Ok so we are a bit excited about Christmas over here, well my toddler and I are anyways. Hubby is not as excited as we are about all of the decorating, but he does love Christmas baking and will be smiling ear-to-ear when that gets started. So when I heard about the Douglas Elliman Florida Winter Style Board Challenge  I was all in, any excuse to start decorating early works for me!

This weekend we busted out the Christmas decoration boxes and got started. We picked a few favourites and included a little DIY, because a toddler and too many breakables just don’t really work well together. We decided to go with a simple (minimalist) winter woodland theme because our toddler loves animals and less is more especially when you have a little one running around.

I’m sharing a five tips on how to cozy up every corner of your house this season keeping simplicity and little ones in mind.

 

1. Keep it Simple

This year I really looked through all of our decorations carefully, choosing only the ones we really love or that would be ok to potentially play with if our toddler decided that was an option. I also made sure not to crowd our small space, putting away other decorations if I added something seasonal to that particular space. For example I swapped out a summer candle for a winter one or even adding a seasonal photo in place of a regular one.

 

2. Cozy Up … Literally

I love to swap out a light summer blanket for a cozy winter one on our couch, or change pillow cases to suit the season. Again, in a small space I wouldn’t necessarily add too much, just change things to make the space feel different. The texture of a fluffy winter blanket actually makes the space feel warmer in terms of how it looks and how it feels when you actually use these items. I really believe that the décor in a space must be just as functional as it is beautiful, because let’s be honest, it’s your home and you want to live in it not just look at it.

3. Seasonal Secrets

Sometimes we think that adding hints of colour is hard depending on the season. I’ve learned to try and keep things natural by actually looking to nature to help suggest seasonal colours. For example, the greenery  you incorporate or colour on your table can actually be the fruit you would eat that season or the trees that represent that season. These mandarins really remind me of winter and we actually eat them, so it’s a win, win having them out on the table.

 

4. Do a little DIY

I love brining the outside in and this little DYI project was something that was both simple and super rewarding. The pinecones work with our  winter woodland theme and I love that they can be used throughout the house in different ways; hanging on the tree, in a picture frame or in the windows. DIY décor pieces also hold a lot of meaning, I was happy to hang these again this year and might even pull out the extra pinecones to let my little one explore.

5. It’s all in the Details

I used to think that decorating my home for Christmas meant that people really had to experience Christmas when they walked into my house. Well having a little one around has kind of forced me to look at decorating in a different way. It really is in the tiny details. The little wreath you might hand on the on the hutch or mirror (wreaths aren’t just for doors my friends), the little bit of greenery sprinkled throughout the house and the subtle theme that comes together when you choose pieces that speak to you. A theme shouldn’t be forced, instead it should develop organically from the tiny details you add throughout the house by choosing items that have meaning and that you love.

Interior décor is such a personal thing and as much as you want the space to look great, feeling good in it is just as important. This year when you start thinking about Christmas decorations, keep it simple, add tiny details and actually bring cozy elements into your space, you will enjoy the experience of your home that much more.