Minimalist But Mighty: 3 Simple Ideas for Easy Holiday Decorating

Sometimes less really is more. This year, in an effort to keep my holiday decor minimal yet meaningful, I decided to scale back. I’m currently in my “purging of all excess” era and nothing is safe- including holiday decor. I’m craving calm and simplicity, but still wanting to create something elegant and inviting. These ideas make for easy holiday decorating that do just that.

Go Green

This one is probably obvious, but for minimal effort and maximum impact, add garland to the banister of your staircase or mantel. It’s a simple, yet effective way to create a festive statement. Especially when you keep the decor minimal everywhere else. PRO TIP: Zip ties work great at keeping garland in place on banisters. Thank me later.

The trick is to find garland that is full, easy to manipulate and most importantly, looks real. I love this Rustic Norfolk Pine and Real Touch Cedar Garland from Etsy. I know using faux greenery is divisive, but let me live my life. If you’re a girly who loves the real thing, same rules apply. Go for full, deep green needles and leaves to give peak holiday vibes.

Subtle and Small

This year, it wasn’t so much about what I could add, but what I could replace and repurpose. Items like these gold candlesticks and ceramic evergreen trees (linked several similar!) can stay up after the tree comes down. These subtle touches help to make wintery statements without having to buy more seasonal decor.

Instead of going all out with tinsel and garland on the tree, I decided to keep the decor to a minimum. Rather than putting up every single ornament, I chose ones that had the most meaning and felt the most cohesive together.

I also grabbed about 25 yards of this green velvet ribbon to make little bows. Subtle details like this add visual interest and only take about 10 minutes to create.

Keep It In the (color) Family

I feel compelled to say that I don’t think “minimal” means “neutral.” What I mean is, choose a color scheme and stick to it. Incorporate different textures, finishes and shades within that color family to give depth and breadth to seasonal decor.

Additionally, having a color scheme creates easy holiday decorating opportunities – it helps to guide purchases and refine the overall look. Keeping colors cohesive creates instant elegance and takes the guesswork out of holiday decorating.

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