Planning your holiday photos in advance will make all the difference in the results. You may want to take before and after shots of your rooms from different angles to help you remember "what went where". This is particularly helpful if you have willing assistants ready to put things where they belong. (We should all be so lucky!)

It's also helpful to take pictures of how things are boxed up and stored for the same reason. Set up and take down will go faster and smoother and you may even realize that there are better ways to do things after reviewing the photos.

You may also notice areas in the room that look crowded, busy or dark in the photos, but don't appear that way in real life. Correcting those before you take pictures of family and friends at your gatherings will result in more pleasing pictures. (No amaryllis flowers seeming to be sprouting from Aunt Charlotte's head!)

More hints for better photos:

• Review any photos that have been taken in the past to help you plan your shots this year.
• Take trial shots of the room after decorating to see where lighting needs to be adjusted. Some rooms will need more or less light depending on the time of day. You'll avoid disappointing results and lost opportunities this way.
• Rearrange decorations as needed to avoid things hovering over your guests's heads (unless it's mistletoe!)
• Learn which decorations may need to be adjusted to keep the room from looking cluttered or too vacant in certain areas, as seen by the camera.
• When shooting lighted decorations, try dimming or reducing the room lighting slightly to avoid "washing out" the decorations.
• If possible, use stand-ins to plan certain shots and test the results.
• Take close-ups of special decorations, keepsakes, gifts, foods and other details to help tell your story.
• Try shooting from different angles and levels. Taking a shot of the tree from a few feet off the floor as a toddler might see gives a different perspective to the holiday.
• Instead of having people stand awkwardly in a line, group them in a more relaxed, casual position. Some sitting and some standing by the fire, for example, can make a classic setting.

Put gift tags to work this season. Use them on the stems of water or wine glasses instead of place cards at a table. Use the tags instead of wine charms; let guests write their names, initials or "party persona" on the tags with gold, silver or other felt tip pens.

Large parties and open houses are more manageable if you have help, particularly someone to control coat checks. Make it easier for your helper and your guests to find their coats, umbrellas, etc, by providing tags that they can tie onto buttons and handles.

Feeling creative? Make your own tags to go with your decorations. Click on the link below for basic templates and instructions. Read on for more creative resources

This free software from Avery provides simple step-by-step instructions to format and print festive labels, gift tags, name badges and more like the wreath shown above. It works within Microsoft® Word for Windows, you can import lists from Microsoft® Excel® and use other database programs for mail merge. Or just type in the addresses you need. Use professionally pre-designed templates to get started with your project, or choose a blank template to create your own design. You can also add your own graphics or logo to all your projects. Please click on the link below for more information.

Small remnants of wrapping paper can be put to decorative use. Run them through a paper shredder and use for packing in gift bags and boxes.

It's never safe to burn wrapping paper in the fireplace after opening presents. Besides the possible toxins that may be emitted from some wraps, burning paper can become airborne quite fast and create carpet burns, or worse.

Instead of burning or throwing the paper away, shred those remnants and keep them on hand for colorful gift wrapping, shipping and storage all year.

Need to organize your girt wrapping supplies? Click below to see an assortment from The Container Store.

Is your powder room an embarrassment? You could win a free remodel of your eyesore from Northwood Construction, Inc., a company who has been remodeling homes in Northern Virginia's Fairfax and Loudoun counties for 25 years. I was alerted to the contest by a client who had her kitchen beautifully remodeled by the company, and wanted to pass the information and opportunity on to my readers.

Someone has to win-why not you? More information about the contest can be found by clicking on the link below.

Good Luck!

Last year I featured the wonderful digital Advent Calendar by artist Jacquie Lawson. She is back with a new calendar, this time featuring an animated scene of Christmas in London that changes from morning to night, according to the time of day. Each day features a different treat when you click on the date, such as short animated scenes, stories and even interactive games like a snowflake creator. Each day a new animation appears, building up to a delightful Christmas scene featuring the trademark jacquielawson.com quirky humor, delicate artistic style, and delightful Christmas music.

Click on the link below to learn more about this year's card and how to order the 2011 version of last year's card.

Has your old green garland seen better days? If it's really worn, it may be better to toss it. Before you do, consider if it is good enough to use as a base for new decorations:

• Wrap old picture frames with garland and decorate as you would a wreath, as shown in the photo.
• Use pieces to "plump up" or enlarge an artificial wreath.
• Stuff or wrap styrofoam balls in different sizes and use as a base for live greens and holly to make your own "kissing balls". Suspend from entryway lights or ceiling with ribbon.
• Wrap an inverted tomato cage and create a "tree" form base for outdoor display. Decorate it as you would a Christmas tree or wreath, using lights, floral picks and ornaments.
• Create your own floral sprays by cutting it into pieces. Embellish it with spray paint, spray snow, pine cones or other season picks. Use as a filler or accents in your tree, centerpieces, and outdoor decorations.

You've been thinking about making some changes in your rooms? Promise yourself that 2012 will be the year you treat your home and yourself to a room makeover. If you have any questions about the process, the cost and the time it may take, please call. I'm happy to answer your questions about how a redesign may help you enjoy and live more comfortably in rooms that reflect your style.

Happy Holidays!