Garden Trees, Shrubs & Vines
Alexandra Rodriguez
When decorating for the holidays, it’s nice to keep things traditional, but switching it up now and then will also freshen up the ambiance. For example, you may decide to buy new embellishments for the Christmas tree or a couple of new garlands or wreaths to hang indoors. While it’s fun to go shopping for brand-new decorations, it can be expensive if you don’t plan ahead of time. According to a survey by Rocket Homes, Americans spend nearly $270 on decorations alone and another $550 on gifts. Most of those surveyed wished they could’ve spent more on holiday decorations if items were more affordable. However, they noted bringing family and neighbors together through holiday cheer matters most to them.
If you enjoy sticking to a budget and don’t mind reusing prior years’ decorations, you can easily spruce up the look by using what you already own. On the other hand, there’s always the option of waiting until the holidays wrap up to land the best clearance sales on decorations for next year. In the meantime, use the ornaments you already have in myriad ways instead of single-handedly hanging them on Christmas tree branches. This includes clustering and displaying them on trees or garlands to make them sparkle. Here’s how to ace this hack.
How to cluster ornaments
Grouping your favorite ornaments is quick and easy; all it takes is a few steps. They’re perfect for hanging on garlands or trees or as a statement piece in the living room or entryway. Before you start clustering, DIYer Hayden Ward says you will also need pipe cleaners, ornaments, ribbon, and greenery for a smooth process. To get started, gather the ornaments you want to add to your tree or garland. For an attractive look, group small and more significant ornaments together (ideally, you want three to five.).
Then, slide the pipe cleaner through the tips of the decorations and twist it to secure them, per Hayden Ward. If you don’t have pipe cleaners, use ribbon, twine, or wire instead. Next, add your choice of greenery to the cluster and wrap it with the pipe cleaner. Finally, once everything is in place, choose where to hang your bunch on the tree and cover the rest of the pipe cleaner on the branch to display any fun décor.
To equally space the bundles, Ward suggests making a diamond design on the tree with the ribbon to put each right where the ribbons meet. Create up to eight bundles, or until you run out, to fill your tree and make it look full and elegant. For garlands, follow the same steps. When you’re ready to put it on the garland, tie the pipe cleaners or ribbon around the garland to keep it fastened.
