You might be wondering when you would have the need to upgrade both your personal style and that of your home at the same time. But if you’re planning on entertaining in your home for the holidays, that’s probably exactly what you’ll want to do. Not only that, but you’ll likely want to make sure your hosting skills are in top form.
Of course, parties aren’t the only reason for upgrades. It’s possible, you’d just want to update your style and your home for the new year. After the toll 2020 took on us all, there are plenty of reasons for a fresh new look. Whatever your reasons, these few tips will get you started.
Try subscription boxes.
You may have heard of subscription boxes for makeup and meal delivery, but you may not know that you can also get them for things like home decor and clothing. Subscription services like Art Crate and Posh Home Box deliver unique household items right to your door once a month. Some examples of items you might receive are champagne flutes, table cloths, holiday decor, or wall art. These items can help you spruce up your home with conversation pieces no one in your circle has seen.
Just like decor boxes, you can get subscriptions for style boxes. Stitch Fix, Trunk Club, Fabletics, and Gwynnie Bee are all popular companies that offer this type of service. The way it works is that once a month (or however frequently you request shipment), you’ll receive a box with several items matched to your size and style preferences picked out by a stylist and personal shopper. You can then try these items on, keep what you want, and send back what you don’t. This is a great way to get a little style update once a month from someone who knows fashion and works to find what will look best on you.
Upgrade your bathrooms.
Home renovations can be expensive, so if the cost is an issue, consider upgrading slowly. Starting with one room at a time is an excellent way to accomplish this. And you can also start small. Experts say if you’re on a budget, this is how to plan your bathroom remodel. While you may not be upgrading your home with reselling in mind, it’s a good idea to stick with renovations that will add value to your home. And one of the main ways to do this is a bathroom remodel. It’s also one of the best ways to make your home look more modern for the least amount of money. Every few years, bathroom and kitchen fixtures tend to change looks as far as what’s trendy. Gold and copper made their way back onto the scene in a big way in the last few years, in addition to ornate gold and copper sinks and hardware fixtures. That doesn’t mean you have to go with the latest trend every time if you’re afraid it will be soon outdated. But replacing these inexpensive items can do wonders for the aesthetics of your room.
Upgrade your wardrobe slowly.
The good news about updating your wardrobe is that you don’t have to do it all at once. Start by evaluating the clothing you already have. Does it fit the look you’re going for with your style or is it outdated and tired? If the latter is the case, purge the pieces you no longer want to wear or that no longer fit. Keep all your versatile pieces, however, that you can mix and match to include with your new stuff. This might include solid-colored womens tops or simple solid dresses.
Once you have only what you need in your closet, you can start to add more updated pieces. Shoes, for example, can change the look of almost any outfit. Jeans and a t-shirt can be dressed up with a pair of heels and a blazer or dressed down with a pair of sneakers and a cap. In other words, don’t be afraid to buy pieces you love and mix them up in different ways. You might not even know what your style really is until you experiment a little.
Upgrade your Christmas party.
If you throw the same ol’ party every year with the same food and the same guests, it might be time for an upgrade. That doesn’t mean you should toss out your old friends. It just means maybe you’d like to add to the guest list or wow the ones you have. With some of the gathering restrictions still in place in many areas, having a large party may still be out of the question during the holidays. But that doesn’t mean you can’t entertain in style. Many people are moving to virtual parties to satisfy their need for socializing. You can opt for that type of thing or simply limit your guest list to those closest to you who you already spend time with.
Virtual Christmas parties might sound kind of depressing at first, but you can still have a few guests in your home if you choose and simply connect virtually to one or more parties going on somewhere else. Or you can have all your guests attend online if necessary. Many companies are starting to plan these types of gatherings in order to keep everyone safe but still enjoy the festivities. The first thing that should be on your to-do list is food and drink. If you’d like to entirely host your virtual gathering, check with a local restaurant and liquor store to find your best delivery options. You can even opt, for live entertainment, asking performers to connect with your party in the same virtual environment.
Hire some help.
One big mistake a lot of hostesses make is trying to do everything alone. This can add to this already stressful time of year and take all the fun out of planning and entertaining. Instead, hire some help for the tasks you can’t do or don’t find as fun, such as cleaning and picking up groceries. Hire someone for these tasks and save your stress and sanity for the actual event. Other tasks you can hire out include catering, bartending, decorating, and entertaining. You can even hire a personal stylist to update your and your family’s style.
Small changes can make a big impact.
You don’t have to break the bank to give your style and home a fresh new look. Small changes can make a huge impact if done the right way. For example, you can update your tired old couch by switching out the throw pillows. Give your living room a whole new look by coordinating them with some new artwork or rugs. The same goes for your bedroom. New bedding makes a world of difference when updating your decor. Throw pillows that match the season and a new throw at the end of the bed will change the look entirely.
Fashion is no different. If you keep the basics in your wardrobe — simple black dress, solid-colored tops — you can dress them up with different accessories to create different looks. Consider adding different scarves, jewelry, jackets, or shoes to spruce up your wardrobe and change along with the seasons.
