How to Decorate Your Home When Selling Over the Holidays

So, your house is on the market and the holidays are approaching. Do you pull out your Christmas decorations or not? How can you maintain a clean, staged home that will appeal to buyers while also maintaining family traditions and making your home feel festive?

Should you or should you not decorate your home for the holidays when you’re trying to sell it?

The short answer is yes, you should! There’s no reason your house should be void of all things festive. But, the same “rules” apply for holiday staging as they do for non-holiday staging.

Keep it minimal.

1. CLEAR THE CLUTTER

This is the number one rule for selling homes. You need to remove the clutter, and by clutter, we mean anything that isn’t screwed into the walls or absolutely necessary to be exposed. Yes, even that vintage collector set you pride yourself on. It has meaning and value to you but likely not potential buyers. So, tuck away anything on surfaces and walls that don’t need to be there.

2. LESS IS MORE

Minimal is the key word here. Don’t set up every single Christmas decoration like you do every year. If you’re still accommodating showings in December, you need to keep potential buyers’ wants and needs in mind. They need to see the space and envision their own items and even holiday decor in your home. If you cover every surface area with garland and porcelain reindeers, it will take away from the buyer's experience. 

Instead, create a few vignettes around your home in areas like the fireplace mantle. Highlight the key features of your home with your decorations. If you have high ceilings, get a tall tree, but not one that is too wide and will cover too much floor space. If you have low ceilings, you don’t want to make the space seem smaller with an oversized tree either.

3. TAKE PHOTOS BEFOREHAND

If you’re planning to put your house on the market in the next few weeks, plan to have the interior photos taken before you decorate. This will show potential buyers what your home looks like undecorated and decorated.

4. CURB APPEAL

Don’t forget about the exterior of your home. Again, keep it simple. Stick with white lights and leave the inflatables tucked away for this year (or until you sell). A nice wreath on the door can be a warm welcome to potential buyers.

5. SAVOUR THE SEASON

Selling a home can be stressful. The holidays can be stressful. But this should be a time of wonder and making memories! That’s why keeping it simple not only benefits potential buyers viewing your home, but it also benefits you! By keeping decor simple, you can relax and take in Christmas with your loved ones. Enjoy the holidays!