The bells are ringing, the snow is coming, and it’s starting to feel like Christmas. As much as Santa helps with the presents, we know this time of year it is very easy to get carried away with spending which is why we want to help with your holiday decorating on a budget If we can make sure that Kim stays to her budget this year, we know that you’ll do great by following some of our tips. There are a lot of expenses through the holidays – gifts, entertainment, food, travel costs, and your décor. Plus, we also have the inflation rate which means your dollars don’t go as far as they used to. Don’t you fret, that’s what we’re here for, to ensure that your holiday decorating still has your home filled with Christmas magic without you starting the New Year in debt!
Before you begin to spruce up your home décor, it’s important to understand that preparing your home for the holidays doesn’t require ornate & complicated alterations. It is possible to enjoy the holidays on a budget. Read along to learn a couple of our tips to get you started and then find some of our tips for your holiday decorating.
First thing is first, you need to create your holiday budget before you can start shopping. Your holiday budget should cover decorations, gifts, and experiences. This will allow you to prioritize your spending in advance & you are able to visibly see where you are able to make cuts. If you use any shopping points systems, whether with your credit card or as a member, the holiday season can be a good time to use those points you racked up all year to purchase gifts, book hotels or flights, and maybe even pick up a few new decorations to add to your collection. You can also never go wrong with a run to the dollar store – their inventory has been expanding over the years and there are a lot of great finds to spread your budget that little bit further.
Holiday Decorating Tips
Get Creative with Gift Wrap Scraps
Don’t throw away those seemingly useless scraps of gift wrap. You can make them work to everyday items a holiday makeover. Think of items like serving plates, placemats, clear ornaments, drawers, and more, the world’s your oyster. Just look at the scraps you have leftover and see how you can cut them to size.
Unique Lanterns
There is nothing more affordable than this one. Hint: works best if you leave outdoors in the cold. Light up your porch with ice lanterns. All you need is water and plastic containers. Fill your container with water, place a smaller container or maybe even a shot glass to keep a spot to place your votive candle, and put in the freezer to do its magic. Once frozen, take out of the container and distribute them to light up your entryway.
Make Your Own Garland
You can never go wrong with a good garland for any holiday decorating, and they are easy enough for even the kids to make. Pick out yarn in whatever colour you would like (or you could opt for twine that cuts a bit of a cost) and then choose your decorations – pom-poms, wood slices, construction paper crafts, and more. String together some holiday cheer!
Decorate The Tree with What You Have
Haven’t quite built your ornament collection? No problem! Check out what you have in the kitchen. There are many old school tree decoration hacks to be found online, but lucky for you, you don’t have to go hunting for them because we’ve found them! See what you have in your own kitchen to bring your tree to life.
Less is More
Sometimes you have a Christmas decoration inventory, but it’s just not enough to spread throughout your home entirely and can get very costly. Except we forget that a little décor goes a long way, so take your decorations room by room. Rather than going overboard on one room top to bottom, create small vignettes throughout your home using what you have to spread the holiday feeling through your entire home.
Scents Are Key
A bonus touch to capture the holiday spirit is through scent. Place a few scented candles throughout your home or be sure to put the festive essential oils in your diffuser to connect all the senses. You’ll be fully encapsulated by the holiday spirit.
The holidays don’t have to be expensive for you and your family to enjoy them. All of these decorating tips can be done with just a small amount of money, which allows you to complete your holiday decorating on a budget. One of our ultimate secrets for adding to your collection, is to add to it over time, it’s okay to spurge on a few items every year to continue growing your inventory – plus if you shop after the holidays are over you get it for a discounted price and get to enjoy it the following year. Once your home is decorated, be sure to focus on spending time with loved ones because that is truly what the holiday season is all about!