How to Create a Christmas Inspiration Book

Do you love the holiday decorations you see in flyers and magazines? Get inspired to change up your own holiday decorations by starting a Christmas inspiration book. This easy tip will get your creative juices flowing and help you plan coordinated decorations that can be used throughout your home.

What You’ll Need

• A Notebook with Blank Paper
• A Pen or Marker
• Washi Tape (Christmas themed if you want to go the extra mile)
• Holiday Flyers and Magazines
• Pictures of Your Existing Decorations

Step 1: Take Pictures of Your Existing Decorations

It is always a great idea to start with what you have and use it as a jumping off point for your new ideas. Existing items can get a whole new look with a can of spray paint and the addition of a new wire-edged ribbon bow. Before you take your Christmas decorations down this year, go around the house, both inside and outside, and snap pictures of what you have and how you have set everything up. This will help remind you of what you already own when you are shopping. Put these pictures into an envelope and tuck it into the notebook.

Step 2: Cut Inspiration Items Out of Magazines

Get together all those flyers and Christmas magazines you have collected over the past month. Look through them for things that inspire you? Pay attention to what you are drawn to. Do you like an elegance to your items or are you drawn to a more rustic look? Cut out pictures of vignettes, products, and even complete rooms.

Step 3: Tape the Inspiration Pictures into the Journal

Lay all your inspiration pictures out on the floor and start organizing them into piles. You can do this in many different ways. By room, by style, and so on. You can create a pile for serving ideas, a pile for outdoor decorations, and so on. Separate your notebook into as many sections as you have piles. Start taping the items into the appropriate section, making notes in the margin to remind you what part of that particular image you were inspired by. Make sure to add in the pictures you took of your home into the appropriate sections as well.

Step 4: Use Your Journal as a Shopping Guide

When you go shopping for decorations, take the journal with you and use it as a reference. Look at the smaller details of the pictures, such as the pattern of the ribbon used to tie the packages or the types of ornaments on the tree. Refer to the pages often, reusing what you can and filling it in with new items.

Hopefully we have inspired you to take an organized and focused approach to your holiday decorating next year. If you are interested in changing things up, now is a great time to shop because many Christmas items are on sale. Take advantage of those major savings while you can.