Christmas is on it’s way in, Christmas trees can be picked up and brought home now – adding a new and festive decoration to your house. Christmas trees are normally quite a large decoration, one that takes up a lot of floor space and room space in your home. We tend to clear quite an area away from our livingroom, making sure the tree can be seen front and center! As these trees are quite large and can cause a bit of damage to flooring, I’ve compiled some of the best tips to keep your floor looking good after the decorations are gone.
Pine Needles take extra care
If you are picking a real tree, you can talk to the tree farm or place of sale to learn about the type of tree you are picking. If you aren’t a tree expert – they can all look the same – but some trees actually shed more than others. If you have a lot of pine needle shed, you can end up with small scratches and residue. Once you have picked your tree, you will want to water it regularly so that it keeps shape and less pine needles shed. If you have a carpet or wooden floor with slats, pine needs can get stuck between these slats or into the carpet, so you will also need to vacuum regularly.
Consider your Tree Stand
Many trees (fake or real) have a tree stand that the tree is stuck in. This stand can be heavy on carpets, leaving a mark if it is left up for the duration of December or longer. You can negate this by picking a wider floorstand – instead of the more traditional metal ones that have thin legs, or by putting something under the stand. You can wrap a bit of strong plywood to place on your carpet, under your stand, allowing your tree’s weight to be more evenly distributed across the floor. If you have solid wood flooring, you might end up scratching your floor if the tree stand moves too much. Getting a tree rug for under your stand not only fixes this problem, but also looks really festive! You can grab an anti-slip mat for extra protection as well.
Plan taking down the tree
When it’s time to take your tree down, you should try to place some sort of paper or sheets around the tree, before you take off your decorations. Often pine needles will start shedding – especially if you have had your tree up for so long – and when the tree comes down to go out the door, there will be more pine needle shedding. You’ll want to carefully drain any water out of the stand and clean up any water that spills instantly. Once your tree is out of the way, do vacuum and mop if you do have a hardwood floor!
Hopefully all of these tips will help you create a great Christmas decoration without damaging your beloved home!
This is great! I actually put my tree up today and I have hardwood floors and the tree stand is metal Yikes! Your post reminded me that a rug would be a good idea 🙂
Yesss! Do use a rug!