If the very thought of decorating your home for the holidays creates a sleigh full of unnecessary stress, grab yourself a giant mug of cocoa and take a deep breath. Whether you’re trying to sell your home during the holiday season, or not, the annual ritual of making your home a warm and welcoming place of celebration for your family, friends and potential buyers should be enjoyed. So try to relax and savor the process. Here are some steps to get your started.

According to Danielle Nanney, a Realtor and Stager with Henderson Properties, “Start by asking your family members to get involved. Let them describe their favorite decorations from past holiday seasons. Many decorators and professional stagers will suggest that you “skip the tree”. But, if your daughter’s favorite part of the holidays is decorating the tree, then decorate the tree. Just be sure you make plenty of room for it. Even if that means removing a chair or loveseat so the tree has adequate space to be enjoyed. Avoid placing the tree in the way of opening doors and in the natural traffic patterns of the room. Nothing is more frightening than the fear of the tree being knocked over.”

Keep it simple. Decorating means improving your home’s overall appeal and provides an opportunity to highlight points of interest. Choose a few key area of your home to feature. Front doors, fireplaces, and tabletops are the most commonly decorated places during the holidays. And just because you may have one of the largest snow globe collections on the block, please refrain from displaying all of them. Decorating your home, especially when it’s on the market, should be subtle, not a distraction.

“Use and re-purpose items you already have in and around your home. Clear glass vases and candles can easily be blended into any holiday décor,” said Danielle. “Fill vases with holiday candy, ornaments or an extra strand of lights. Add warmth with nature-inspired decorations for depth including fruits, flowers and plants. Balance the outdoor and indoor décor by utilizing seasonal colors including poinsettias, holly berries and cranberries against the greenery. Pinecones from the yard and holly, evergreen or nandina branches make beautiful arrangements. Light those candles and use lots of them.”

For consistency sake, choose an all white, red, gold, silver or green color scheme. Selecting one color throughout will keep your eye focused on the holiday items and add a pop to any room. Also, we recommend limiting decorations to the main rooms. No need to add additional items to children’s rooms, bathrooms, and the busy kitchen area.

Finally, set the table for a holiday feast. Using your best serving pieces, full place settings including crystal goblets and dessert dishes will add more than a little holiday cheer. It will signal the beginning of the festivities. Forget perfection and stop obsessing. No one expects your home to look like it was featured in a magazine so stop expecting that of yourself. Create an environment that makes you smile, then enjoy it.

Happy Holidays!