Holiday Cheer: 5 Tips to decorate for the holidays if your home is on the market

Staging a home for sale can be a complicated and overwhelming task for any seller, particularly if the family is still living there with children! With the holiday season comes extra décor, clutter, holiday gifts and projects, and a hurried schedule. So, what happens if a home is on the market during the holiday season? How can buyers create a warm, inviting space for both potential buyers and their own families? Here are 5 tips to help sellers thrive during the holidays with a home on the market. 

1. Stage your home first. Preparing to sell a home typically comes with decluttering, paint touch-ups, and new throw pillows (along with the seemingly never-ending list of tasks). To prepare for a home on the market during the holidays, be sure it’s ready for before/ after the holidays as well. Once ready for photos and showings, then explore holiday-specific décor. 
2. Keep it simple. If adding holiday-themed décor, choose your very favorite items only. Think, Marie Kondo and what Sparks Joy for you. By choosing your favorites, you can be surrounded by the beauty and joy of the holidays without the overwhelm of clutter. 
3. Know what to accentuate. Think of the best features of your home. Perhaps it’s a beautiful porch, large dining room, fireplace, or even very tall ceilings in the living area. Accentuate those features by drawing attention to these features. Likewise, if you have a cozier space that tends to feel cluttered with a full tree, consider a skinny tree this year. 
4. Embrace hygge. This Danish term describes the warm coziness of winter. Think soft blankets, warm fires, soft lighting, and people gathering. Find ways to create a cozy, welcoming feel in your space so that potential buyers feel at home right away. 
5. Make it feel like their home. When creating a welcoming space for potential buyers, remember that you want them to feel like it could be their home, with their family, and their décor. Don’t overwhelm the space or have it so customized that it seems inflexible. Perhaps have a station for warm beverages and a sweet treat on the counter? 

While preparing to leave your family’s home, it’s essential to still live there. It’s not a museum. It’s not a magazine. It’s your family home, and there’s no better time to enjoy it than during the holidays. 

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Special thanks to Armed Forces Insurance for their dedication to serving our military community and sponsoring this article. With Armed Forces Insurance, you can be sure that they will work to understand your needs and provide personalized advice you can trust and find the best solutions for you.

About the author: Heather Campbell is an Air Force spouse, mom of 3, family meal expert, and serial connector. In addition to serving on the MilHousing Network team, she serves in a variety of advisory and subject matter expert roles to multiple organizations in the fight against military food insecurity.