The problem is that each year, those decoration bins get a little bit harder to lug out of the closet. In my defense, I do pare down the decorations after each season is over. The problem is I replace them with the ones that go on sale for half off, and the storage bins get even heavier.

The same holds true for Christmas decorations, except there's the added excitement of it being my favorite time of the year to decorate. The first house I bought was less than a thousand square feet, and yet I had enough to probably decorate the Biltmore Estate.

Like the fall decor, I also periodically toss some of the excess Christmas decorations once they come down... and then proceed to buy more because the 75% off sales are too strong for me to resist.

This year has been different, though. Several weeks ago, I was talking with my sister, who was making preparations to host the family for Thanksgiving, and I told her that I didn't use all of my autumn/Thanksgiving decorations when I started decorating in September, opting instead to keep it simple instead of going all out. 

Even though she was hosting and wanted her house to look nice, she said she'd done the same thing.

"I didn't even buy any pumpkins for the front porch," she also added casually, which was a big surprise to me considering that's one of the things she loves to do each year for both her porch and her natural area.

We got to discussing it more, and I told her whether she decorated her house or not for Thanksgiving that it didn't matter to mom and me, because we were there to spend and enjoy time with family, not to judge holiday decorations.

I took my fall decorations down over the weekend, but unlike it had in years past, I didn't feel the urge to go to the half-off sales to replace what I had put in the Good Will box I had created. I said to myself "If I didn't use it this year, I won't need it next year" and so all of the unused stuff got donated -- and there are no plans to replace any of them.

Though I do love going the extra mile for Christmas decorations, we'll probably keep it simple there as well and instead will take generous amounts of time to admire the fact that for the first time ever I bought an unlit artificial tree (cashmere) and strung lights on it myself. It looks surprisingly nice (still ornament-free at this point) considering I am not a fan of stringing lights and - no joke - was actually injured one time long ago in the process of stringing them on the office tree.

Even though it seems I've been converted into a "keep it simple" holiday decorations type, I still absolutely love seeing what everyone else has done, whether they went big in their yards/homes or opted to go the minimalist route.  And regardless of whether they've gone big or small, I admire it, even if some of what they've put up is not my style.

I learned long ago that judging someone's holiday decor was silly because if one simple front door wreath, a lone three-foot tree in the window, or that gigantic inflatable Frosty the Snowman or Grinch brought happiness and holiday spirit to that home, it was a good thing.

In other words, whether simple or decked out from roof to floor and all over the yard, it doesn't matter.

All of that said, the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays are about much more than decorations, of course. But I don't mind saying that when it comes to bringing joy, the decor certainly doesn't hurt - except when you get older and, you know, those storage bins loom large and all...

Related: (VIP) A Reminder to Appreciate the Little Things