Your home is on the market. You're staging it to make it any one's dream home.

So far, so good.

Then along come all the end of year holidays, starting with Halloween and ending with New Year's celebrations.

Not only do the accompanying traditions throw your household into a whirlwind, but there's the decorating thing.

Let's make sense of how to handle holidays in the middle of a staging situation.

You can expect that home tours are going to be less frequent. Folks are busy spending money and time in other ways.

Househunters are out there

Even in the dead of winter, there are still buyers shopping for homes. No matter what the season, schedule or weather, they are ready to shop for their dream home! These are serious buyers, with a wish list and money to spend.

My advice to people marketing their homes is to keep seasonal decorations to a minimum. If your home is already lovingly staged, the decorations may be a major distraction.

Next year at your new home you can go all out!  Let that thought soothe your decorating soul for now. This year, concentrate on making your home look clean and spacious.

It goes without saying that not everyone celebrates the same religious and cultural traditions, so just as with the rest of your home staging, keep it generic. People like to buy from people they share values with, so be the enigmatic and universal person.

If you are one of those people who looks on seasonal decorations as a chore, you have a pass this year. You can guiltlessly keep it simple. Here are some examples.

Because it's red, a wreath like this will carry you from November 
through January. Thevendors.com photo. 
A smart stager can simply substitute a bright holiday item for a piece of art. Odietamo.blog.blogspot.com photo.
What could be more lovely than a classic entrance trimmed in evergreen and moss? Or a wreath made of pinecones (below)? Martha Stewart photos.


Choose a holiday color scheme and go with it. Limiting your seasonal decor to just silver or just red, or shades of teal and blue, will make it easy to simplify and still look festive. And you'll avoid the temptation to go over the top.   

The default decorating color option is white, so go with that. You can visit my Pinterest Board for White Christmas for ideas.

So, remember to keep your inflatable Santa and collection of gingerbread houses packed away this year, and enjoy your pared-down, staged home.

Get the look, get the book

Do you need more specific advice about decorating your home? I offer all kinds of tips for making your home market-ready, including three rules for doing tablescapes right, and five formulas for dressing the mantel in my $4.99 eBook, DIY Home Staging Tips to Sell Your Home Fast and for Top Dollar.