Decorating for Fall on a Budget

I love fall. I'm so glad that it is almost that time of year again. I love the weather, the smells, and the fun things to do. I love almost everything about fall (maybe not having to turn the heat back on part). One of my favorite things about fall is decorating and making the house feel cozy. Decorating for the season can be expensive but it does not have to be. Here are some ways that I decorate for fall without emptying my wallet.

Use what you have- I have a square wooden bowl that I love. I use it from September through Christmas as a centerpiece. After I go apple picking, I choose some of the best looking apples and arrange them in the bowl. It creates an easy snack and a simple but elegant centerpiece. As the apples get eaten, I put pinecones in the bowl (as you can see in the picture). A piece of advice if you choose pinecones- line a baking sheet with tinfoil then put the pinecones of top of it. Put it in a 325 degree oven for about 10-20 minutes. It will basically melt the sap off and make them not sticky and open the pinecones more. I've been using the same pinecones for 3 years now. And the pinecones were free, picked at a local school yard (with permission).

Candles- Something about candles just makes everything seem cozier to me. As the nights are getting longer and the house is darker sooner, candle light just creates such a wonderful atmosphere. You do not need to spend a lot on candles either. While I do prefer those candles from that big specialty store, you can get some very nice ones at your local discount store. I will sometimes put a votive in a votive holder in the middle of my wooden bowl and surround it with the pinecones. You will need to be careful with this as it could create a fire hazard if the table is bumped causing the pinecones to shift.

Store decorations- There is something to be said for store decorations. They did look nice sometimes. However, the key with these is to just buy a few things that you like and can use different ways. A couple of years ago I bought three sparkly, styrofoam pumpkins. I have used them as a centerpiece and accent pieces on a side table or bookcase. The best part? I only paid $1 a pumpkin.

The main thing with decorating for fall on a budget is to be creative. Use what you have and what you can get cheaply to make your house feel cozy and happy. Happy fall!