If you want to add to your existing holiday decorations, or if you’re moving out on your own and need to buy holiday decorations, pay attention. The best time to buy any type of holiday decorations is right now, in the first few days after Christmas. Most stores will slash prices on everything that they have left in stock just to get people to buy it and get it out of the store. It’s the perfect time to buy expensive things like lawn figures, inflatables and artificial trees because they’ll be priced much less then they usually would be. It’s a great time to purchase less expensive things such stockings and ornaments, because the stores will price most of them so low they’ll almost be giving them away. And, you will find no better time to buy things like holiday cards and wrapping paper. Every couple of years I like to buy a bunch and stock up on them for use in future years. What’s the best bargain you’ve ever gotten shopping right after Christmas?

Another way to change the look of a room is with fruit,flowers and plants. You can display fruit in a nice glass bowl and it makes an attractive (and mainly edible) centerpiece. A vase full of fresh cut flowers will add a lovely scent to the room and they’re lovely to look at. A big floor plant in a corner will change the color of the room and offer a different focal point. And before you ask, I didn’t mean trees when I said plants so you can’t get a two fer by using fig trees.

Lots of people want to change the look of a room but don’t want to have to change that paint. In a room like a bathroom, it’s easy to change the color scheme and look of the room without painting. Start by painting your bathroom something simple and light - white, sand, etc. Decorate to suit your taste with linens (towels and rugs), pictures and odds and ends (bottles, decanters, containers). Now when you get tired of those colors or that look,just change the items to items within another color group.

One fun way to decorate during the holidays is to use the cards you receive. When I start receiving cards in early November I put them all aside. When the time comes for me to decorate I create a holiday card garland. I frame the opening between the living room and dining room with a piece of wide holiday ribbon, holding it in place with push pins. Once the ribbon is in place I attach holiday cards using staples. I also decorate one of the hallway doors in the same way. You can even decorate a banister or a mantel this way. All the exercise you get hanging them is a great fat burner. When you’re finished your holiday card garland will not only brighten your home but each time you look at it you’ll think of friends and family that sent you the cards. People always seemed to enjoy coming over and seeing their cards displayed.

I have about six comforters, mainly I like to change the look of the bedroom occasionally. My Mom gave me a suggestion on how to change the look of the bedroom without continually buying comforters. She suggested I get some duvet covers. A duvet cover is like a giant bag made to hold comforters and quilts. You put it over the comforter and it stays in place using buttons or zippers. They’re less expensive than comforters so you could actually only have one comforter and a number of duvet covers to use every time you wanted to change the look of your bedroom. I think it’s a great idea. Do you have lots of comforters, quilts and blankets?