Just because your Monroe, NJ, apartment might be on the small side (and by small, we mean smaller than 2,000 square feet) there’s no reason you can’t decorate it for the holidays. You have to be a little more creative with decorating a smaller space (and, of course, storing the decorations when they’re not in use), but that’s the fun part!

Use the “out-of-the-way” places

A wreath on the outside of your apartment door is an easy trick. But what about putting smaller wreaths on your inside doors? Or even tiny wreaths that serve as place cards for holiday dinner parties. The tiny wreaths can be hand made from sprigs of rosemary attached to itty-bitty grapevine wreaths. Or put evergreen boughs or garlands across the out-of-the way flat surfaces – like shelves you may have mounted on the walls.

Decorate as normal, but on a smaller scale

What does that mean? Physically smaller versions of the same holiday items. The Christmas tree is a great example. A 7’ tree is going to take up a lot of room that you probably might not have in your Monroe, NJ, apartment. So, get a small tree that’s 2.5’-3’, and raise it off the ground using an end table. You can drape your tree skirt over the table for a dash of extra color. And if that tree is still too big, go for the dressed-up Charlie Brown tree with using a lush evergreen branch in a colorful vase, decorated in a few of your favorite ornaments. If the branch is too big – or at least too big for the space you want to dress up – go for the tiniest trees that are a fun DIY for you and any kids in your life: a painted pinecone in a tiny terra cotta pot.

Remember the mantle

The holidays always seem incomplete to me without decorating the mantle. So, if you don’t have a mantle in your Monroe, NJ apartment, never fear, you can fake it. If you have some shelves mounted on the wall, string some twine between their brackets. Use clothespins to hang your stockings on the twine, then decorate the shelf itself with greenery, lights, and ornaments to your taste.

Your nose knows

Holiday decorating is a feast for the eyes, but it’s hardly the only sense you can use that will invoke that holiday feeling. Remember that smells can trigger memories and emotions. So, if your space allows, find a place for some cinnamon-scented pine cones. Or put something on the stove to simmer whose aroma will make you think of the holidays. And then put on your favorite holiday music, to keep your ears happy, too.

Making your small space festive can be challenging. The fun comes in making your Monroe, NJ apartment a joyful place to celebrate the holidays with loved ones, no matter what its size.