Tips for Holiday Prep

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It’s not too early to get excited!

It’s time to start dreaming and envisioning your holiday home.

It is too early to be overwhelmed.

Here’s the kicker - there are no standards/requirements that you and your home are held to. Some years your home may be festive from top to bottom with little bits of magic everywhere and some years you may stick to the basics. Whatever your approach, it needs to fit the actual season of life you’re in now… not where you want to be or where you used to be.

Things to consider in preparing your home for the holiday season: will you primarily be home or traveling lots, do you have pets in the home, does your decor need to be kid-friendly, what’s your budget for new decor, how much time do you want to spend decorating and packing away items.

Trends are fun but traditions, family keepsakes, and classic treasures are timeless.

Instead of changing your entire style each year, pick a few areas to keep flexible so you can experiment with new or unique styles like your front door wreath, table centerpiece, or mantle decor. Leave the rest alone! If it’s not broke, don’t fix it. It can actually create more of a burden instead of fun if it gets too complicated.

If your holiday decor features a collection of specific items, choose whether you’d like to let it have center stage or disperse throughout the house for a cohesive feel room to room. Challenge yourself to only add 1 to 2 pieces to your collection each year, and let it grow over time.

Browse your Pinterest or IG feed for inspiration. But be careful not to get sucked into comparison mode. The best holiday decor for you, is what works for your life & your home.

for the love of inspiration

Design Decor Knoxville

Terrain Garland + Ribbon

Tinsel Tree + Vintage Ornaments by Atta Girl Saysa

Photo Frame Stocking Holder by Magnolia

Pick a few designers/brands/stores you LOVE and enjoy the displays they share without giving into the pressure to “copy” exactly what they do. You could schedule to go walk around a few local stores when they bring out their holiday decor, just for fun. Pause before you purchase - just take it all in & make note of what catches your eye and what will work with your current decor. A few local spots we love: Finch Table & Home, Design Decor, Glitterville, Bradley’s, and even KARM Christmas can be a fun place to shop for vintage or unique items.

Before you buy, pull out what you have and take inventory. Challenge yourself to let go of the items you haven’t used in the last couple of years. When our team helps clients with holiday prep or takedown, we always pack away unused items and label them with the last year they were used.

As far as setting up & staying organized…
here are some tools & solutions for setting up & storing.

Ready to get started?

Schedule your holiday prep & takedown services now! Whether you do it on your own, with family, or our team. Putting it on your calendar helps you commit and plan ahead.

Blending the Old + New

Tradition

Let’s face it, the calendar can easily fill up with holiday events and before you know it you are running from one to the next trying to keep up. Instead of saying yes to all of it, sit down with your family and take an honest look at the calendar. Prioritize the events or gatherings that are most important, create margin, and leave room for unexpected fun to pop up. Our scruffy city has SO many seasonal events going on, if you are looking to add a new tradition to your holiday season - check this out. Honor the season you are in by remembering traditions from your childhood and implementing new ones that fit your current season. Some people you may want to include in new traditions: elderly neighbors, classmates, co-workers, members of a social group you are a part of.

2022 Ornament Exchange.

Idea from Jess- Invite friends over for a white elephant ornament exchange! Our friends look forward to this every year, it never disappoints. Early December, pick a night and grab a couple bottles of wine & some simple dessert. The host will provide matching gift bags & tissue paper for as many guests are coming. As each person arrives, they place their unwrapped ornament in a bag and put it under the tree. Draw numbers for the order of choosing & opening a gift. Allow each ornament to be stolen up to 3x before it is frozen, but the person who drew # 1 gets a chance to steal any opened (unfrozen) ornament at the end. It’s so fun and everyone leaves with a new ornament!

Decoration

There is no need to buy an entire array of new holiday decor every year. It’s fun to incorporate a new accent or special item every season, but your collection and taste will grow and be refined as the years go by. You may want to use more kid friendly decor while you have littles in the home, and if your household is more mature you can venture into the land of breakables and beautiful collectibles. Bringing the outside in can create a natural winter-y feel to your tablescape or mantle. If you enjoy crafting, make a simple yet festive holiday paper chain to add some whimsy to your living space.

Idea from Katie- I follow a handful of artists who create and sell hand painted ornaments each year. I anticipate the release of these collections each year, watching my email and social media for alerts becuase they often sell out quickly. This is a way to support small businesses and independent artists while slowly adding unique and meaningful pieces to my ornament collection over the years. A few I love are hand painted ceramic ornaments from artists: Cocoshalom and Lucy Reiser. Bradley’s usually carries hand painted ornaments made by Milk Moon House each year, Gather and Finch sell ornaments created by Jenny Parkhurst Designs.

Lucy Reiser Fine Art

Milk Moon House @ Bradley's

Cocoshalom Ornaments

Jenny Parkhurst Designs

Mindset

While the holidays are a time of joy & festivities, they can also bring a sadness of loved ones who are no longer present, seasons of life that are behind us, and the yearnings of our heart not yet realized. Laugh with your family and friends about memories from Christmases past and take a stroll down memory lane by looking through old photos. Be gentle to yourself and those around you - the holidays can bring a dynamic mix of emotions and memories. Take a walk, step outside, light a candle, do what you need to do to slow down in the midst of the hustle & bustle.

Idea from Taryn- Before anyone else in her house is awake, Taryn finds a spot to enjoy an Advent reading. Beginning the day in this way helps keep her heart and mind centered on what matters most. It is an act of rebellion against jumping into task mode first thing in the morning. The rest of the day may be chaotic or busy, but these quiet moments in the dark of the morning are full of stillness and calm. Advent resources to note: Preparing for Jesus by Walter Wangerin Jr., Advent Blocks for kids from Good Kind, The Advent Book- Heirloom Edition by Jack & Kathy Stockman, and Winter Fire: Christmas with G.K. Chesterson.

Another way to keep a healthy and grounded mindset is to focus on the needs of others. Here’s a few ways you could do that:

• Participate in Salvation Army’s Angel Tree Program

• Give to the Empty Stocking Fund

• Provide gifts to the Helen Ross McNabb Dear Santa Program

• Choose from opportunities to serve seniors with the CAC Office on Aging

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Savoring the Season: Simplify Your Celebration

Hosting can be stressful. The familiar worries always seem to creep in: "Do I have enough food? Is the table set perfectly? Have I accommodated everyone? Is everyone having fun? Am I even having fun??" 

The list of worries seems never-ending, and if you've ever played the role of the host, you've likely felt the nagging sense of worry that threatens to overshadow the joy of being surrounded by our loved ones. Well I am here to remind you, a shared meal or any gathering for that matter doesn't need to be fancy or stressful – It's about connecting, sharing stories, and creating lasting memories.

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The key to an enjoyable gathering lies in simplifying the process. You don't need to strive for perfection or overwhelm yourself with the details. Instead, focus on the privilege of being able to gather with loved ones, an experience that should never be taken for granted.

Space Planning: 

Before you start setting the table and sending out invitations, begin with a practical task that will ease the overall process. Take the time to declutter and organize your pantry, fridge, and freezer. Clear out expired snacks and consider using those bags of frozen veggies to create a hearty stew or use the frozen fruit in your holiday pie. By freeing up this space, you'll not only make the day of your gathering less stressful but also ensure there's plenty of room to store leftovers!

Help You Dwell - Organize

At a recent project, our team had the pleasure of working with a client who frequently hosts and caters to large groups. Our goal was to set up this space to streamline her collection of baking & cooking supplies within her pantry. We were able to optimize this space ensuring that everything is accessible and thoughtfully arranged, just in time for the holiday season!

Embrace what you have: 

You don't need excessive decor or an elaborate tablescape to impress your guests. When it comes to holiday decor, less is often more. Start by choosing a simple and cohesive 'scheme' for your decorations. This can be as simple as selecting a color palette or a specific theme that resonates with the holiday spirit you wish to convey.

Skip the clutter! Avoid the temptation to clutter your space with unnecessary decorations. Overloading your home with seasonal decor can not only be overwhelming to the eye but can also make hosting more complicated. My favorite simple way to decorate your holiday tablescape is to take a step outside and scavenge for wildflowers, branches or dried leaves!

Whether you collect a few branches of evergreen, arrange acorns in a glass jar, or create a centerpiece with dried leaves, the simplicity of nature can be beautiful. These elements can be easily collected, and when the festivities are over, they can be returned to the great outdoors - now that’s an easy clean up! Remember: the key to a memorable holiday gathering lies in the warmth of your hospitality and the joy of your company. Simplify your decor, relax, and enjoy the festivities.

Let your friends help you:

Don't bear the full weight of hosting on your shoulders. Instead, invite your guests to participate and share in the responsibilities. After all, everyone has a favorite dish, and every good guest wants to contribute in some way. As the host, it's perfectly acceptable to delegate tasks!

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By involving your guests in this way, you not only reduce your personal burden but also enhance the sense of togetherness and shared accomplishment. Hosting a memorable gathering becomes a collective effort, making the experience more enjoyable and meaningful for everyone involved.

Hosting should be a joyous and heartwarming experience, not a daunting or overwhelming one. By focusing on what truly matters – the connections we forge and the love we share – you can create a gathering that everyone will treasure. So, release the burden of perfection and enjoy the journey of hosting, a privilege that brings people closer and creates beautiful memories to cherish for years to come.

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The holiday hustle and bustle can sometimes get the best of us, but having a plan and keeping things simple can bring calm to the chaos of holiday party planning. If you need someone to help bring it all together, Help You Dwell would love to assist you in preparing your home for your next event.

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We’ve still got availability on our calendar to schedule your holiday prep + takedown services this year. 

Let us Help You Dwell this holiday season.

Glad Tidings

We want to wish you all holiday season full of comfort & joy. For those of you celebrating Christmas, we hope it’s one full of peace & celebration. Enjoy this beautiful Christmas poem from Madeleine L’Engle…

He did not wait till the world was ready,
till men and nations were at peace
He came when the Heavens were unsteady
and prisoners cried out for release.

He did not wait for the perfect time.
He came when the need was deep and great.
He dined with sinners in all their grime,
turned water into wine. He did not wait

till hearts were pure. In joy he came
to a tarnished world of sin and doubt.
To a world like ours, of anguished shame
He came, and his Light would not go out. 

He came to a world which did not mesh,
to heal its tangles, shield its scorn.
In the mystery of the Word made Flesh
the Maker of the stars was born.

We cannot wait till the world is sane
to raise our songs with joyful voice,
for to share our grief, to touch our pain,
He came with Love: Rejoice! Rejoice!