In hopes of bringing in some seasonal cheer, I spent the last weekend sauntering through my local craft stores and bargain shops. The mission consisted of one thing: buy all of the Fall décor.
The holiday season is my absolute favorite time of year. It’s like my own personal super bowl. Right around the middle of September, I start gearing up for all of the festivities. My house starts to brim with bright harvest oranges, the mute hues of blue, and greenery is hung on anything sitting still.
We won’t even talk about the intense makeover extravaganza occurring at the end of November because now is the time for all things pumpkin.
In addition to busting out all of my stylish pumpkins, I also like to really get intentional about making new friends. For many, PCS season has come to a close and several military families are finding themselves facing the holidays as the “new guys.” They may or may not have a place to go for Halloween, Fall festivals, or Thanksgiving.
So, making my home a more comfortable and hospitable place is the first step towards inviting people in. Maybe now is the time to spruce up the old homestead, grab some pumpkin spice coffee syrup, and ask your neighbors over for a kind cuppa joe.
Here are a few of my favorite Fall décor hacks, scalable for any budget.
Start Small. Fall accents are my favorite. Grab a tray, your favorite fall candle, and a couple of knickknacks. Throw ‘em together and set them someplace where they can be admired. I had these bottles laying around and threw some fall themes picks in them. The tiny pumpkins I found at the Dollar Tree. Scrounge around for things you already have and spice them up.
Grab some table linens. Table cloths and placemats are my usual “go-to.” I grabbed these beauties at Big Lots for a little over $2 each. Not bad, huh?
A floor mat never hurts. There is something about changing out the floor mats at the front door, back patio, and under my kitchen sink that gives me great joy. This task is such a small thing, but really adds a bit of flare.
You can’t ever go wrong with blankets or throw pillows. Ok. I have to admit I have a sort of obsession with throw pillows and blankets. Nothing makes me happier than to snuggle on to our giant leather couch with a giant fuzzy blanket- cup of hot coffee or tea in hand. I grabbed a handful of pillows at our local Marshalls and bought a couple of throw pillows that matches the placemats at Big Lots.
Stage your shelves. My handy dandy husband put together these beautiful pipe shelves in our living room and I love to stack them full of florals, cake plates, and fall themed fare. As soon as you walk in the front door, this shelf is the first thing you see. I mean, could there be a better place to display our family pumpkin collection?
Lastly, it never hurts to perch a dog on the corner of the couch. Doggos make everything better, right?
As you take on the task of sprucing up your happy home, one last tip is to slice up a couple of oranges, grab a few cinnamon sticks (ground cinnamon works too) and throw them in a few cups of water to boil. I promise, you won’t regret it. Your house will smell heavenly as you celebrate the upcoming Fall season.
Most importantly, decorating for Fall is more than making your home a place of rest and relaxation for your own family. You could be creating spaces for warm welcomes and real relationships. Your home could be the headquarters for giving grace and peace to those who really need it this season. Have fun and happy decorating!