December is upon us and it’s time to decorate! The first thought is, how can I maneuver a Christmas tree into my NYC apartment? Think of it this way: if you pulled off Thanksgiving at your NYC apartment, Christmas decorating should be a breeze. New York City is already decorated and stores like Macy’s and Lord and Taylor have their decadent holiday displays complete for New Yorkers and tourists alike.

Christmas in New York is magical, from the ice skating rink at the Rockefeller Center to the festive window displays along 5th Ave. But though there are tons of Christmas sights to see anywhere you go in NYC, you can’t forget to bring that holiday spirit home. And what better way to do it than by having a Christmas tree?

Here’s the tricky part: getting that tree up five flights of stairs and into your not-so-roomy studio apartment. Luckily, Platinum Properties can help with these tree hacks. Here are a few tips that will make it easier to spruce up your apartment with a seasonal pine this holiday season:

Real or fake?

While that sparkly pink tree on display can be hard to resist, getting a real tree for Christmas can be easier when you live in an NYC apartment—and a lot more festive! Real trees are readily available for purchase on almost every city block. Follow that fresh pine smell until you see a tree dealer! Fake trees, unlike real ones, need to be stored for eleven months of the year. Unless your apartment has a lot of storage space, you probably don’t have that kind of room. Skip the hassle of finding storage space and buy a real tree that will give off that fresh pine scent all December long.

Bigger isn’t always better.

Is a full-sized tree necessary? Maybe you live in a one-bedroom apartment and don’t have quite enough space for a massive tree. You might live in a three-bedroom apartment and you and your roommates need to make room for a tree, a menorah, and a kinara. Maybe you live in a spacious loft, but even with the high ceilings, you prefer to have a smaller tree. Whatever the reason, consider downsizing your tree if you’re living in an NYC apartment. Smaller trees are less expensive, quicker to decorate, and don’t shed as many pine needles on your floor.

Tree? What tree?

There are so many kinds of Christmas decorations: wreaths, garland, stockings, candles, twinkling lights, tinsel, mistletoe, rock ‘n’ roll miniature Santas. The list goes on and on. With all these fantastic and festive alternatives, you might not even need a tree in your NYC apartment. While trees are a classic staple that symbolize the holidays, get creative and think of new ways to decorate your apartment this holiday season.

And when it’s all over…

It’s inevitable that you’ll need to get rid of your tree at the end of the holiday season. How do you do that? Luckily, it’s a pretty easy in New York City. All you have to do is get the tree downstairs and deposit it on the curb to be picked up for recycling. The Department of Sanitation typically conducts special collections for trees shortly after Christmas. Or, if you really don’t want the festivities to be over, turn recycling your tree into its own holiday by participating in MulchFest! Bring your tree to a “chipping location” designated by the Parks and Sanitation Departments, where you can watch it be fed into the chipper. If you have a yard or a garden, you can even go home with a bag of tree-turned-mulch.

Whether it’s giving you advice on picking the right tree or finding you the perfect apartment before the holidays or into the new year, you can rely on Platinum’s team of Manhattan real estate experts.