The Guest Room

I’ve heard it going around that, “September is the new January.” I don’t know about you, but I totally feel this way! The change in weather and the holidays around the corner make me feel like anything could happen! All the hustle and bustle of this time of year is so exciting, but it can also feel overwhelming. If you’re heart’s a little tired from this new season whirlwind, I wrote this for you!  (Give it a click, be encouraged, then come back for these tips & steals 😉 ) If you’re diving head first into the fun of fall (or maybe a little combination of both – like me!) I’ve got some ideas and deals to help you start the celebration!

My excitement for the possibilities this new season holds tends to extend to my home… In other words, I want to buy every pumpkin in sight! You too? I know we look forward to these festivities all year, we want to make our space and moments extra fun for our loved ones, the way everyone else is doing that is all over our phone screens – it can feel hard for our reality to measure up. That’s why this fall I’m leaning into simplicity: Shopping my own home to use what I already have, creating what I can myself, then selecting the few things I’d like to purchase and being wise about where I buy them, to get the most bang for my buck!

Are there other things I’d like to buy? Sure. Some I may even still, eventually. But instead of waiting until I went out to the store and spent more money to post this article… I decided to share it in all it’s simplicity. Because you don’t have to go overboard for an insta-worthy setting to create an inviting environment! Frugal can still be fun! If you’re with me,

Here’s some of my favorite tips for creating a festive home without breaking the bank!

DIY!

I love transitional decor like a letter board or paper scroll sign. They can be changed to fit the season for free! If you want more info on how to make your own paper scroll sign, you can find that here! I like to free hand different quotes on my paper scroll using sharpie and usually peruse Pinterest (follow my pins here!) to find a seasonal saying, verse, etc. This time I just made up something fun!

Pumpkins & Mums!

I’m not sure what says fall like these two! The pumpkins are still a little sparse, but soon you’ll have plenty of options, so here’s what I’ve found so far in regards to best price and selection:

Trader Joe’s: This is where I stopped first (before the technical first day of fall!) so they didn’t have much, but they did have white pumpkins which is more than I could say for other places I had looked! They were $6 each! Later in the fall they tend to have a great selection of cinderella pumpkins in all colors and I believe they should be $6 each as well – your Trader Joe’s might already have them!

Their mini pumpkins (seen in lots of the pictures below) are all $.69 which I’ve found to be pretty average!

These Mums, pictured below, were $4.99! They always have the BEST prices on plants!

My favorite way to decorate with pumpkins is to stack them! This works best with cinderella pumpkins because of the flat nature!

Walmart: I’ve heard rumors that they already have cinderella pumpkins and that they’re only $5 each! (Also heard rumors that Fred Meyer already has them as well, but there’s are also $6) I’m not sure how their selection will stack up to Trader Joe’s, but I definitely plan to check Walmart before the next time I hit up Trader Joe’s in case I can save a few bucks!

Fred Meyer: Speaking of Fred Meyer, I’ve seen good selection and prices when it comes to Mums! I always like their garden center! I’ve heard that Walmart is another good place for mums with comparable prices right now too!

Lowe’s: The mums below, which I put on our front porch, were (get this) only $3 each at Lowe’s! For even bigger plants than my $5 one from Trader Joe’s! I found them in the clearance section – most likely because they look like they need an extra drink of water, but I can do that!

As far as fruit stands, farmers markets, and pumpkin patches go – they all vary so much! I have found that pumpkin patches tend to have pretty good prices per pound, but I usually don’t make my way out there until later in the fall and, as you can see, I’m ready to decorate now!! 🙂

Tip: ALWAYS check the plant clearance section at Lowe’s and Home Depot because of the great deals.

Natural Elements!

Over the years I’ve collected little things that I try to keep safe in storage from season to season – like these tiny pine cones and potpourri type pumpkins. I got them at a holiday bazaar or craft fair a few years back and they’re a great filler to give spaces a seasonal makeover! Lately I’ve been collecting acorns on our walks to use for the same purpose! In the picture above, of our fireplace, you can also see large pinecones in my lantern! I like to use those every fall and love that they’re something you can just pick up off the ground outside! Bring in dried leaves to create a garland or twigs that can be used for a secondary purpose! There’s so much free beauty all around at our disposal!

Candles!

Candles kind of go without saying. They just add a cozy element to any room! But gosh, they can be so darn spendy! Bath and Body Works is a candle favorite, but I don’t shop there much because of the price. They do, however, run great sales! Right now their single wick candles are on-sale 2/$18! The ones pictured below and above are from there and their seasonal scents are SO good!

My FAVORITE places to shop for candles all year long are Marshalls, TJ Maxx, and Home Goods! I consistently find the best price there! Bonus tip: did you know they have to put their candles on clearance if they have any imperfections at all (like the wax melted a little and isn’t perfectly straight now or the lid is missing)?! I ALWAYS check the clearance for good candles!

Last, but not least, is Trader Joe’s! They always have a small selection of really freshly scented candles that are always $4 each! I haven’t tried their two seasonal scents yet, but I hear they’re great and I’ll definitely be picking up a few soon!

This cute little pedestal was $1 in the Target dollar section!! I love to look there for inexpensive seasonal items!

Treats!

One of my favorite, out of our ordinary, ways to celebrate the seasons is by buying and making treats to have in the house. I love being able to enjoy them as a family and offer them to guests. This doesn’t have to mean baking elaborate dishes from scratch! Trader Joe’s (again) has the BEST selection of fall themed foods… I’ll be frequenting that aisle this fall!

One of my all year round favorites, but perfect for a holiday cookie jar, is their Oatmeal Cranberry Dunkers! I highly recommend them!

A new favorite of mine is their Maple Streusel Bread. I decided to try it for French toast and it turns out, it’s the best French toast I’ve ever had! Pin the recipe below so you can make this one later! You HAVE to try it!

For more recipes, check out my “what’s cookin’” section of my blog and come follow along with me on my Instagram Stories – I regularly share food favorites there!

Here’s the transitional decor again with a letter board! It cost me nothing to theme this for fall! I highly recommend the investment in pieces like this for that very reason!

Soft & Cozies!

One last, simple way to add a fall flare to different rooms of your house is by using warm colored linens. There are a few blankets and throw pillows I add into the mix as more of a focal point this time of year and my most recent addition is a couple new hand towels in the kitchen! This is a really inexpensive way to add a pop of color, especially if you don’t normally use fall colors in your every-day decor. My go-to for hand towels is typically TJ Maxx, Marshalls, or Home Goods, but the gray and orange below came from Ross Dress for Less! I want to say a pack of three was less than $5! They always have great prices on random things like this!

I hope these really simple fall finds remind you that seasonal decor can be doable and it doesn’t have to break the bank! These little touches alone have added a whole different element to our home and I didn’t have to spend much money to make it happen! It’s easier than you think to create a festive and magical environment for yourself and the people you love! Lean into the fun and worry less about the pinterestyness! That’s where the memories are made anyways! 😉 Happy celebrating!