For some Connecticut homeowners, decorating their homes for the holidays is something they look forward to all year. For others, it’s something they approach with a slight sense of apprehension. And for many of us, it’s a bit of a mixture of the two.Sometimes simply getting started is the hardest part. Do we do the same thing we did last year—or should we mix things up a bit?  Here are a few ideas that may make the process a bit less overwhelming—and even result in a fresher look for this holiday season.

More is Less

One thing that homeowners sometimes face is the feeling of being overwhelmed by the holiday decorations that seem to take over their homes. Yes, all those holiday knick-knacks are fun and interesting, but you don’t want your home to feel cluttered. If there’s too much on display it makes it hard for special (perhaps sentimental favorites) to stand out. Consider putting our fewer items, and focus on the ones that are most meaningful to you. Give them places of “honor” where family and friends are sure to see them. You may even want to rotate sentimental favorites from year to year.

Think of a Theme

Another idea is to pick a theme that ties your different decorations together. There are no hard and fast rules here, but you could make your theme topical or even based on a color theme. You could even try decorating specific rooms thematically. Maybe angels congregate in the kitchen and Santa’s rule the family room.

Go Vertical

Sometimes holiday decorations tend to spread out and occupy too much horizontal space. If you have some smaller rooms that feel crowded see if there is a way to go high instead of wide.

Try LED Lights

The advances in LED technology are remarkable. Not only to LEDs use less energy and present less of a fire danger, but they also give you increased flexibility. LEDs come in a variety of colors and hues. There are even LED lights that are programmable so that you can change colors (without having to change the actual lights). Too keep things fresh you might consider different colors for the Christmas season and for New Years. Those are just a few things to think about for your holiday decorations. Above all, you’ll want your home to reflect your personality and make you and your guests feel at home.