Reimagine Your Holiday Décor: How to Conduct Your Décor Review

The holidays are over. It’s time to put away your holiday decorations. But before you do, there is one step you should take. You should conduct a holiday décor review.

A décor review involves determining which decorations stay and which will go. It helps you come up with the right layout for next year. You can improve your processes and increase customer engagement. 

Plan your holiday review considering when it will take place and who will be involved.

First, you must decide when your review will happen. It’s best to conduct it towards the end of the holiday season, ideally after Christmas and even after New Year’s but before your decorations are taken down. This timing will allow you to consider how your customers interacted with your décor throughout the season.

Don’t conduct your review on your own. Involve others to get their feedback. You may want to include marketing managers, store employees, and other executives. Consider their availability when scheduling your review.

Map out how you will conduct your walkthrough. Start at the front of the store to simulate the customer experience. Visit various sections of the store to take in your holiday décor from all angles.

Store managers must consider several elements when determining what worked and what didn’t. Here are some points to review.

Your marketing managers may have the expertise, but your employees will have first-hand information on how customers interacted with holiday decorations. Ask them which decorations got the most and the best reactions. These decorations should be prominently featured in your design scheme.

Next, conduct your walkthrough looking at each decoration. Some decorations may be damaged, or they may look faded or outdated. You may consider removing these from your design and discarding them or donating them to your employees.

You should also consider decorations that didn’t get much interaction. These do not necessarily need to be discarded. They may be more noticeable if you move them to another location.

You may need another walkthrough to gain a more holistic view of your design. Ensure your design elements are well distributed throughout the store. Consider spreading out items in areas that are ‘design heavy’ to target areas that are ‘design lacking’.

During your walkthrough, you should also consider the type of experience your holiday décor provides. Ask yourself the following questions:

• How does your design interact with your products?
• What does it say about your company?

• How does it help you stand out from other businesses?

• How does it impact the customer experience?

If you have been using the same decorations for several years, they may be worn out and no longer safe. They may also adhere to outdated safety standards.

Safety is paramount in business environments. Inspect every item to ensure you don’t endanger your customers or employees. Here are some issues to look out for:

• Make sure lights don’t have frayed wires or loose connections
• Use flame-retardant materials
• Use UL-approved lights and chords
• Keep decorations far from heat sources
• Check for Prop 65 warnings that indicate your decorations contain harmful chemicals

Likely, you won’t remember a lot of what happened during your holiday décor review when next season rolls around. Taking pictures and notes is crucial. Leave no stone unturned when documenting your findings.

After your review, discuss your holiday direction design for next year. You may want to follow a similar theme, simply replacing or rearranging certain items. Or you may decide to go in a new direction and completely revamp your look.

If you decide on the latter, now is a great time to start planning. Think of the decorations that can be integrated into your new design, and which may not be as useful. This strategy will help you save money on buying new decorations, and it will outline a plan, so you are ready to launch your new look when the holidays roll around.

Additionally, if you plan early, you may be able to take advantage of after-season sales while stocking up on next year’s decorations.

Your holiday décor review should also include a review of the decorating process. This can take place alongside the décor review, but it may be best conducted immediately after you hang your decorations, while the details are fresh in your mind.

Consider how the decorations were installed. Could you have done anything to make the process safer or more efficient? If you hired a team to decorate your business, were you happy with their service? Would you consider hiring the same company in the future?

Holiday decorating takes time. The more you review in advance, the more you can speed up the process next year ensuring it’s completed with optimal efficiency.

A holiday décor review is necessary at the end of the holiday season. Look at your décor to ensure it is safe, and attractive, and promotes customer engagement. Items that no longer serve you can be discarded or donated.

Regardless of what you decide, it’s always wise to freshen up your holiday décor. Give customers something new to get excited about. Add new elements in line with this year’s trends.

Dekra-Lite will support you in your efforts. We offer a wide selection of pre-lit trees, wreaths, foliage, lighting, décor and props. Our team will ensure your updated design is a success.

Contact us for all your holiday decorating needs.