Know Your Maximum Size

My husband, David, is a big-tree kind of man, and as a result, I had to become a garland-making kind of woman. Rather than spending all afternoon hacking away at limbs and trunks, we now do as Georgetown, Texas, interior designer Linda McCalla suggests: We plan before we buy.

To calculate your maximum tree size, measure the height of your ceiling and then subtract 1 foot. This will allow ample room for a topper, such as a star. Keep girth in mind, too: the smaller the room, the skinnier the tree should be--unless of course there's very little furniture. Then a full tree is actually a welcome addition.