Guest Post: Bring the Outside In for Frugal Decorating

It’s the time of year for decking the halls and all that jazz but if you’re on a budget and want it to look nice it can become a combination of dollar store items that look chintzy and hand me downs. When we first got married I ran as fast as I could to the local dollar store, loaded up and came home with a bunch of ornaments, decorations and novelties that I’d got for cheap. The downside? None of them have survived the 10 years we’ve been married. Either through falling apart or me simply deciding that they really were as tacky as I’d originally thought.

Instead what I’ve started to do over the years is bring a little of the outside in and get creative. I’m not very creative by nature so I’m here to tell you with a little thought anyone can put these together and cheaply. They’ll brighten your house and make you feel good about reusing and re-purposing.1) Ornaments.

Ornaments look ok but I think they look fabulous in an unassuming bowl on a table as a centerpiece or simply to brighten an area. Don’t put a bunch of colours in one bowl but use it as a simple accent using plain colors like reds, silvers or golds.
Another great spot for ornaments is in a tall vase. Tall vases are also fabulous for putting in things like marbles, glass stones or twigs from the garden.  I purchased the ornaments for around $4 for the whole box from IKEA. You can use a cheap old vase you have lying around.

2) Pine cones look awesome anywhere at this time of year. You can either use them au natural or dress them up by spraying them in a gold or silver. They’re free and yet they can look really classy.
3) Cranberry balls.
Wherever I looked these were being sold for way too much so here’s what I did: Purchased a foam ball from the Dollar Store for $1. Found a sprig of Cranberry branch from the Dollar Store. Then I cut the berries off and poked them into the ball.  Add some pinecones and voila: a $2 centerpiece.

4) Thinking creatively. Here’s some pine cone ornaments I found at the Dollar Store for $1. They’re not the cutest on the tree but in a bowl or a sleigh as pictured I think they look fab.
5) The essential year round items.
I have an awesome round vase that I love and candles that I can reuse for any season. Into the vase I add whatever season we’re in. For fall I put some candy corns and then added the candle. It cost less than $1 and so many people commented on how adorable it was.  I’ve been known to add cranberries, leaves, flowers and even peas (yup you read that right!) to make a cute, frugal centerpiece. The great thing is not only does it look great, cost hardly anything but it’s very unique.

Originally from England, Clair Boone is always amazed at how with a few coupons and a little know-how, you can get things you already use for really cheap or free. Her blog is full of frugal tips, easy recipes, encouraging stories and freebies. A true Mummy in every sense of the word, she will help guide you on a frugal adventure that will have you saving money in no time! As well as saving money one of her favorite things to do is getting free things that she may not need and blessing other people or charities with them and giving back. She’s been a wife to Tim for 10 years and Mummy to Isaac for nearly 2. In her free time catch her sipping coffee, on Twitter or hosting parties.  For more money-saving tips such as How to Save $250 a Year by Unplugging Unnecessary Items, visit Mummy Deals.

This post is linked to Works for Me Wednesday.