5 Ideas for Easy + Affordable Holiday Decor

Though I for sure feel that people should decorate whenever it moves them, personally, I can’t even think about holiday decor until it’s officially December! Though I got a few other holiday things in motion in late November, tomorrow we’re getting our Christmas tree and I’ll start addressing holiday cards. So festive!

That said, while I do like making things festive, I also want (and need!) it to be relatively quick and not break the bank! I still love and think about the post my friend Gabrielle Blair shared about creating instant holiday mojo via smell, sound, and light and wanted to share my favorite ideas for easy and affordable holiday decor.

1. Evaluate (and rearrange) what you have

It's easy to fall into a pattern with how you decorate. And sometimes, all you need to do to freshen up decor is to rearrange your existing holiday decor items. For example, instead of decorating by category (e.g., Nutcrackers, birds), try grouping items by color.

2. Incorporate items from nature

Sometimes the best decor elements are right in your backyard. Send your kids foraging for fallen branches! Branches in a vase cost zero dollars and can look amazing.

Branches in a vase for easy holiday decor

3. Incorporate inexpensive grocery store items

Our backyard is tiny and rather bare (so, not much in the way of foraging opportunity per #2) but the good news is that it’s easy to get inexpensive grocery store items to help out your decor situation. Grab greenery and berries or for a lightning fast, affordable centerpiece, toss clementines and pinecones in a bowl and DONE.

4. Keep to a simple color palette

Decorating is way easier -- and more harmonious -- when you limit the color palette. Other than the ornaments on the Christmas tree, I keep things simple with green and white, nature-inspired elements. One year I bought gorgeous white LED branches (both garland and standing branches) + white pierced candle holders (that I can use year round) from West Elm. They were on sale and look amazing.

5. Leverage the sense of smell

As Gabby shared, the sense of smell is powerful! In my Eat Seasonal feature on cranberries, I included this cranberry infused simmering stove top potpourri. Add these items to your grocery list (#2 above)!