Sustainable Decorating: Everyday Tools for Eco-Friendly Holiday Crafts

I skip the tinsel aisle every year. Anyone else feel weird guilt buying another box of plastic garland? I’m knee-deep in kitchen twine and scissors—how do I own so many? Hot glue is a lie; everyone pretends it’s fine for the planet, but it’s basically forever trash.

Choosing Reusable Materials

Those metallic snowflake packs? I refuse. Mason jars, baskets, cloth napkins—I hoard them. Martha Stewart claims “reusable textures always win,” but the pinecones from last year are still in the shed, probably molding. Kraft paper makes decent ornaments—cut, doodle, add string. Glitter just ends up in your food. I watched some eco-crafting livestream (why do 2,000 people watch this stuff?) and nobody touched single-use plastic. Beeswax cloth for bows? Sure, it wrinkles, but who cares. Wood scraps from the hardware store, scribbled on with Sharpie, look “artisan”—or just unfinished.

Reducing Waste While Decorating

Egg carton snowmen multiply faster than I can use them. Paint from last spring? Still works, even if it’s lumpy. An EPA rep at some green fair said holiday waste jumps by 25%. I remembered that the next time I dragged out another trash bag.

Tape is landfill forever, but nobody talks about it. Try folding paper triangles, tie with yarn—less sticky, more reusable. My friend dumps bags of fabric scraps on me (“take them or else!”). Her living room looks like a quilt exploded. Plastic-free thread and thumbtacks pin up garlands way faster than those “festive hook” kits that never work anyway.

Frequently Asked Questions

Shove some string lights in a thrift store basket, or just stick evergreen clippings in your lemonade pitcher. There are “rules” for holiday decor, apparently, but my neighbor (actual award-winning designer, by the way) says nobody cares if you use a vase or a juice glass. As long as it’s upright and not leaking sap, you’re fine.

What are some everyday items you can repurpose for holiday decorating?

So I had a button-down shirt lose a button in December, and suddenly I’m wrapping the sleeve around a mason jar to make a candle holder. Looked kind of cool, if you ignored the frayed edge. Baking twine ties up garlands faster than any “official” wire. I’ve seen people use salad bowls for centerpieces—ceramic looks best, glass is a little weird with pinecones. I once used a toolbox for a card display. Still not sure why.

How can you transition your holiday decor to everyday decor seamlessly?

This drives me nuts. One day it’s reindeer throws, next it’s just…nothing? I don’t bother packing half of it away. Just swap out red ribbons for navy or gray, leave the string lights on the bookshelf. Houzz says neutral garlands just become “winter” decor. Nobody seems to notice leftover snowflake candle holders if you light a vanilla candle and stop talking about Christmas.

Can you give tips for last-minute holiday decorating without a trip to the store?

Forgot the pinecones (again). Ripped pages out of my kid’s old notebook, rolled them up, called them ornaments. Lifesaver. Leftover wrapping paper lines trays for snacks, even if the chips are stale. Command hooks—Houzz won’t shut up about them—really do save the day, but don’t try to hang anything heavy. Learned that the hard way.

What are the best tools to keep on hand for impromptu decorating needs?

Tape. Not fancy tape, just the regular kind you always lose. Sharp scissors—because butter knives are a joke on ribbon. Command hooks and clips are honestly the only thing I actually buy for this stuff, but I lose the boxes every year. Battery-powered fairy lights live in the pantry now, since outlets are always too far away. Glue dots, twine, a box cutter—that’s my whole kit.

How can I add a festive touch to my home when I’m short on time?

Had ten minutes before people came over. Dumped clementines in a wooden bowl, tossed in cinnamon sticks and fake holly. Looked like I tried. Scented candles fool everyone into thinking you put in effort (supposedly true, if you believe party-hosting forums). I forget ornaments, grab red sweaters, hang them on hooks. Nobody notices.

What are the go-to techniques for quick and easy holiday decorations?

Layering, apparently. My event planner friend’s obsessed—she just throws stuff over anything ugly, then dumps metallic Christmas bulbs in random plant pots. Me? I literally wad up scrap foil and call it “festive” because I never have actual ornaments.

I don’t even pretend to follow rules. Table runners? I just stack whatever fabric I find, and if I have a half-dead grocery store poinsettia, I shove it in with whatever green thing’s still alive. BuzzFeed said window clings were a thing, but have you seen those after a week? They peel and droop and just look sad. Not that it matters, since I usually get bored halfway through and just start eating snacks.