The holidays are right around the corner, and for many of us, that means it’s time to “deck the halls” and start decorating your apartment for the season! You don’t have to be a “Master of Merry” to give your apartment some holiday sparkle – simple changes can make a big difference with just a little effort. Use these tips to get maximum impact (with minimal effort).

Swap Out Your Fabrics

Swapping out the fabric accents we all have around our homes is one of the simplest holiday decoration modifications to make. Switch out your couch pillows and dish towels to add modest festive touches to your home that can simply change with the seasons and holidays. Welcome visitors to your home with a festive doormat! Change the color of your throw blankets or even your curtains to match the season and to help tie your apartment’s design together.

Protect Your Walls

Command strips are an apartment resident’s best friend! By now, everyone knows command strips can be used to hang pictures and decorations without needing to put holes in your wall, perfect for decorating your apartment and saving your security deposit! Another great tool is door hangers. These can easily be found in the bathroom aisle at your local store and are great for hanging wreaths on the exterior or interior doors. They will withstand the weather better than a command strip, such as rain and snow, and can be reused year after year.

Use Practical Items

Clutter is one of the most difficult things to cope with while decorating an apartment. We want beautiful holiday displays on every horizontal surface, but pumpkins and miniature snowman statues can quickly overwhelm us. One suggestion is to decorate with products that you actually use, so that the holiday cheer also serves a practical purpose! Themed plates, cups, cookie jars, placemats, and other kitchen items add decorative touches and can be used during holiday parties. Seasonal coffee cups can be used for coffee, hot chocolate, or apple cider and can be left on the counter for décor.

Be Smart About Storage

It can be tough to find storage in your apartment at any time of year, and storing holiday decorations is no exception. Keeping storage in mind while shopping for decorations is always a good place to start. Ask yourself, can this item collapse, nest or stack easily so it takes up less room? Use the fabric items mentioned in our first tip, such as dish towels and blankets, to wrap more fragile items to avoid chipping and breaking. Consider multi-use products that can be switched out for different seasons and holidays, such as door wreaths that can have their decorations removed and replaced to suit the season.

Above all, the most important thing to remember is to decorate to make yourself happy and as a way to celebrate the holidays. Decorating should be fun, not a chore! So pull out your favorite things and spread some cheer.