom

Instead of buying a full-size tree to fill half your living room, consider a miniature tree. You might even get a regular tree dealer to sell you just the tree top that, with the right decorations, can look like a charming Christmas tree more reminiscent of the Rockefeller Center tree than a Charlie Brown tree.  

Another way to bring the feeling of a Christmas tree into your home without actually using a tree is to collect branches and showcase them in pretty vases or jars. Clip some bird ornaments to the branches and scatter some pine cones around the base for some outdoor inspiration. Or, hang miniature ornaments from the branches and place tiny wrapped boxes around the vase for a small-scale traditional look. Don't forget other greenery like garlands. Add one to your mantel or around door frames. Grab a handful of small branches and use a nice ribbon to tie them to the tops of gathered drapery for a sweet, subtle effect. 

Light it Up

String twinkle lights on your ceiling, the edges of a table or around windows. They’ll give off a festive glow, and are nice for lighting the apartment when you turn your main lights off. You can also scatter candles around the living room to give more ambient light. Better yet, get electric candles and then you don't have to worry about them if you fall asleep watching "It's A Wonderful Life."

Re-thinking Ornaments

Using ornaments on more than the tree can be delightful too. Gather matching ornaments to hang or set in various places around your home. Perhaps those gold and red balls would be elegant strung together with pretty ribbon and hung from your chandelier. If you have several snowflake ornaments, you can use fishing line to hang them from the ceiling so they hover overhead.

Another option to turn the ordinary into extraordinary holiday decor is to wrap any pictures or paintings hanging on your wall so they look like presents. Remember to use products that attach to the walls and ceilings without harming them.

Go beyond traditional decorating and create your own look that brings warmth and winter cheer to your apartment home.  Have some holiday decorating tips? Share them in the comments.