How to Decorate Your Home for the Holidays on a Budget: Tips and Tricks

Decorating your home for the holidays can be an exciting and fun experience, but it can also be expensive. With so many festive decorations available, it’s easy to get carried away and spend more than you intended. However, it’s possible to create a beautiful and festive home without breaking the bank. Here are some tips on how to decorate your home for the holidays on a budget.

First things first, start by taking an inventory of what you already have. You may be surprised to find that you have plenty of decorations that can be repurposed or used in a different way. Consider using ribbons, bows, and ornaments to create a festive atmosphere. You can also use natural elements such as pinecones, dried flowers, and evergreen branches to add a touch of nature to your decor.

Another way to save money on holiday decorations is to make them yourself. There are plenty of DIY projects that are easy and inexpensive to create. For example, you can make your own wreaths or wall art. You can also create your own holiday centerpieces using items from your backyard or grocery store.. With a little creativity, you can create beautiful and unique decorations that won’t break the bank.

This post may include affiliate links; you can read my disclosure policy here.

Setting a Holiday Decor Budget

When it comes to decorating your home for the holidays, it’s important to set a budget. This will help you avoid overspending and keep your finances in check. To start, take a look at your overall budget and determine how much you can realistically spend on holiday decor.

One thing that I highly suggest is to take the time and look through your Christmas bins before you go out and buy anything new. Friends, I always forget what I already have!

Then “shop” your home. Take a stroll through your rooms and storage and gather things that you already own that you can use for holiday displays. Examples are trays, baskets, vases, & platters.

Write out a list of your must-haves for Christmas decorating before you even go out shopping to help you stay on track!

Remember, setting a budget doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice style. There are plenty of affordable decor options available, from DIY projects to shopping at discount stores…and my favorite: thrift stores!!

This year I decided not to buy anything new except fresh greenery and flowers. I am going to reuse what I already have and come up with fresh ways to decorate this holiday season. So my budget is around 30 bucks!

Decorating With Natural Elements

Decorating your home with natural elements is a cost-effective way to add a touch of warmth and coziness to your holiday decor. Here are a few ideas to get you started:

Incorporating Pinecones

Pinecones are a classic holiday decoration that can be found almost anywhere for free. Collect them from your backyard or local park and use them in a variety of ways. Here are a few ideas:

• Place them in a bowl or basket as a centerpiece
• Add them onto a wreath or garland
• Paint them either white or for a more glamorous look try a metallic
• Scatter them throughout your other decor

This year I filled a footed silver dish that I found at the thrift store with painted pinecones, some are white-tipped and others are copper glitter.

Using large pinecones is another festive way to decorate your home with natural touches. I’ve collected a few large pinecones over the years that I have found at vintage bazaars.

Using Fresh Greenery

Fresh greenery is another inexpensive way to add holiday cheer to your home. You can find it at your local florist or home improvement store but Trader Joe’s usually has the best prices. I’m lucky enough to be able to cut greenery in my backyard. Here are a few ways to use it:

• Create a swag to hang over your fireplace or front door
• Use it to fill vases or jars for a simple centerpiece
• Add it to your wreaths or garlands for a fuller look
• Place it on your mantle or bookshelves for a touch of green

Feathers

You might not think about feathers being a very “holiday” choice for decorating but they are perfect for adding that extra designer touch to your home…and they are affordable and reusable! I’ve used the same bunch of feathers over and over in different ways from season to season.

• Pheasant Feathers
• Mixed Feathers

When decorating this small tree in the corner of the living room I kept it simple with a few pinecones, feathers, and baby’s breath. Then wrapped it with a set of gold bulb lights.

Dried Oranges

Dried oranges are a holiday classic! These lovely dried fruits can be added to DIY wreaths and garlands, or you can make ornaments out of them.

---

To add an extra designer touch to this Christmas tree wall hanging I tied a velvet bow with a single dried orange slice. (here are some wall hangings that are available for 2024, also here is a larger one.)

By incorporating these natural elements into your holiday decor, you can create a warm and inviting atmosphere without breaking the bank.

Decorating A Mantle With Natural Decor

Now let me show you how I pulled together the most beautiful mantle using faux garlands, fresh-seeded eucalyptus, dried whole oranges, pinecones, feathers, and a few other budget finds.

First I layered 2 types of faux garlands to get this very full look. A noble fir and a cedar garland . Then I draped a bell garland across the winter garlands. (this bell garland is a good substitute)

One thing that I always do when I decorate is to add vintage or thrift store finds to my spaces. This is an easy way to build character in your home.

Last Fall I found 2 grapevine garden orbs at a local antique show for $6.50 each. I don’t know if I will ever use them in the garden but I love how they add another natural element to my room.

To add a fresh touch I used a bunch of seeded eucalyptus from Trader Joe’s. Then I took small pieces and stuck them into the artificial garland to hold them in place.

The whole dried oranges were from a local antique store, I just thought it would be easier than trying to dry them on my own because I have read that they can take 8-9 hours.

In the center, I added this thrift store find and filled it with pinecones, fresh greenery, a dried lotus pod, and a few feathers.

A set of vine trees and small green yarn trees finished the small mantle look.

Sticking with the nature theme I hung a set of botanical tree wall hangings that I purchased a few years ago from World Market.

DIY Holiday Decorations

Creating Homemade Ornaments

When it comes to decorating your home for the holidays on a budget, creating homemade ornaments is a great way to save money while also adding a personal touch to your decor. There are many different materials you can use to make ornaments, such as paper, clay, and even natural materials like pine cones and acorns.

Not only is crafting your own ornaments a budget-friendly way to decorate it’s really fun too!

Here are 18 of my DIY ornaments that you can make and all of the tutorials are listed.

Crafting Festive Wreaths

Wreaths are a classic holiday decoration that can be expensive to buy, but easy and fun to make at home.

Wreaths are one of my favorite DIY projects and this jingle bell wreath is one of the all-time most popular tutorials on my website!

This modern take on the classic jingle bell wreath adds a little glam to your holiday decorating with the muted metallic colors of the bells.

The gold berry topiary trees are also a DIY project made from Dollar Tree tinsel trees.

---

Holiday Arrangement

A beautiful table centerpiece can really set the tone for your holiday gathering, but it doesn’t have to break the bank.

Let me show you an easy holiday arrangement that I made using fresh winter greenery, eucalyptus, and dried starflowers from my garden.

First I grabbed a large container to use since I wanted this to have a wow factor once it’s done. This coppery ceramic one works with the natural tones of my living room. Inside I added a large glass vase of water. First I added the winter greens to the center of the vase and surrounded them with pieces of fresh eucalyptus ($3.99 Trader Joe’s).

To finish off this winter arrangement I added a bunch of dried starflowers to the center and made a bow with a gold velvet ribbon.

Repurposing Existing Decor

Reimagining Everyday Items

When it comes to decorating on a budget, it’s important to think outside the box. Instead of buying new holiday decor, take a look at what you already have in your home. Everyday items can be repurposed into festive decorations with a little creativity.

For example, I used my glass house terrarium to create a bottlebrush tree display. Since I already had everything on hand this project cost me $0…love those types of DIYs!

For the “snow” use a layer of Epsom salt. Then all I had to do was arrange my bottle brush trees, the Epsom salt will keep them in place and hide the wooden bases.

Here is the set of bottle brush trees that I am using here. They were leftover from the bottle brush wreath that I made.

Really quick and really cute project! This terrarium is no longer available at Walmart but here is one on Amazon that would work.

Once the holidays are over I will be able to reuse the terrarium for air plants or something else green to cheer up my winter doldrums.

Using Non-Holiday Items

Another way to save money on holiday decor is to use non-holiday items that you already have in your Christmas decorating.

Not every space in your home has to be a “holiday”. Mix in some regular items like candlesticks, baskets, or books to create a cohesive look throughout your home.

Don’t forget to check out your local thrift stores for candlesticks and other home decor that you can upcycle.

That black chipped-up candelabra didn’t look like much on the bottom shelf of Goodwill but with a little spray paint, it took on a whole new life.

Don’t be afraid to get creative and experiment with different materials and techniques.

Remember, decorating for the holidays doesn’t have to break the bank. With a little imagination and resourcefulness, you can create beautiful and festive decorations using items you already have on hand.

Buying Second-Hand Decorations

Another way to save money on holiday decorations is to buy second-hand. Here are some tips for finding gently used decorations:

• Check thrift stores for affordable holiday decorations.
• Hit your local bazaars or antique shops for unique decor.
• Check online marketplaces like Facebook Marketplace or online yard sale groups for second-hand decorations.

On a recent thrift store trip I found a bag of small bird nests for a few dollars, I thought I would use them in the Springtime but then thought that they would look adorable on my Christmas tree!

Wrapping It Up

Decorating your home for the holidays on a budget is definitely possible and doesn’t have to be stressful. With a little bit of creativity and resourcefulness, you can create a festive and cozy atmosphere without breaking the bank.

Some of the tips that I found most helpful include repurposing items you already have, shopping at discount stores and DIY-ing decorations. By doing these things, you can save money and still have a beautiful and inviting space to celebrate in.

Remember, the holidays are about spending time with loved ones and making memories, not about having the most extravagant decorations. So, don’t stress too much about having a perfect home, and just enjoy the season!

Next up on the holiday home tours is my good friend Stacy who lives in the prettiest farmhouse. See how she decorated this Christmas…you will love her tree.

xo, Jennifer

The Tattered Pew // StoneGable // Worthing Court BlogSouthern Home and Hospitality // Our Crafty Mom // My Thrift Store Addiction

A Life Unfolding // Living Large In a Small House // Cottage On Bunker HillBricks ‘n Blooms // Cottage In the Mitten

WM Design House // The Ponds Farmhouse // Shiplap and ShellsSimply 2 Moms // Robyn’s French Nest // Amy Sadler Designs

Midwest Life and Style // White Arrows Home // White Lilac FarmhouseDIY Beautify // Thistle Key Lane

She Gave It a Go // Pasha Is Home // This Is Simplicite Decor to Adore // Le Cultivateur // Peacock Ridge Farm

---