5 Products That Make Holiday Decorating Easy

Each product we feature has been independently selected and reviewed by our editorial team. If you make a purchase using the links included, we may earn commission.

Here are my tips for you

Stress less with these hacks

By Emma Phelps

Associate Commerce Editor

Decorating for the holidays is always an exciting time, but certain tasks like stringing lights or arranging the perfect centerpiece can be a pain. As a shopping editor at The Spruce, I've found some products and decorating hacks that actually work (and don't cause additional frustration) in any home and with every decorating style. To ease the stress of organizing, unboxing, and decorating, here are my favorite buys for you:

Lights On Demand: Plug your string of lights into a Kasa Smart Plug Power Strip. It has three outlets so you can schedule your lights to turn on every day before you head home from work, or turn off at the end of the day without needing to reach under a tree. This strip pairs with Alexa and Google Assistant, so it's a breeze to control your lights from your phone, or with your voice.
Hang Easy: Reach for Command hooks to hang your wreaths, garlands, mistletoe, and DIY decor in unique places like on the front of a cabinet door. These hooks eliminate the need for nails—avoiding wiring in your walls—and of course, keep walls damage-free (which is essential if you rent your space or like to change up your decoration placement each year).
Keep Decor in Place: If you want to keep your tablescape in good shape through every gift exchange and cookie swap, a small circle of museum putty will keep fragile decorations in place.
Go Cordless with Lights: Upgrade your Christmas light potential with battery-powered string lights. Without the need for an outlet nearby, arched doorways and under-cabinet lighting can be a lot more festive.
Try Ever(lasting)green: While I love a real tree, the easiest and fastest way to guarantee a perfect Christmas tree shape with no fuss over lights is to swap from a real one to an artificial tree. This tends to be a divisive decision, but after converting my own family tree to an artificial one, we said goodbye to dropping needles and monitoring water levels.