Quick and Budget-Friendly Ways to Decorate for the Holidays

The holiday season is full of joy, starting at home. You get to sit down and watch all your favorite holiday movies, bake seasonal desserts and invite relatives over that you may not get to see during the rest of the year.

To get into the holiday spirit, many people go out and buy new decor for their home. They peruse aisles lined with sparkling holiday goods that have steep price tags for something you'll only keep up for a month or two. If you don't have much money for new decor this year, don't worry. Use these quick and budget-friendly ways to decorate for the holidays so you still have funds left over for holiday travel or gifts. Read through these easy decoration tips to figure out which will work best in your home this year and every year.

1. Create an Ornament Centerpiece

Table centerpieces are often the focus of the kitchen and dining room combined. They're what your guests first notice when they walk in the room and they help set the mood for any meal you serve. That's why they're the perfect place to start decorating, starting with any of your unused ornaments. Take a look through the ornaments leftover when you've finished decorating your tree. Would they look great on your table? Hang them on a mini tree or glue them to the tops of candlesticks. It's an easy way to decorate and prevent them from sitting unused under your house during another holiday season.

2. Make Throw Pillow Covers

Throw pillows are another way people decorate for any season. They're small, easy to store and fit into any design theme. While they're available at most stores, they can often cost more than people can pay. That's not including the price of buying pillow slips to match them to your home. Instead of buying expensive holiday pillows, make your own pillow covers using materials around your home or at your local thrift store. It only takes a few minutes to sew a small or medium pillow cover and you might only need one or two, depending on the size of your home.

3. Use Multiple Garlands

During the winter, greenery is a featured decor item that you'll find in almost every home. It's a stunning way to have a natural vibe in each room, which is especially nice when all you see outside your window are bare branches. Some greenery, like wreaths and trees, adds up quickly. They're covered in decor or made of expensive materials that make them gorgeous but out of budget. Instead, buy a few garlands and hang them around your home like across your mantle or entwined in your staircase. They cover a lot of space and you can personalize them with whatever you already have in your home.

4. Wrap Up Picture Frames

Holiday decor is meant to wow the people in your home and fill them with the holiday spirit. An easy way to catch their eye and go big with your decor is to wrap up picture frames with wrapping paper to make them look like giant gifts. It's easy to undo after New Year's and only costs as much as the wrapping paper, which you can find for a dollar per roll depending on where you shop.

Use What You Have

Take a look at what you have around your home and see what you can use for decor. Wrapping paper, fabric for throw pillows and even a single garland will make a big impact on your home if you use them the right way. Get creative with what you have and you'll decorate for the holidays without breaking your budget.