Tips to Decorate for the Holidays Without Ruining Your Walls, Flooring, Windows

To begin protecting your home this holiday season like Christmas, begin by hanging or displaying all of your decorations safely and without causing damage. And when the time comes to remove them, proceed slowly and carefully. These holiday decorating tips will demonstrate how to make your home feel festive and bright without wreaking havoc on your flooring, walls, windows, or woodwork.

Without proper care, your elegantly decorated Christmas tree can cause significant damage to your floors. Often constructed of hard plastic or metal, the tree stands that support these imposing evergreens can permanently indent carpet or scratch hardwood and other types of flooring. To rebalance the weight and protect your carpeting, place your tree in a large, sturdy basket or use a piece of plywood as a base beneath the tree stand. Wrap the plywood in a tree skirt or wrap it as a present to give it a festive appearance. Protect other types of flooring from scratches by placing a non-skid mat beneath the tree. If you have a live tree, choose a waterproof material that protects your floors from water and sap.

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Avoid the hassle of hanging decorations with nails or screws that leave unsightly holes. Rather than that, use removable, self-adhesive hooks or hanging strips, that attach securely to the wall and are easily removed. To avoid your decorations collapsing, always use hangers that are rated for the weight of the item you’re displaying and thoroughly clean the wall or other surface prior to adhesion. Always remember to avoid using duct tape, double-sided tape, or other adhesive products that are not intended for use on walls. These can be challenging to remove and may leave a sticky residue or even peel away paint.

Garlands can be quite substantial, especially when embellished with ornaments, pinecones, ribbon, and other embellishments. Consider simply snaking the garland across the top of the mantel when decorating your fireplace to avoid the need for additional reinforcement. If you prefer to drape your garland across the front of the mantel, gather enough clear fishing line and self-adhesive hangers to support the garland’s weight. Attach the hangers to the top of the mantel, not across the front, for added support, and loop the fishing line around the garland to hang. This reduces the strain on the hangers, which decreases the likelihood of your garland falling. Consider using zip ties to easily secure the garland to the banisters without damaging the railing.

While glitter adds a festive touch to ornaments and other holiday decor, the effect is diminished when you’re still picking sparkles from your carpet months later. To prevent glitter from strewing throughout your home, seal your sparkling baubles with a clear acrylic sealer before hanging them on the tree. In a pinch, a light coat of hairspray will suffice. Allow to completely dry prior to decorating.

By dressing up your windows, you can showcase your holiday décor for the entire neighborhood to see. Never use nails or screws directly around windows to secure wreaths and other decorations, as this can allow moisture or cold air to permeate the frame. Additionally, avoid tape, stickers, and anything else that may leave a sticky residue. For a simple, damage-free hanging method, use suction cup-attached hooks ($3, Michaels). Another option is to install self-adhesive, removable hooks above the window frame and then hang the decoration using a clear fishing line.