It doesn’t feel like Christmas until your house is decorated. The only problem is, it takes quite a bit of planning — and money — to make the place sparkle like you want it to. Not everyone has the time or budget to make a complete Christmas overhaul possible, but don’t worry: there’s good news to be had. So many holiday decorators before you have found ways to decorate that are both functional and festive, and many of them won’t break the bank, either.

So, before you whip out a stack of cash to turn your home into a wintry wonderland, read the following five tips. You might just find you can do it in a way that’s smart, simple and oh-so-beautiful.

PIN THIS: Festive and Functional Holiday Decorating Tips

1. Set the Scene With Scents

When you smell a pine tree during spring, where does your mind immediately transport you? Christmas. That’s because scents are so intertwined with your emotions and memories. The way you feel at Christmas — that joy, excitement and love — can be switched on with a scent.

So, a quick and easy way to get everyone in the holiday spirit is to make your home smell like Christmas. If you buy a live tree every year, that’s immediately going to freshen your home and give it that classic Christmastime aroma; fresh garland and wreaths will have the same effect.

Candles, scent diffusers and potpourri can also do the trick. Find ones made with aromas that remind you of the holidays — chances are, you can branch out from pine scent here, too. Items fragranced to smell like cinnamon, cookies or peppermint will be just as festive.

2. Reuse Old Ornaments

Perhaps you’ve switched up the color scheme of your Christmas tree or gone with a neater, classier set of ornaments to replace the kiddie ones you had before. Either way, you have old ornaments lying around and you’re not quite sure what to do with them.

All you need are glass vases or a set of apothecary jars and a set of old ornaments. Simply fill the vases, place them on your countertop and voila: you’ve just made one of the simplest holiday decorations for your kitchen out there. Plus, you’ve repurposed an otherwise unused decoration you had in your basement or attic, which makes it extremely functional, too.

3. Wrap Your Pillows

The square-shaped throw pillows on your couch could use a little festive update — and buying a brand-new set of holiday-themed covers isn’t in the cards. You can still spruce them up with a little bit of ribbon. Wrap each cushion with ribbon as if it is a very special parcel, tying a bow at the center of your strings. You can make each one look the same, or get different-colored cuts of ribbon for each one; either way, your couch will be Christmas-ready in minutes.

4. Set Interiors Alight

When it comes to holiday twinkle lights, they’re usually found in one or two places: on your tree, and/or on the façade of your home. But these little lights create such a cozy, fun, festive vibe that they should be part of your home’s interior design scheme, too.

In fact, strings of twinkle lights are one of the simplest ways to infuse even the smallest apartment with holiday spirit. They are lightweight, thin strings of twinkle that can bedeck doorways or hang from curtain rods. You can use them to highlight your mantle, wrap your bedpost, snake up your stairway banister… no matter where you put holiday lights, they’ll add instant festiveness without a taxing effort to put them in place.

5. Repurpose Mother Nature’s Décor

Mother Nature gives us Christmas trees, and she gives us the snow that makes everything feel wintry and perfect for the big day. Don’t stop there, though: so many more natural elements can be easily incorporated into your holiday décor scheme, and you can probably find some of them in your own back yard.

Fallen treeless branches, for example, can be painted in a festive or glittery hue, placed in vases by the bunch and made into a bona fide Christmas accessory. You can do the same with pinecones, which can then be made into ornaments or shiny tabletop centerpieces. To that end, you can DIY so many Christmas centerpieces with natural elements, including evergreen branches, acorns, berries… let nature inspire you.

Oh, and you can’t forget the mistletoe, either. That’s another leafy green that shines a spotlight on love, which is what the season’s all about. Hang a bunch in your most heavily trafficked doorway and let the hugs and kisses fly.

‘Tis the Season For Simple

If the above tips prove anything, it’s that you don’t have to over-complicate your decorating routine. Simple, easy-to-execute decorations are just as festive as their over-the-top counterparts. And, with a more functional set of go-to decorations, you’ll only look forward to decking the halls every year because it’s easy, stress-free and fun — and that’s what the season is all about.  

About the Author: Kacey is a lifestyle blogger for “The Drifter Collective.” Throughout her life, she has found excitement in the world around her. Kacey graduated with a degree in Communications while working for a lifestyle magazine. She has been able to fully embrace herself with the knowledge of nature, the power of exploring other locations, cultures, and styles, while communicating these endeavors through her passion for writing and expression. Her love for the world around her is portrayed through her visually pleasing, culturally embracing and inspiring posts.

The Drifter Collective: An eclectic lifestyle blog that expresses various forms of style through the influence of culture and the world around us. Follow on Twitter , Pinterest , Instagram

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