We Just Reached Peak Pool Noodle Holiday Decorating (See How!)

Even though swimsuits and sun hats might be packed away this time of year, it’s worth keeping a pool noodle or two toward the front of your closet in December — simply because they’re so great for making at-home holiday decor look straight out of a store window. 

When it comes to holiday decorating, pool noodles are basically a layperson’s floral foam block — but in a large size well-suited for a banister or a mantel — and in a bendier material that makes them perfect for wrapping around archways and edges. 

Yes, DIYers have used pool noodles for table centerpieces and even to make giant bows for the holidays before, but this year’s new noodle trick is to create something curvier — and best yet, you can follow curved shapes already inside (or outside) your house to make it work.

Do you have an arch-shaped window or door? A circular mirror? An oval coffee table that could use a little more pizzazz for your holiday party? Wrap a pool noodle around the edge, then fill in with garland.

Above, Apartment Therapy’s Associate Producer Maya Borrero shows how it’s done. Maya cut a slit down the pool noodle and fit it around one rounded corner of this mirror for an asymmetrical look.

Note that Maya used a teal noodle from this Amazon pack; teal or green are both great colors to pick since they’ll blend in well with a green garland.

After placing the noodle, Maya added greenery. Something with a long stem to poke into the noodle works great, but you can also use glue or pins to attach your decor. Continue filling it out until you can’t see the noodle anymore.

Here, find a few other tips for pool noodle hacks from DIYers who have done it.

• Use a serrated kitchen knife or craft knife to cut the noodle to the length of your liking.
• Artificial greens work great because they won’t dry out, and you can keep them on the noodle and store them to use again for next year’s holiday.
• If you can’t find a green noodle, you can use spray paint to get the right color. Go for green to blend into garland greenery, or use black or brown to match your banister or mantel.