Want a beautifully decorated Christmas tree without spending hours stringing lights, tying ornaments, climbing ladders, and fussing with every branch? I’m right there with you.

I love a gorgeous Christmas tree. I just don’t particularly love the process of putting one together every year.

That’s why I’ve developed what I affectionately call my Lazy Girl’s Way to Decorate a Christmas Tree.

It’s not really about being lazy. It’s about finding shortcuts, reusing what you already have, making decorating easier on yourself, and still ending up with a Christmas tree that looks full, festive, and professionally decorated.

Here are my favorite tricks.

1. Store Your Christmas Tree Partially Decorated

My number-one shortcut is simple:

If you have the storage space, don’t completely undecorate your Christmas tree.

My tree topper stays on my tree all year long. I’m fortunate enough to have a closet where I can roll the tree inside and store it.

When Christmas comes around again, I pull it out, fluff the topper and branches, and I’m already ahead of the game.

If you can't store your entire tree assembled, see whether you can separate it into sections and leave some of your decorations attached.

You can even decorate the top section while it’s sitting on a table at eye level. That is much easier than repeatedly climbing up and down a ladder.

Work smarter, not harder!

2. Put Your Christmas Tree on a Rolling Stand

If your storage situation allows it, a rolling Christmas tree stand can be a game changer.

I can decorate my tree, roll it into position and, after Christmas, roll it back into storage.

My tree is a 7½-foot slim tree, which also makes it easier to move through doorways.

If you're choosing a new Christmas tree and know you'll need to move it around, consider both the height and the width before buying.

3. Consider a Green Tree Instead of White

I love the frosty, wintry look of a white Christmas tree, especially since I live in a hot climate and wanted my tree to feel cold, snowy and magical.

But after owning mine for several years, I learned something:

White Christmas trees can yellow over time.

Even though mine has been stored in climate-controlled conditions, some yellowing has occurred, particularly near the lights.

Fortunately, I can disguise those areas with my topper, florals and decorations.

If easy maintenance and longevity are priorities, I would choose a green tree.

4. Start With a Pre-Lit Christmas Tree

Stringing lights is not on my Christmas decorating wish list.

A pre-lit Christmas tree eliminates an entire decorating step.

If you want even more glow, add cluster lights toward the interior of the tree. Wrapping lights closer to the center creates beautiful depth because the light shines from inside the branches instead of only from the outside.

And remember: your Christmas tree should reflect your taste.

There isn't one correct way to decorate it.

5. Use Ribbon Pieces Instead of One Long Continuous Ribbon

Ribbon can instantly make a Christmas tree look fuller and more luxurious, but you don't necessarily need yards and yards of it.

Instead of wrapping one continuous roll around the tree, I cut approximately 48-inch or longer sections.

Create a tail, make a loop or two, secure the center with a pipe cleaner or floral wire, and insert the ribbon piece into the tree.

Repeat the pieces around the tree at roughly equal distances.

This method is especially useful when you aren't sure you have enough ribbon to cover the entire tree.

It also gives you much more control over exactly where your ribbon appears.

Another Easy Ribbon Trick

If you have a beautiful specialty ribbon with details you want people to see, don't hide it inside elaborate bows.

Secure one end to the tree, create a loose loop, push the ribbon into the branches, bring it back out and repeat.

Make the loops whatever size you like.

Simple can be beautiful.

6. Don't Decorate the Back If Nobody Can See It

This may be one of my favorite decorating shortcuts.

My Christmas tree goes into a corner, so I only decorate approximately three-quarters of the tree.

Why spend money and time decorating an area no one will see?

If you're trying to reduce the number of ornaments, florals and picks you need, consider placing your tree where the back isn't visible.

You can create a very full-looking Christmas tree with fewer decorations.

7. Put Clear Ornaments Inside the Tree

Here's a little trick that can make your tree sparkle.

I use clear acrylic ornaments and push them deeper into the tree near the center.

When the Christmas lights come on, the clear ornaments reflect the light and help create a beautiful glow from inside the tree.

And yes, I literally push them into the branches.

Welcome to my “shove it in” decorating method.

I don't secure every single item because I don't usually have toddlers or pets around my tree.

If you have children or curious pets, you'll want to secure your decorations appropriately.

8. Make Layered Christmas Picks

One of the easiest ways to make a Christmas tree look professionally decorated is to use large layered picks.

Combine three to five different elements, such as:

• Floral stems

• Greenery

• Snowy picks

• Decorative sprays

• Glitter stems

• Berries or branches

Secure them together to create one larger statement pick.

I reuse mine year after year.

Instead of placing them straight into the tree, insert the picks at an angle.

Large picks extend beyond the natural branches and visually increase the width of the tree, making even a slim tree appear much fuller.

9. Use Flowers to Fill Large Empty Spaces

Flowers are another secret weapon because one large bloom can fill considerably more space than a small ornament.

After adding my ribbon and layered picks, I look for empty areas and insert flowers throughout the tree.

I space them fairly evenly, but I don't obsess over perfect placement.

Some have short stems that tuck easily into the branches, while flowers with longer stems work especially well toward the lower portion of the tree.

This is an easy way to get a big visual impact without buying dozens of additional ornaments.

10. Add Lightweight Ornaments Last

I don't use a huge number of traditional ornaments because I don't enjoy tying and securing every ornament individually.

Instead, I use lightweight ornaments that can rest securely among the branches.

After my ribbon, flowers and large picks are in place, I use ornaments to fill the remaining gaps and balance the colors throughout the tree.

When Christmas is over, I can simply pull them out.

Easy decorating.

Easy undecorating.

That's the goal!

11. Use Hanging Ornaments Along the Bottom

I do use some hanging ornaments along the lower edge of my Christmas tree.

These decorative pieces hang below the branches and visually extend the length of the tree.

It's a small detail, but it helps give the finished tree a more dramatic look.

12. Add Snowy Picks for the Finishing Touch

Once the main decorations are in place, I go back through the tree with snowy decorative picks.

I angle these downward rather than sticking them straight out.

This helps extend the tree's silhouette and makes a slim Christmas tree appear much wider and fuller.

At this point, you can stand back and look for gaps.

Don't overthink it.

If an area looks empty, add something.

If an area looks too crowded, take something away.

13. Make Christmas Decoration Storage Easier, Too

The Lazy Girl method doesn't stop when Christmas is over.

I store many of my large floral picks and Christmas decorations in rolling under-bed storage bins.

The bins roll underneath beds downstairs, which means I don't have to carry everything long distances or find space for enormous boxes.

Use whatever storage system works for your home.

The important part is making it easy enough that you aren't dreading getting everything back out next Christmas.

Bonus Tip: Use a Remote or “Magic Wand” for Your Lights

If your Christmas tree is pushed into a corner, getting behind it every day to turn the lights on and off gets old quickly.

I use a remote—or what I call my magic light wand—to turn my tree lights on and off without crawling behind the tree.

It's a small convenience that makes a big difference.

A Beautiful Christmas Tree Doesn't Have to Be Complicated

You don't have to follow a hundred decorating rules to create a beautiful Christmas tree.

My method is simple:

Fluff the tree. Add ribbon. Insert large picks and flowers. Fill the gaps with ornaments. Add your finishing picks. Then stop when you love what you see.

And whenever possible, make things easier for yourself next year by storing reusable pieces assembled or even leaving part of your tree decorated.

Christmas decorating should be fun—not another exhausting job on your holiday to-do list.

So if you're busy, short on time, or simply don't want to spend three days decorating one tree, I officially give you permission to try the Lazy Girl's Way.

Your tree can still be gorgeous.

And nobody needs to know how easy it actually was. 🎄✨

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