Decorating Your Home for Fall on a Budget

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Fall is officially here for those of us in the Northern Hemisphere. Cooler temperatures, shorter days, and autumn leaves beautify our surroundings.

Now with summer over, it’s time to introduce fall decor into your home. And stylish decor mavens know how to decorate on a budget. Their secret? An easy DIY project, of course!

If you’re working on a shoestring budget, with a bit of ingenuity and time, you’ll be well on your way to fall home decor that even Martha Stewart deems worthy.

Try these inexpensive decor ideas to jazz up your home for fall:

1. Pinecone wreath. Adorn your front door with a pinecone wreath to welcome the change of the season. Rather than paying the standard price of $50 to $100 for a pinecone wreath, make one yourself for under $10!

• Take an afternoon to collect pinecones with your children or grandchildren. Two small shopping bags of pinecones should be enough for a large wreath. Next, purchase a Styrofoam wreath for approximately $1, a glue gun for around $2, and a piece of ribbon for $1.
• Use a glue gun to adhere to the flatter side of the pinecones to the wreath. The pinecones should be pointing upwards, rather than laying flat. Continue gluing pinecones until the Styrofoam of the wreath is no longer visible. Then, loosely wrap a long ribbon around the top of the wreath and tie.
• You can display your pinecone wreath by hanging the ribbon on your doorknocker or simply using a wreath hanger that can be purchased at most big box stores for $5.

2. Pressed Leaf showcase. With the help of Mother Nature and some everyday items you already have around the house, you can make photo frames that display your beautiful pressed leaves. This fall staple is the epitome of autumn decor and packs a big punch for a small buck!

• Place a piece of wax paper in the middle of a heavy book, such as an encyclopedia, and lay several leaves on the wax paper without overlapping leaves. Place another sheet of wax paper over the leaves, and then close the book. Let stand for approximately 12 hours.
• Use a piece of scrapbook paper with colors that are reminiscent of fall and fit it to your photo frame. Place a dot of hot glue on the center of the paper and press your leaf onto the glue. Then, carefully slide your pressed leaf and scrapbook paper combo into your photo frame and display!

3. Simple switch. Changing your smallest accessories can provide both the biggest bang for your buck and visual stimulation. Swap out your regular throw pillows, curtains, throws, and vases in favor of ones that are laden with fall-friendly hues.

• Orange, red, brown, bronze, and even green are generally colors associated with fall.
• There’s no need to replace your existing decor; just adapt what you already have! Attach a fun orange or brown pompom trimming to your curtains with Velcro. Rather than ditching your existing throw pillow, simply sew a flirty and autumn-friendly cover or buy a few for the fall.

Whether you’re working with a $100 budget or a $10 budget, you can effectively decorate your home for the fall. When on a tight budget, your most important ally will be your imagination. Remember, where there’s a will, there is a way.

Take inspiration from magazines, decorating shows, or even snap photos of pieces you see in department stores and try to recreate them at home. If you’re open to trying something new and taking the time to take on some DIY projects, the sky truly is the limit to what you can do!