Wilmington and Burgaw Area Real Estate News

by Josienita Borlongan

The summer is finally winding down and fall is beginning to show its bright colors- it is now time to start decorating for fall. With many expenses people face each day, decorating sometimes ends up at the bottom of the list when doing a budget. One must prioritize the basic necessities and paying for other more important things in life. But if you are someone who is conscious about the budget, yet wanting to have a warm abode that goes with the season, there are some ways you can do to limit your expenses and still enjoy your home during times of economic constraint.

Here are some clever and budget friendly ways to decorate for fall.

1) Use things picked up from your nature walks: Try to walk around your neighborhood, or parks and woods nearby, and make sure to be on a look out of something you can pick up and bring home with you. A branch that fell off from a maple tree with leaves still attached to it can be a good decorating item. Put it in a tall floor vase by your entry hall. If you can pick several of these branches you can use more than one to put in the vase and use the remaining branches and leaves for other projects like making wreaths and swags.

2) Frame autumn leaves: Try to frame different sizes of autumn leaves using inexpensive or old frames and put a series of similar looking frames along your entry hall. If you do not have spare frames, you can buy inexpensive frames from the discount stores or thrift shops. Better yet, make your own frames using twigs and small branches could pick up from your backyard. This can give a homier and warmer cabin-look into your design at no cost.

3) Scour garage sales for decorating items: Do a little bit of treasure hunting in your neighborhood. Try to find items that can be used to decorate for fall. I found a small orange tureen, with one handle missing and paid only 50 cents for it. I used it to put a potted plant of mums; the missing handle was hardly noticeable because some of the foliage was covering it. I placed it on top of the center table in the living room to bring in the color of fall. You can find other items that other people are selling to use for your decoration for example, throw pillows, table runners, etc. Make sure what you get has fall colors like the oranges, reds, dark greens, and browns. Most items sold in garage sales are very inexpensive. You can actually buy a whole load of items to use around the house for very little cash.

4) Buy items from dollar stores and thrift shops: If you buy your fall decorating items from these places you will be assured that you will get more for your dollars.

5) Re-use last year's decorations: There is nothing wrong about re-using last year's decorations. Take them out of storage, clean them up, and use them again.

6) Check what you have and re-purpose them: Why look anywhere else to find your decorating items. If you have things around your house that can be used for your fall decoration, make use of them. For example some small terra cotta pots that are gathering dusts underneath your kitchen sink can be used for your fall decorations. Put a small pumpkin in each one and line them up on your fireplace mantle. If you have an old plaid shirt that is destined to be thrown away use it to make throw pillow covers. You can remove the sleeves and collar, and cut in squares and saw or glue two pieces together to make a pillow-case. Use your wheelbarrow to decorate your front porch. Put your pumpkins and potted plants on the wheelbarrow and prop it up on your front steps.

7) Embellish: There are ways you can decorate or embellish your current decorations to bring in the color of fall. Use fabric paint to draw a fall leaf on your old plain white table runner or table covers. Embellish your lamp shades with raffia and ribbons that are colored with fall colors. Spray paint some tin cans that you can use as planters and vases. You can also get crafty and use old shoe boxes and cover them with decorative paper or wrapping paper with the autumn theme; then stack several of them near your fireplace.

8) Create your own instead of buying ready-made ones: A lot of decorating items for fall that are being sold in department stores are very expensive, they can range anywhere from $29.00-$200.00, sometimes more. Why buy them if you can make them for a fraction of a cost? The only reason they are expensive is because you are paying for a finished product and it takes time and effort to make them so you are paying for the labor as well. You can buy materials at thrift or dollar stores and make your own centerpieces, topiaries, cornucopia, wreaths, etc. Not only will you end up paying less but you will be sure you will have a unique piece since you made it your own and nobody else has it!

9) Frame old greeting cards from last year: If you have received Thanksgiving cards or Halloween cards from last year, instead of storing them in boxes gathering cobwebs and dusts, you can frame and hang them around your house. Not only will you add beautiful pieces of art into your decoration but you also pay homage to the ones that sent them to you.

10) Paint an accent wall: A price of a small can of pain is so cheap. You can paint one wall with a color of autumn and use it as an accent wall. If you get tired of it or if you want to change it every season, you can always re-paint the wall different color each time.

Hopefully these tips can help you decorate for fall without breaking the bank. Remember to stick with your budget, learn to be creative, and use the natural resources around you so that you can have a wonderful and warm home during the fall season without spending so much money.

Tammy Barnes -Realtor - Burgaw, NC Real Estate - Wilmington, NC Area

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