Today, there are just over 1 million homes for sale in the United States. While the holiday season is spent decorating with bright lights and vibrant colors for many homeowners, Americans selling their homes are hesitant. If your home is on the market, you are likely wondering to what degree you should decorate this year. After all, many real estate agents discourage clutter and personal items when prospective buyers are likely to stop by. So the question remains, can homeowners selling their homes still decorate for the holiday season?

The primary reason many realtors discourage personal items and clutter within the home is because clutter can make a space feel cramped and personal items will often inhibit a viewer from being able to imagine themselves within the space. Although holiday decorations will fill up space within the home, they can also make a home feel warmer and more welcoming if done correctly. For this reason, many realtors recommend that sellers use only minimal holiday trimmings and decorations in order to keep the home looking as spacious as possible. A few small holiday items will likely do the trick, as too many decorations can also be a distraction to viewers.

Another important thing to keep in mind is that the seller may be decorating their home for a holiday that prospective buyers do not celebrate. In order to keep your home welcoming and inclusive, it is best not to use overtly symbolic decorations and instead lean more towards festive decorations. For this, most realtors recommend one sign if at decoration within the living room and another welcoming holiday decorations by the door.

Most realtors agree to keep the holiday decorations in storage until after the shoot when it comes to staging photos. If your home takes months to sell, staging photos that show holiday decorations may seem odd and deter potential viewers from stopping by. This means that if your home’s listing photo shoot is scheduled for the holiday season, you may need to put off decorating. However, once the photos have been taken, feel free to decorate your home with tasteful decorations.

Lastly, Soleil Sotheby’s International Realty recommends sellers take down any holiday decorations immediately after the holidays. Although some American families enjoy keeping their holiday decorations up until Valentine’s Day, it will likely hinder buyer interest and make the home appear unkempt and dated.