You don’t have to sacrifice your holiday cheer because you live in a small apartment. Small spaces are actually perfect for capturing the Christmas spirit and emphasizing seasonal decor. Twinkling fairy lights and garlands don’t get lost in small apartments as they do in oversized mansions. But the key is knowing how to use your limited space and these small apartment Christmas decor ideas to create a festive feeling.
1. Christmas Tree Alternatives
Don’t sacrifice your Christmas tree because space is limited. If you long for a space to put your wrapped gifts and hang your DIY ornaments, there are plenty of options. Mount garlands to your wall in the shape of a traditional Christmas tree and hang small wooden ornaments on them. If garlands aren’t your style, replace them with string lights and hang your favorite and most sentimental family photos. For a more structured and durable option, use wooden slats with baubles. If you don’t have an open wall to mount your tree on, stack everyday items like books into a tree shape and place it on your dining table. Even drawing a tree on a chalkboard will allow you to enjoy the beauty and festivity of the holidays.
2. String Lights
You need light anyway, so why not incorporate it into your small apartment Christmas decor ideas? The soft, twinkling glow of string lights omit the holiday cheer and create a festive vibe, whether they’re paired with other decorations or not. There are few things as great as walking past apartment buildings and large houses and seeing twinkling lights and happy silhouettes through the windows on Christmas Eve. Use battery-operated or plug-in string lights and drape them around your window frames, curtain rods, and along shelves. They don’t take up any table or floor space and you have complete flexibility when it comes to where you place them. Furthermore, you can choose between warm white or multicolored varieties and they enlarge your small apartment by reflecting off walls and mirrors. Add cheap to that list and they’ve got all of the pros and none of the cons.
3. Mini Garlands
Regular-sized garlands work well as small apartment Christmas decor. But sometimes your space really just isn’t enough, and something beautiful ends up looking overcrowded and cluttered. Make your own compact garlands or find miniature alternatives at the store and place them where they won’t be in the way. It’s a bonus if you can incorporate the process into a fun Christmas activity for your kids. Let them get creative with scissors, glue, string, natural materials, and some pieces of paper. Drape your mini garlands over windowsills, shelves, stair railings, and kitchen cabinets. They’re lightweight and easy to store, which is great for small apartment living. You can also use them to fill awkward or small areas so every corner can feel seasonal.
4. Festive Decor Accents
In apartments with limited space, small and impactful decorations that are strategically placed are the key. Incorporate things like decorative pillows, throw blankets, and tiny figurines into the rest of your farmhouse decor to add seasonal spirit without taking up much space. Add personality to your coffee tables and entryway consoles with metallic or reflective surfaces like gold or silver candleholders. You can make your apartment feel more vibrant and in line with the holiday cheer by replacing the decorative accents you’ve already got out by more Christmas-oriented pieces. Plus, potpourri bowls or cinnamon-scented reed diffusers are an effective way to bring on the festive mood with fragrances instead of clutter.
5. Holiday Candles
Once again, the Christmas accents that can replace those you’ve already got out take the crown. Strategically place festive candles in cozy corners or windowsills, or replace other decorative items that don’t work with the holiday theme. Choose traditional, warm scents like cinnamon, clove, vanilla, and pine instead of ocean breeze and coconut. You can arrange them in clusters or display them on trays along with small ornaments, pinecones, and fairy lights. If you’re not worried about the fragrance of holiday candles, you can use battery-operated LED candles as a safe alternative. Then again, real candles floating in bowls of water are a safe way to offer the same soft illumination with the fragrance.
6. Compact Wreaths
Festive wreaths just scream “Christmas,” but some store-bought options are just too big for small apartments. Instead of livening up the space, they can make it cluttered and overwhelming. Make your own compact wreaths with natural materials like pine branches, holly, paper, fabric, and eucalyptus. Change up the size according to the amount of space you’ve got and decorate them with the ornaments of your choice. You can also find mini wreaths at stores that stock Christmas decor. Hang them on your apartment door, inner walls, windows, or on your cabinet fronts to create festive focal points that offer the same cheer and seasonal charm of large wreaths.
7. Window Silhouettes
Since your windows are already a structural part of your apartment’s design, you might as well use them to bring holiday cheer to your space. They don’t take up any room at all yet they’re able to enhance your apartment’s festive appeal from indoors and from the street. Use removable decals that you buy from the store or make your own seasonal showcases with paper cutouts and frosted glass sprays. Fill your windows with reindeer, stars, Christmas trees, snowflakes, and festive messages. They’ll help to reflect light to amplify brightness and enlarge your space, and you can change the design every year.
8. Christmas Baskets
Christmas baskets are so versatile that can be used in both large houses and as small apartment Christmas decor ideas. If your apartment is decorated in the farmhouse style, use wicker or woven baskets to display various holiday accents. Add wrapped gifts, blankets, ornaments, festive snacks, string lights, and natural greenery to create your own mini Christmas atmosphere. Place them under tables, next to sofas, or near your entryway to create a tidy display that you can move around throughout the season and put away once the holiday celebrations are over.
9. Mason Jar Snowglobes
Mason jars are some of the most versatile storage containers out there. You can use them for bathroom items like cotton pads and bath salts or for pantry items like flour and rice. And they work just as well if you’re looking for small apartment Christmas decor ideas. Fill the jars with fake snow or glitter, and miniature trees or small figurines. The key is to enlarge your own small space by creating a small whimsical winter scene in an even smaller space. Place them on tabletops, shelves, or in your windowsills where they won’t take up any additional space. You can also use them as gifts for friends and family members by filling them with a DIY hot cocoa kit.
