Make Holiday Decorating Easy -- 3 Ways to get a Stunning Outdoor Look Without a Huge Amount of Work

Outside decorations can enhance your home and add a festive flair to your entire property - -but they are also time-consuming to put up. Consolidate your efforts, make a fun day of it and get outside help for the most challenging or time-consuming parts, and you'll have a festive, cheerful home in time for the holidays. Get a look you love without all the work by using one or more of these ideas this holiday season: 

Hire out the tough stuff: Hanging lights is both the most dangerous and time-consuming part of decorating.  Outsource this difficult part of the work, and you'll be able to do the fun stuff -- without worrying about ladders or the risk of falling. While it can be expensive to hire a firm to do all of your decorating, hiring someone just for this step saves a significant amount of time and risk. Use the same provider to remove the lights after the season is done. 

Buy pre-made: It can be fun to create your own decorations from natural materials (and these crafts are so often featured in magazines this time of year), but it is also very time-consuming. Choose one or two projects to use as focal points, and buy any other pieces pre-decorated. You'll get a festive look, and all you'll have to do is hang things on hooks or add to your existing decor.  Shop at the start of the season to save and get the maximum impact for minimal costs. 

Get everyone involved: You don't have to be the sole decorator, even if you are the one choosing the decorations. Even younger kids can help get things set up and place decorations, florals and other items where you need them to go. Make a festive day of it, and you'll be able to get the work done swiftly without having to do everything yourself or take a lot of time.

Set aside a weekend or even a single day to get the decorating done; that will allow you to focus your efforts and only take out the tools and supplies one time. As you build your collection of holiday decorations, look for items that are easy to install and easy to use -- and that have maximum impact on your decor. Your home will look amazing in record time, and you'll swiftly get into the holiday spirit.