Ok, you guys, this is the last week for the Friday Five Holiday Edition and I’m switching it up because you shouldn’t need anymore gift guides…Christmas Eve is less than 3 days away!!;) Turtle is on Santa watch and he’s hoping for some big bones in his stocking on Christmas morning!

Let’s chat about the main rules for decorating your home if you are trying to sell during the holidays. And let’s be honest, these rules apply to general staging when selling as well!

Some holiday decorations can do the same damage of deterring future buyers as orange shag carpeting or cluttered rooms, it’s not desirable to the majority of buyers and can hurt your sale! Follow these five decorating tips when trying to sell during the holiday’s and you’ll create a welcoming home that future buyers can see themselves spending their holiday in!

1.Simple Exterior Decor: If you can’t imagine a year without outside Christmas lights then white lights are the way to go when selling . They make your home feel festive but are not too wild. Adding basic greenery to lighting is also a classic way to decorate. And be sure to skip the blow ups!

2. Skip the Collections: Keep the snow angel and Christmas town collections packed away for the year. They feel too cluttered and collections need to be packed away when selling regardless of if it is the holidays or not. Add simple pine decor to vases if you need alittle extra on your tables! Future buyers need to see a clean, clutter free home.

3. 4 Colors of Christmas: Green, red, silver, white gold. Forego Christmas blues and pinks until the next year. Keeping the classic Christmas colors is the only way to go when selling!

4. Traditional Furniture Staging: If you normally buy a gigantic tree that doesn’t fit in your house unless the whole living room is re-arranged then size down this year! Your furniture should stay in the positions that best represent the rooms. All traditional staging rules apply!

5. Keep It Classy: An all around rule of thumb, just keep it classy. A simple Christmas tree and cute pillows will suffice. It feels classy and clean plus you won’t have to re-pack all of your Christmas decor when it’s time to move!