Most homeowners don’t change their home’s exterior quite as frequently as they update their interior. After all, getting a new roof or adding a sunroom tends to be more expensive than buying a new sofa or repainting a bathroom.

Perhaps that’s why a lot of homeowners put so much thought, planning and personal touches into their exterior seasonal decorations. Whatever the inspiration, seasonal decorations offer a warm greeting to visitors and neighbors.

Set the Stage First

Before you head to the store for decorations, tidy up your exterior and touch up your landscaping to set the stage for festive, holiday theme.

• Clean your gutters, removing any leaves or debris that might have built up.
• Remove any plants that might have been killed by frost, and trim any damaged leaves and flowers to prevent your flowerbeds looking drab.
• To help protect annuals, move your pots closer to the house and under the roof. “When frost threatens, cover plants with lightweight blankets or plastic sheets overnight and uncover them in the morning,” Barbara Ellis for HGTV says. “This technique is especially useful for protecting plants from an unusually early frost.” 

Make a Grand Entrance

If you’re pressed for time or cash, but still want to add holiday appeal to your home, just open your front door! Your front entrance is an ideal spot to make a big splash without hiring a professional decorator.

This southern home greets visitors with planters filled with live magnolias, spray-painted magnolia branches and eucalyptus sprigs. 

Magnolias are perfect for warmer regions, because they can later be planted for long-lasting beauty—making them even more appealing for homeowners with a sustainable approach to decorating.

If magnolias won’t grow where you live, feel free to substitute a live plant of your choice—you can customize the decorative touches to achieve the perfect look for your home.

Make Your Porch a Cozy Retreat

If you like the idea of a warm and welcoming entrance, take a lesson from this home. With a flannel blanket and plenty of firewood, this exterior decor theme gives a nod to icy temperatures, while reassuring guests that everything is warm and cozy inside.

And if you kick things off with fall colors like orange and yellow, then shift to red and green as the days get shorter, this display will see you all the way through to the new year.

Practical and Festive

If you’re more likely to spend fall and winter days outdoors enjoying your favorite seasonal activities, displays like this can serve a practical purpose as well as a decorative one. The bonus is that when you’re not using your winter gear, it becomes part of your home’s decor!

A Mailbox for Every Season

You don’t need a wraparound front porch or a grand entryway to take part in seasonal merriment. A simple scarf in seasonal colors makes an unmistakable statement and can easily transition from fall to winter. 

If you have room at the base of your mailbox, try additions like potted plants, sprigs of evergreen branches, or even a pair of skates like the ones pictured here to add your own seasonal touch.

Holidays by the Coast

While many people associate the winter season with the smell of smoldering fireplaces and the sound of crackling leaves, there are plenty of folks for whom it means afternoon swims and evening walks on the beach.

Wreaths like this one offer the perfect compromise between traditional seasonal imagery and the joys of year-round surf and sand. Even traditional evergreen takes on a coastal flair when adorned with shells, sand dollars, and maybe an anchor or two.

Whatever the holidays mean to you, decorating for the season gives your home’s exterior a personal touch and offers a cheery welcome to all who pass by.