Homey for the Holidays
Tags: Chirstmas Deor, Kansas City, Zaarly, Christmas Decorations, Home Improvement

The Zaarly team is in full-swing holiday mode! We’ve got our holiday party coming up, we’re planning time with family and friends and we’ve got lots of tasty things in the office to keep us distracted from the cold weather (at least that’s what we like to tell ourselves). While it can be difficult to make an office feel holiday-like, it’s easy to make your home feel more warm and cozy — no matter what your budget is and even if you are limited on time. We’ve got our favorite ways to up the holiday spirit in your home this season.

Holiday Scents

You don’t have to have cookies in the oven or cider mulling on the stove to make your home smell like the holidays. Our house cleaners recommend using your crockpot to keep holiday scents in the air through the entire day.

Fireside Christmas Scent

One lemon, sliced

One orange, sliced

Five cinnamon sticks

Four bay leaves

Two tablespoons whole cloves

4 cups water

Place all ingredients in a crockpot and set on simmer — your home will smell like Christmas all day!

Holly & Berry Scent

Peel from 4–5 whole oranges

One teaspoon ground cloves

One teaspoon nutmeg

Two teaspoons cinnamon

1 cup cranberries

2–3 cups water

Place all ingredients in crockpot and set on simmer

A Holiday Project You’ll Enjoy ALL Year

The fireplace is the main attraction every December (after all how else will Santa deliver presents?) but your fireplace could take a starring role the rest of the year! Here are a few ways you can update your fireplace now:

Red brick can look outdated and dull, so if you’re ready for a fresh, new look, tile over it! Find tiles with metallic colors for a little extra glimmer. Have your outdated brick painted! White can make a room pop but you can also consider light grays to give it a more modern look. Cover dark surfaces with light wood pallet plants. Paint it all! The wall behind your fireplace, the mantle, and the bricks. You can turn an entire room around. Think about adding in texture elements like wood and tile as well. Start over. If you want something new — have the area around your fireplace covered in drywall and let your imagination run wild. Paint, add textures like tile — anything goes!

Bring the Outdoors IN

There are lots of ways to bring the outdoors into your home this December.

Get Creative with Wreathes

Use simple wreaths to decorate each door in your home — better yet, have the whole family join in and decorate their own special wreath for their bedroom or office door!

Bring in Fresh Firewood

Nothing says winter like the smell of fresh firewood. We’ve even seen some of our customers creatively stack their firewood into the shape of a Christmas tree or snowman!

Pinecones

Put in pinecone craft into Pinterest and you’ll have days worth of crafting activities through the ENTIRE winter break. Fill up empty glass canisters, line the mantle, use them for placeholders or gift tags — pinecones are natures free little holiday decor gift!

This holiday season we can help make your home more merry and bright — from fireplace makeovers to hanging holiday lights. Let us know how we can help!