7 TikTok hacks to take the stress out of holiday decorating

To hang garland above a door without nails, screws or other anchors that can damage the finish, try this renter-friendly viral hack using a tension rod. The rods themselves are relatively inexpensive, starting around $3.50. An added bonus: You can reuse them in future holiday seasons. Start by extending the rod to fit in your doorframe. Wrap the rod with festive plants such as evergreen garland and berries, or decorate it with lights and ribbon. Then, using a stool or stepladder, place it at the top of the frame. Once the season is over, just squeeze the rod to remove it.

Our search also yielded a simple trick for hanging a wreath without damaging your door. All you need is a ribbon and an adhesive hook. Turn the hook upside down and attach it to the inside of your door, then wrap the ribbon around your wreath and loop it through the hook. The ribbon will lie flat over the top of the door, supporting the wreath’s weight. Be sure to test the weight of the wreath on the ribbon before you hang it, though; broader ribbons will provide the best support.

Fir branches and other tall flowers can make a stunning — and sustainable — centerpiece, but they’re prone to leaning to one side in larger vases, making your arrangement look uneven. Try using two or three toilet paper rolls to support your centerpiece. Stack them and tape or glue them together, then place them in the center of your vase. Place your branches inside the cardboard rolls. Surround them with pinecones or another filler material to conceal the cardboard. The best part? This hack is not holiday-exclusive: You can use the same technique for any centerpiece, year-round.

For those who are short on ornaments or simply enjoy a maximalist aesthetic, try stuffing any gaps in your tree to give it a fuller look. It’s especially effective with a smaller tree. Bunch or fold short pieces of oversize ribbon, and tuck them into empty spaces. You could also use pieces of tinsel or garland, or try miniature disco ball ornaments for a glittery touch. Store the pieces of filler along with your ornaments to use them next holiday season.

Pet owners know that decorating for Christmas brings a host of challenges, particularly with cats. Who can resist climbing a beautifully decorated tree, after all? If you have a small, artificial tree, you can use clear plastic string to prevent any potential climbers from knocking it over. Use tape or adhesive hooks to secure the string from one wall to another in front of the tree. Beware, though: This will not work with a larger tree or a heavy live specimen, which will be too heavy for the plastic string to support.

If you’re looking to dress up your front porch or entryway, try wrapping cardboard boxes to create a decorative display. Reseal several empty boxes in different sizes and wrap them in a mix of color-coordinated papers. Then stack them from largest to smallest. Or you can cut holes in them and, using a broom handle through the center of the boxes for support, place them on top of each other at different angles to create a gravity-defying stack.

If you live with young children or pets, or someone clumsy, ornaments on hooks alone may be in danger of crashing to the floor. To add extra security, use clear hair ties or twist ties to hang your ornaments. You can purchase a bag of plastic hair ties for about $3 or a pack of twist ties for about $1. Remove the hooks from your ornaments, loop the elastic band or twist tie through them and fasten them to your tree. Kids will still be able to participate in decorating with the family, but it’ll be more challenging to remove the ornaments. Save the ties to use in future years.