I Tried the Clever “Chop n’ Drop” Hack for a Thanksgiving Centerpiece, and I’m Never Going Back

Flowers are the perfect way to brighten up your home. Whether you want to add a pop of color to an empty corner, or create a beautiful centerpiece for your holiday table, they always bring a touch of joy wherever you put them. 

With the holiday season about to be in full swing, having nice-looking table decor is at the top of my mind. Usually I just grab flowers I like at the grocery store, cut them to fit whatever vase I have, and call it a day. But I learned a tip at a flower arranging class hosted by Urban Stems in September that I just had to try.

One of the methods that stood out to me was the “Chop n’ Drop” hack, which is a technique that makes your arrangements look perfect in a vase every single time.

Here’s how it works, as explained by Urban Stems’ floral design manager, Justin Lievano.

“Start by choosing a vase that makes a chop n’ drop possible,” says Lievano. “This method works best with lower vases, whether those are cylinders, cubes, bubbles, etc.” 

“I like to have my flowers laid out on a table in front of me with the tops or blooms facing me so I can see everyone’s pretty faces,” says Lievano. If you buy multiple types of flowers from the grocery store, sort them into sections so you can see all of the colors and types of flowers you’re working with (remember to choose a few types of greenery and a few types of blooms). 

Start with two to three stems of texture or greenery, and choose two to three head flowers to mix in, which are your showier blooms, and one form flower, like an orchid. 

“Add one stem at a time, at a slight angle, alternating by type (this will start to feel like a rhythm),” says Lievano. “After adding each stem, rotate the bouquet about 45 degrees in your hand. This will help you add flowers evenly and with balance across the bouquet.” 

Grab a rubber band to bind your bouquet once you’re done arranging. “You’ll want to place the tie about where your hands are holding the bouquet — we call this the ‘binding point,’” says Lievano. When you bind your bouquet, you don’t have to worry about things moving around in the arrangement.

Move the vase to the edge of your counter or work surface and hold the bouquet next to it. “Line up your bouquet next to the vase with the blooms about 1 inch above the top of the vase,” says Lievano. “[Then] use flower shears to trim your bouquet to about the bottom of the vase.” This is the “chop” part of the chop n’ drop.

A pro tip: Stay on the longer side when cutting — you can always take off length, but it’s impossible to make stems longer.

Finish off the final part of this hack by trimming the stems and popping the bouquet into a vase with water — this is the drop! Make sure to remove any of the greenery or leaves below the water line of your vase, as they can cause rotting.

Lievano’s tips were so helpful, I couldn’t wait to try them myself. I headed to my nearest Trader Joe’s to pick up some fresh flowers that reflect the fall vibe. I went with green accent flowers, purple wax flowers, and a bouquet that had orange Protea, eucalyptus, and other flowers with different textures. 

At home, I began by disassembling the small bouquet and then sorting and laying my flowers on my countertop so I could start a fresh arrangement. 

Then, I started with stems of greenery and added on the head blooms, which formed the flowers in a pretty organic fashion. Of course, you have to play around with what looks good, and it’s important to adjust the height of where you want your stems to sit for some visual variety. I found it best to have my focal flowers dead-center in a grouping of three, as odd numbers are more appealing to the eye (another trick Lievano mentioned).

The binding step was one of the most important ones — if you skip it, your bouquet will splay in the vase and not look as polished and pulled together.

As I placed them into the vase, I focused on the flow of the design, making sure the bouquet had a great contrast of color and texture, allowing each flower to stand out while complementing the others. Compared to my previous arrangements, this one is different. I chose brighter colors and aimed for a unique look that still feels harmonious and true to my style, which is exactly what I love about it. 

Not only am I happy with the finished result, but I also noticed that the clear, helpful steps made arranging less stressful and more meditative for me. 

Whether you’re hosting this Thanksgiving, Christmas, or any other gathering, adding flowers to your table as a centerpiece is never a bad idea. Guests will surely ask “Where did you get those pretty flowers?” and you can tell them all about how the “Chop n’ Drop” elevated your grocery store blooms. 

Want an even easier centerpiece shortcut? You can get one of Lievano’s creations from Urban Stems for your next holiday gathering, like The Spice bouquet above. And check out what the brand has to offer in its winter collection, too. It’s a great place to scout for floral inspiration.