Hello and happy THURSDAY, friends!
It’s another edition of SHAY’S WAYS!
On Tuesday, Andrew and I both took the day off of work to celebrate and/or suffer through our annual holiday decorating day!
I mean…if I’m being honest, when the day was all said and done, I told him it was our best yet.ย If 22 years of marriage has taught us anything it’s how to put up our holiday decorations more and more efficiently each year (and cry and curse less too! ๐ ).
As you know, I love, love, LOVE having my fall and then holiday decorations up.ย If I could live 365 days a year with pumpkins and twinkle lights and not be harshly judged by society, I would.
As you also know, I very much live by this quote…
…I am a person who is always seeking joy and thus, my decorations are nothing short of obnoxious.
Exhibit A.
All of that to say, on the flip side, I often get to hop up to my favorite little island…
…and add a little holiday love in under an hour.ย And guess what?ย That gives me joy too!
Whether I’m spending an entire day decorating or 45 minutes, there is just something oh so HAPPY to me about adding a little bit of seasonal love into my spaces each year.
Thus, I thought I could share a few tips on how I make my annual decorating days a bit more organized, enjoyable, fun, easier, and happy.
Whether I’m…
…doing a huge amount or…
…just adding a few tweaks.
I have 10 TIPS FOR MAKING YOUR {HOLIDAY} DECORATING DAY EASIER to share and then of course, I hope you share your ideas too!
As silly as it is, decorating your house for something special (like a holiday) can bring you joy or bring you grief…so let’s prep for the former and minimize the latter.
Here we go…
#1: CLEAR THE TIME FRAME
Whether you’re putting out a few items and it will only take you 30 minutes or if you’re going to spend several hours (or all day) on the decorating, clear that time on your calendar.ย Stopping and starting any home project because of interruptions is not only inefficient but it makes the project seem much more like a “chore” because you have to keep going back to it.ย Do yourself a favor and not only clear your schedule, but don’t stop what you’re doing to check email or texts or answer calls that aren’t necessary.ย Focus, focus, focus.
#2: WEAR THE RIGHT CLOTHES
Call me crazy, but I simply can’t do home projects of any kind in denim.ย Ha!ย I need a stretchy legging or cotton pair of shorts that I can MOVE around in.ย I need my hair pulled up and out of my face.ย I need said clothing to contain a nice pocket for my phone or a Sharpie or roll of tape.ย I don’t need rings or bracelets on…I need my most efficient clothing on.ย I also need shoes that I can easily slip on and off for going inside and out quickly.ย Am I the only one who thinks better when she’s dressed for the task?ย I’m telling you, if I’m behind on a task and really need to get focused, pulling my hair back into a ponytail is like hitting the speed button on a podcast. I go from “regular” speed to 1.5 in an instant.
#3: SET THE TONE TO MAKE IT FESTIVE
I learned this from my mama but one absolutely should set the tone when decorating (or taking down decorations) to make it just “feel” better.ย Turn on the holiday playlist (or whatever playlist fits the mood), light a few candles that represent the occasion, flip on a gas fireplace…create ambiance.ย That’s always been one of my mom’s favorite words, and I absolutely think it plays well here when decorating.ย If you’re putting up your Christmas decor, turn on that holiday playlist, light the pine scented candle, and watch how much more fun the whole experience becomes.
#4: REMEMBER THAT YOU’RE NOT CLEANING
It took me years to put this one into practice, but adding seasonal decorations is not the time to stop and clean the house.ย Nothing will slow down a home project more than stopping to clean.ย I mean, sure, pull the vacuum out and grab some superfluous glitter that came from the ornaments or some stray pine needles, but this isn’t when we start cleaning the oven or cleaning out the shower drain.ย Let’s save that stuff for another day.
#5: MAKE TWO DIFFERENT LISTS
Hi, my name is Shay, and I love a list.ย I’m pretty sure I’ve shared this with you before, but I always keep a list on my phone about holiday “things”.ย I’ve started this year’s list (Christmas 2026) and as the season progresses, I will jot down notes about this holiday.
My list will end up with a WIDE variety of things.ย I will add notes like “need more lights on library garland” or maybe “need to replace bulbs in Snow Village house in kitchen”.ย I also add notes like “I liked how so and so neighbor did their front trees” and I’ll include a photo I snapped.ย I will add notes about meals or restaurants or party things that I want to remember to do/not do again the following year.ย If I see a cute Christmas card I love or need to add new people to my Christmas card list, I’ll jot that down and/or add a pic.ย It’s a hodgepodge of things to remember for the following year.ย I love pulling up said list at the end of October/early November and seeing alllllll the things that I totally would have forgotten had I not written them down.ย As you’re decorating, start your list and add anything on there that can wait until Christmas 2027.
If it needs to be addressed right away, put that on list #2…
On this list, I added things that I need for this season.ย This week, I added that I needed more AAA batteries, a new white tree skirt, and more ornament hooks.ย This way, I don’t have to stop and order those things right away.ย I can keep going and then grab them later on that week.
#6: HAVE THAT STEP LADDER HANDY
I spent YEARS balancing on barstools and wobbly kitchen chairs when decorating my house.ย Years.ย I finally bought myself a step ladder and holy cow, that simplified everything.ย Why did it take me so long?
#7: LABEL, LABEL, LABEL YOUR BOXES
We use and reuse the same bins over and over and over and over again, and I’m constantly marking through things and writing new labels across them.ย I want to know exactly what’s in each bin before I take off the lid.ย This just makes it so much easier when pulling things out and carrying it to the proper spot in the house.ย I don’t have to guess or dig through bins looking for items.ย Each bin is labeled by hand with a Sharpie and updated each year for efficiency.
#8: TOSS, TOSS, TOSS
It’s my opinion that if you open your holiday decorations and don’t want to pull them out, you might as well consider tossing them versus keeping them, storing them away another year, and not using them again.ย I know holiday decorations can be extremely sentimental, but if you love it so so so much, pull it out and use it.ย If not, consider donating or gifting it to someone who would love and use it and/or throwing it out if it’s damaged.ย It always feels defeating to me to store away items all year long that I don’t ever want to pull out from the box.ย Why am I storing “things” I don’t enjoy anymore?
#9: TAKE PHOTOS
I started taking photos of my house each August before I put out my fall decor and then, because of my little blog, I take so many pics of my house decorated for both fall and Christmas each year too.ย And guess what?ย That makes it SO EASY to not only put out my decorations but to put my house back to “normal” after the holiday season.ย I walk around with my photos open on my phone and quickly put things up and/or take them down based on the photos.ย It makes it so easy!
#10: LEAVE NOTES
I’ve shared this before but years and years years ago, Andrew and I started writing notes to ourselves on our holiday bins.ย We would write little notes and date them.ย Now, our bins are covered in these little messages.ย They make me grateful every single year when I see them.ย There are little notes about Ashby and Madeley years before we ever met Ashby and Madeley.ย It’s just really sweet to see God’s provision in your own handwriting all of these years later.ย There are notes on these boxes about children that never ended up getting to be a part of our family too.ย And you know what?ย I’m grateful those notes are on there too.ย I see those names and still see God’s faithfulness.ย I might not understand the whole story, but I have faith in a God that wove it exactly how it needed to be woven.ย Leave notes, friends.ย Leave notes.
Okay, I want to know what YOU do to make these special moments/days more fun, festive, easier, happier events.ย ย I have a feeling you have your own rituals and routines!ย Please comment and share!
Just a reminder…where do we store all of this seasonal decor?ย You can check all the deets RIGHT HERE!
I will post a home tour of this year’s holiday decorations soon, but in the meantime, you can catch this year’s FALL HOME TOUR ๐ .
This was me on Tuesday night after decorating all day…
…I wrapped up with a lot of steps and made the EASIEST dinner for my family. I’m re-sharing that recipe HERE today too!
Don’t forget, I also have other SHAY’S WAYS you might want to check out today too:
25 Keys to a Peaceful Morning
22 Keys to making Fall Cozy
19 Key Fall Kitchen Essentials
18 Keys to Prepping for a Trip
14 Keys to Simplify BACK TO SCHOOL
21 Keys to Savoring Summer
21 Keys for Working at Home {Summer Edition}
25 Keys to Outdoor Summer Entertaining
25 Keys to Maintaining our Yard
17 Keys to my Holiday Prep
11 Keys to a Cozy Winter
9 Keys to Returning from a Trip
12 Keys to Leaving Your Kiddos When You Travel
13 Keys to Meal Planning
8 Keys to Creating Daily Routines You Love
21 Keys to Elevating the Everyday
13 Keys to Managing Jet Lag
9 Keys to a Cozy Halloween Night
19 Keys to Hosting Festive & Easy Holiday Parties
12 Keys to Adding Activity into the Everyday
17 Keys to Working From Home
9 Easy Afternoon Energizers
14 Simple Luxuries
8 Keys to Finding a Gym
21 Ways I Hygge
12 Ways for a Happier Day
7 Keys to Reducing/Avoiding Motion Sickness
8 Ways to Add “Vacation” to the Everyday
10 Keys to Getting Ready to Workout
8 Ways I Stay Healthy When I Travel
7 Ways to Make the Holidays Fun for Teens
9 Things NOT to do at the Gym
7 Ways to Find Community
11 Travel Finds in my Home
18 Ways to be Summer Chic
10 Ways it’s Good to be Neighborly
10 Ways to Fly with Ease
8 Keys to Traveling with Other Families
13 Tips for Returning From Travel {With Ease}
Happy Thursday, friends!
I hope you have the best day!ย I’ll see you tomorrow. xx
Jami Romano says
Great tips โกฬ
Debbie Hibbert says
I’m a stickler for putting the same decorations, in the exact same locations, year after year. It feels like that act is part of the tradition. And I agree, once you see that you’re storing things you no longer pull out it’s time for them to go. This was a great Shay’s Ways … and perfect timing!
Shannon says
Great tips!
Two things I do every year:
1) I write a letter to my next year self. Like this year, I will write โDear 2027.โ And then I muse about all kinds of things going on in the world and make โpredictionsโ on what kinds of things I think will be going on in our familyโs life, etc, or things I wonder about will be happening in the next holiday season. Itโs the last thing I place in one of the decor boxes when cleaning up and itโs always a fun thing to open up and find when I decorate the next year!
2) I write a very detailed list of whatโs in a box and lay it on top. This helps with decorating AND putting away because I know what fits in said box.
Mix and Match Mama says
I love these tips!!! Thank YOU so much for sharing them, Shannon!
Grace says
This post came at a perfect time. I said that I would start pulling out a bin a day to start decorating, but I just need to get it done in one day and knock it out. Thanks for the reminder. This post is exactly what I needed to hear today. Yes, I do want it to look like joy threw up all over my home too! LOL
Mix and Match Mama says
We are soul sisters, Grace. xx
Grace says
Amen!
Mare says
I have to admit that putting up decorations has been hard the last few years because I have had so many life changes. It can feel very sad to unwrap some of those ornaments. I couldnโt even open the box the first year. Last year I bought all new ornaments and simplified the tree. All that said, I love seeing your decorations every year, especially your giant tree! Thank you so much for bringing happiness to the holidays. โค๏ธ It means more than you know.
Mix and Match Mama says
I love that you simplified. It protects your peace, and I’m positive, it’s still beautiful. xx
Dana P says
I’m not nearly as organized as you are with this, but it is motivating! Thinking of you leaving notes about Ashby and Madeley before you ever met them made me tear up. God is so faithful!!
I will say that after many international moves and having to let go of so many things when I didn’t necessarily want to, freeing ourselves from too much stuff/stuff we don’t like is so liberating! Sometimes people have given me back something I had given them during a move and I’m so thankful. Other times I look at it and just wonder why it was so hard to give away because it looks yuck to me now. ๐ I also take a picture of things that I want to remember, but it’s hard to let go of.
Allison says
Fantastic tips!! Also, I am honestly surprised you only climbed stairs 12 times, lol!!
Mix and Match Mama says
ME TOO!
Bren says
Love everything about this post! A newer tradition here, I love having The Holiday on in the background as I start to decorate. Just hearing the opening notes of the music fills my heart with everything holiday and Christmas. We have seen it enough to recite it by memory so love it on in the background as my “comfort Christmas movie”. Funny note – my IG just popped up a reel that said “Happy Jude Law season to all who celebrate”. ๐
All of our Christmas is in our basement which recently as empty nesters, I took the time and organized it, finally donating what I haven’t used but held onto far too long. Probably to donate more this season. It’s always fun to see how many crazy flights of stairs I total each year when decorating!
Happy holiday season, Shay!
Mix and Match Mama says
Oh yes, yes! I love that you have The Holiday on as you start to decorate. It’s the little things that make it so special. xx
SS says
Shay, I love this post. I wish I would have started the notes many years ago…what a fun idea. Maybe I can start now even though kids are older.
I agree with you … Xmas music is a must. I always throw on Muppets Christmas with John Denver because my mom always played it. (Bonus I saw John Denver in concert as a kid). I try to label my stuff as much as ai can, but man putting boxes back in the bins I feel like I am playing Tetris (one of my fave games). I have even labeled my light strands..I use a little piece of paper and a bread bag tie and put it on so I can remember… Like front porch. I also don’t with my garland as well(just a bigger tie or just put it in with my Xmas tree along with my plug that I use for my lights on tht tree). When we get out our ornaments we are say Hello old friend. They don’t change, but I do miss seeing them everyday. I love lights inside and out. They best is we have a hallway and we put up command strips and hang them in the hallway is so much fun!
Sue Jones says
I love these tips!!! Thank you for sharing!!!
When I first glanced at the title of this post I thought it said something about Easter instead of the word easier. lol. Focus Sue Focus!!! ๐
Mix and Match Mama says
Listen, I clearly love a typo, so it absolutely could have ๐ .
Alli says
I do the same thing about notes and reminders. We went to Germany during Christmas last year & got the cutest picture taken with Santa at one of the Christmas markets. When we got home, all Christmas pictures frames were sold out. I put a reminder in my phone for Oct 1 to go buy a Christmas picture frame. I was so happy when that little reminder popped up on my phone because you better believe Homegoods had exactly what I needed.
Lee Ann Vicary says
When my daughter bought her first home I gave her a lot of my decorations for the different seasons as they came up that first year. Then several years later I got divorced and moved into a smaller home about the same time she built a much larger home. So, I gave her almost everything (except my tree decorations) and started over. A couple years ago storage shelves collapsed and I lost about half of my tree decorations so I bit the bullet and spent a fortune buying a lot of new decorations. I will be decorating this weekend. I’m trying to minimize the amount of stuff I have but I still have two trees one in the living room and a small one in my bedroom – my granddaughter felt like it was very important. So, several years ago I let her pick out all the purple and pink decorations that go on it. It also has a magic wand that lights up the star on top with some Disney style music. She’s almost 10 and still loves it. I love to look at the lights but I am grateful to not have to do as much as you and Andrew do anymore. I hope you enjoy the lights off candles lite and tree lights and outside lights on feel of the holidays.
Mix and Match Mama says
Oh this is just the sweetest! I love this!
Karin C says
I worked in retail for many years and we would get a “planogram” to reset different areas of the store. It was a visual of how things should look once it’s all set with the new product. Well, I took that idea and for each season (Halloween, Fall and Christmas) I would go around and take pictures of how things should be set. I print those off and pack them away with the decorations. Once I started doing that, it was so much easier and less stressful to get all my decorations up. Every couple of years, I update the photos with new items that have been added or discarded.
Mix and Match Mama says
Well that is BRILLIANT!
Erin H says
Really wish I saw this comment yesterday when I took down Halloween! I have a gallery wall and I replace pics with holiday themed ones and every year it’s a guess how to do it again. Totally going to use this now!
Elspeth Mizner says
Great advice! I always try to have easy and fun festive snacks on hand when Iโm decorating. I love the idea of writing notes year to year!
http://www.elspethsdaybyday.com
Katie Hahn says
You and Andrew are ROCKSTARS! I can’t wait to see your work in blog form ๐ I love your comment about making notes. With my girls being 6 and 4 I have a note on my phone that I started a couple years ago of milestones and funny things they say. It’s amazing that your family will have your blog to always go back to.
Mix and Match Mama says
It’s very much become an accidental blessing ๐ .
Marian says
Shay, I didn’t remember that you posted about your storage, but the post is saying that the video is no longer available?
Mix and Match Mama says
Check again! I just watched it!
Theresa Childs says
Tried to watch but it said โฆ.sorry !
Colleen Zaslow says
Curious what note taking app you use? The one that comes with an iPhone or something different?
Mix and Match Mama says
I just use my notes app that comes on my iPhone!
Erin H says
I took tomorrow off to decorate, but I’m kind of dreading it. Last year I broke my ankle so my lovely friends helped take everything down and put it away in my basement, but now i have NO IDEA where anything is. It will probably take me a day just to sort through every thing. First world problem for sure, but I’m exhausted just thinking about it. BUT, on the positive side I’m going to use this to really sort through and purge some stuff. Oh, also we have a new kitten so we might have to be minimalist this year – I have a feeling he’s going to just LOVE the tree. Good grief. Ha!
Lindsey says
Tip number 11: a festive holiday cocktail always in hand to make it better๐
Mix and Match Mama says
I can’t argue with that!! ๐
Susan P Fitzpatrick says
Great tips!! I always take photos of my decor so I know where I put everything. I also started organizing my bins by room or rooms and labeling them. One of my bins has decor for laundry room and office desk area. Another one has decor for my 3 kids rooms and their bathrooms. This saves me so much time!! I highly recommend taking the time to put everything away in an organized manor. Your future self will be so happy and thankful!
Crystal Langner says
What app do you use to keep lists on your phone? I am defiantly needing something for that.
Mix and Match Mama says
I just use the notes app that is on my iPhone!
K.K. says
I love this post!! We are putting up the tree this weekend, and I CANNOT wait!!! ๐
Jessamyn Peace says
Two things: your enneagram 8 (for sure with a wing 7!) is showing!! ๐
And I love your tip about writing notes! My mother in law who also lost her own mother young, passed herself at 53. She was the queen of notes and we all benefit from it! She wrote little things about what they did that day on recipes, she wrote notes on Christmas boxes about who gave her things (โfrom my sweet boys in 1993! I just love you both so much!โ) and on the back of frames and random little things on hidden letters. She understood that life can be short and wanted her family to have memories of her and little love notes. Itโs such a gift to my kids who didnโt meet her to see her handwriting as well.
Mix and Match Mama says
I am FOR SURE an 8 wing 7…and my hubby is too! Ha! Your comment about your mother-in-law and her notes made the hairs on my arm stand up. Wow. What an incredible legacy left behind on things they could read and appreciate years later. Wow. That’s powerful.
Jaime says
Hi! I have a random question, What did you do with all your furniture from the house you sold on nantucket? Was it sold with the house? Or are you using it in the next house? Iโm so excited to see pics of the new house!
Mix and Match Mama says
It’s in storage! We packed everything up and movers took it all to storage when we left in August ๐ .
Robin says
Here’s a teacher tip (well, retired teacher) that might work when writing on your totes. If you use an Expo dry erase marker and scribble over writing from a Sharpie it makes the permanent marker erasable. It works on whiteboards and it worked for me on some laminate countertop. I am not positive it would work on the totes, but it might save you some space. I have no idea WHY it works, but it is like magic.
Mix and Match Mama says
MIC DROP. That is the most amazing little life hack!
Katie says
RIGHT?!! I’m mind blown!
jennibell says
Your people have the BEST comments/tips (so do you of course). I’m going to do the future-letter thing I think. How fun to open a box next year and see what I “thought” the upcoming year might look like? I think I’ll add our family’s letter/Christmas card too, just for posterity. You never know what the year will bring, right?? Think about what your letter might say about where K is in her schooling/social life, where S is going to end up, how the littles are going to grow/adjust to the changing dynamics at home. . .I think you’ll love seeing what you see/think/pray and then seeing how God orchestrates the year ๐
Stacie says
I need to get better and not stopping to deep clean an area while putting out holiday decor – great tip!