We all know that warm fuzzy feeling we get around December when the sights and smells of the holidays start rolling out. We put up decorations, start baking cookies and write out our Christmas or Kwanzaa cards. All is well until January (or February for some) when the decorations come down and we realize the damage we've done. Eekk.
Don't be the person who speckles their walls with holes from excessive holiday hanging. Instead, plan ahead and use the following tips to prevent damage during holiday home decorating.
WRAP YOUR WALL PICTURES
This super easy idea will not only prevent additional nail damage on your walls, but can also really liven up your housing cooperative. Instead of hanging more things on your wall, wrap up the things you already have on your wall to make them look like presents. If you're feeling really crafty, you can also glue a bow near the corner of the frame to make them look even more real.
To achieve the wrapped present look, simply remove your picture frame from the wall, use festive gift wrapping paper to cover the front of the frame, tape it down on the back, and rehang on your wall. That's it! This simple trick can make a big impact with little effort and no damage!
Drape Your Stockings Elsewhere
Stockings hung by the chimney with care should not be nailed into the fireplace or worse, the walls. Yes, hanging stockings seems harmless at first, but when they fill up with goodies, they start putting pressure on the nail, pulling it lower and lower into the wall. This can create large, unsightly holes that you'll have to patch up in the coming year.
Be creative! Drape your stockings elsewhere. Ideas:
Hang on door knobs
Hang on coat rack
Tape to wall with removable tape
Use a 3M wall hook with damage-free putty tape
Use portable, heavy stocking holder to hang off ledge
You get the idea. Figure out a creative way to hang your stockings without putting holes in your co-op home.
And if you HAVE to hang something with a nail...
LEAVE IT IN THE WALL
Somethings we simply have to hang and that's ok too. The trick is to hang it once and leave the nail in the wall. Putting just one hole in the wall isn't bad, but removing the nail this year, then rehanging it next year, then again the year after that, will deface your walls and slowly lower the value of your housing co-op.
Once the holidays are over, remove the item you once hung, but leave the nail in the wall. If you'd like, find something else that fits in with your decor year-round and hang it from that nail. Then, when the holidays come around, swap it for the festive decoration again and place the "year-round decor" in storage temporarily. No extra harm to the walls, walls are still decorated, and life is good.
ARE YOU READY TO BECOME A HOMEOWNER?
You're in luck! Cedarwood Housing Cooperative in Park Forest, Illinois is the best place to buy a piece of the American dream. Our member-owned housing community offers the benefits of home ownership with the freedom of renting. For a small initial investment of less than $30,000 (and in many cases only $10,000), you can call yourself a home owner of a beautiful, spacious co-op in Park Forest.
Call 708-747-3833 to inquire about available units or search our website for more details.