Fall Decor on a Budget

I started my fall decor ridiculously early this year. I felt especially silly when we experienced some hot days in the beginning of September and I already had my cozy blankets and orange pumpkins out. But I couldn’t help it, I was already craving some fall inspired comfort in my home. 

I am always in awe when I look at the windows of stores and the beautiful decorations they display. But oftentimes these decor ideas can be quite pricey and while beautiful sometimes unpractical for everyday living. When I plan out my decor it has to be beautiful and homey but also allow the home to stay functional.

Keeping these things in mind I want to share some inexpensive decorating ideas and tips on how to save money on your fall decor. I actually didn’t purchase any new decor items this year since we are planning to move in something over a year and I am slowly starting to get rid of some of our things. As you will see, I kept my decor quite modest and just added some touches of color around the apartment.

So enough said, here are my top tips and ideas for fall decorating on a budget.

Plan a budget before you go shopping and stick to it. It can be tempting to buy up the whole store once the new items are in but budgeting beforehand will prevent you from going overboard.

Buy decor items when they are not in season. I bought a lot of my fall decor at the end of autumn/beginning of winter last year and got many things 60% off. Such as this gold garland which I keep in front of the tv. So keep an eye out for sales in your favorite stores!

Don’t think you have to go all out. Especially when you are on a budget, it is important to prioritize. Do you really need to decorate all the rooms of your home? Can you maybe limit it to the main areas such as the living room, kitchen, hallway and the master bedroom? Plus keep in mind that when it comes to decor, less is often more.

Light it up! Adding some warm colored string lights or led candles can create a soft ambience. Light up your home in the evenings when sipping hot cider and watching a movie.

Change the look of your living room by adding seasonal pillows. This is a really good trick if you cannot afford to decorate very much or simply don’t want to. The pillows on your couch have an impact on the feel and look of your whole living room. You can make a huge difference by just adding some nice throw pillows and thus adding a touch of color. In addition, a cozy blanket will not only make your sofa look more homey (and keep you warm on those gloomy fall days!).

Take advantage of the free decor outside your home. Did you know that fall is the perfect season for free decor? With all the beautiful colored leaves, pine cones and acorns, you can easily decorate your home without spending a dime. My favorite diys for dried leaves include: gluing them on to candles, displaying them in a large glass bowl, displaying them in a lantern or using them for centerpieces. The same goes for pine cones and everything else you would like to display. If you’d rather buy small decorations as such, they are really not expensive yet can be displayed nicely.

Make your home smell like fall with scented candles. I mostly buy my candles at Ikea. The are affordable, long lasting and have great scents.

Shop your own home. Pretend like your home is a store that you just walked into and look at the decor items you already own. Can you repurpose them for something else? Would they look better in another room or somewhere else? I repurposed this faux flower I had in my bedroom, which is now standing in the living room in a fall colored vase.

Have your own style. Don’t buy things just because they look pretty displayed in the store. Think about your home, how much space you have and what colors you like. Create a wall on Pinterest or make a bullet journal to visualize how you would like to style your home.

Have you already started on your fall decor? How do you typically decorate? I’d love to know.