Should You Decorate for the Holidays?

We're coming to a very busy time of year holiday-wise. And if you usually decorate for the holidays, you may want to continue the tradition even if your home is on the market. And that's really okay, as long as you keep some guidelines in mind.

First, Halloween can be very tricky. No, it's not really a 'holiday', but many people go all-out in decorating their homes. That may be a little off-putting to some people, so we suggest avoiding the Halloween decorations and focus instead on fall decorations. There are lots of wonderful ways you can bring color, life, and the season into your home. Mums are always an excellent idea because they bring color to the yard at a time when color is fading. A pretty pot or two by the front door is always a nice addition as well.

Pumpkins are another great fall decoration, even without being carved. Use them in an outdoor arrangement with the mums, or bring them inside to decorate the mantel. Add a pretty fall picture and some bittersweet and you have a design that will take you through Thanksgiving. It will add the colors of the season to your mantel, drawing your potential buyers' eyes to your fireplace, a great selling feature of the house.

Colorful gourds are another way to bring some fall color inside. Place a variety of shapes, colors, and sizes in a basket or bowl, add some candles, and you have an interesting centerpiece. What could be simpler? And then for Thanksgiving, all you have to do is add colorful place mats and napkins. Although you may be tempted to leave these out all the time, be careful about doing that. You don't want your potential buyers to be distracted by your table and not see the beauty of the house!

If you celebrate Christmas, you may need to down-size your decorations if your home is on the market. Keep it very simple, and limit the amount of time the house is decorated. White lights are best, with a simple wreath on the door or above the mantel. Using herbs for the wreath is a nice touch since the smells will welcome people into the house. If you do have a Christmas tree, keep it up for a shorter period of time - no more than 2 weeks.

Just because your house is on the market doesn't mean holiday decorating is a no-no. Just keep it simple, tasteful, and appropriate for the season and you will be fine.