II love my home to look festive on the outside during the holidays. I’m not aiming for over-the-top displays, but there’s something special about arriving home on a cold evening to twinkling lights and seasonal touches. Now is an ideal time to give your home a pre-holiday curb appeal boost—don’t wait until it’s too late.
Better Homes & Gardens
Preparing early makes decorating easier and more enjoyable. If you wait until nights are dark and temperatures drop, it’s tempting to skip outdoor decorating altogether. Starting in advance ensures you’ll be ready to enjoy the season and the festive look of your home.
How to start now with holiday curb appeal
1. Begin with a pre-holiday cleanup.
Rake away dead leaves, trim damaged foliage, and winterize plants so you have a clean, tidy base for decorations.
2. Complete any outdoor maintenance and touch-up paint.
Fix loose hardware, touch up paint, and handle any small repairs now so they won’t interfere with decorating later.
3. Gather natural materials and seasonal plants.
Branches, evergreen clippings, and pinecones make beautiful, budget-friendly accents. Arrange branches in pots, add string lights or hang lanterns and ornaments from them for a simple yet elegant look. You can also suspend chunky branches with rope and decorate them with lights and baubles for a striking outdoor display.
4. Repurpose existing yard and garden features.
Use what you already have to build curb appeal. Garden tools, pots, and furniture often make excellent backdrops for seasonal decorations—look at your outdoor items with fresh eyes before storing them away for winter.
- A potting bench becomes festive with a few glass cloches and red ornaments for a subtle, stylish holiday vignette.
- Window boxes are perfect focal points—fill them with faux greenery or hardy winter plants that hold up through the season.
- Metal garden hooks that once held flowering baskets can instead display oversized ornaments or wreaths.
- Hanging pots and baskets look charming when threaded with fairy lights and filled with festive ornaments.
- All-weather planters and bird baths are great places to nestle glowing spheres or simple light arrangements.
- Mailboxes can be dressed up with a swag of greenery, a ribbon, or a small wreath.
- Outdoor benches and patio tables provide platforms for lanterns, candles in jars, or seasonal greenery.
A little preparation now goes a long way. With some early cleanup, a few maintenance fixes, and creative use of what you already own, your home will be radiating holiday charm before the coldest weather sets in. Then you can step back inside, warm and comfortable, and enjoy the season.
What are your outdoor holiday decorating plans this year?
More posts in the 31 Days series:
Day 6: Your Style: Get in the Holiday Groove
Day 7: Creative Memorable Holidays
Day 8: What Dessert to Make for Fall Parties!
Day 9: Things to Treasure List
Day 10: Tips for Mantels and Shelves
The rest of the 31 Day Participants!