Looking to save money on your fall decor? Here’s how to shop your house and your cupboards and find 10 things you already have to decorate for fall.
If you are not a millionaire, this is the post for you.
If you want to decorate for fall and start saving your millions, this is the post for you.
Truth?
I share a lot of sources for things you can buy on this blog. I try and share because I get so many questions. I try and share because I love finding budget things that you can use to decorate your home without spending a gazillion dollars. I try and share because my heart beats extra fast when I see a sale sign.
And Thistlewood and co. boutique is about to open with all kinds of the cutest fall things that you can use to decorate with.
But today?
Today is different.
Today is all about shopping your house and your yard and your cupboards and using what you have to decorate for fall.
Decorating without a dime.
Who’s ready?
Oh, good.
Me, too.
Here are 10 simple ideas that use what you have in your house to decorate for fall.
10 Things You Already Have You Can Use To Decorate For Fall
1. Use book pages to decorate for fall
You probably have paperback books sitting around that were headed for the donate pile or the trash pile.
Don’t toss them yet.
Use them to decorate.
Here’s how I made this leaf display for my hutch for fall.
I also have all these book page decorating ideas here.
I’ve also used leaves before to make a wreath.
Same concept, different leaves.
You can see the entire book page project here.
2. Frame it
Shop your house and find all the frames to decorate for fall.
Then open up your fall decorating boxes and find something ordinary and frame it.
You can see how I made these leaf pictures here.
Looking for ideas for things to frame? No worries. I got you. Here are tons of ideas for you.
You can see them all here.
3. Sweaters
Shop your closet for sweaters.
You know.
The ones with pills all over them that you were about to toss and let those sweater arms free to live their best lives.
Make a DIY sweater vase like this one.
You can also felt those old sweaters to make a felted wool pumpkin like this one.
It’s such an easy project.
You can see all the how-tos here.
4. White Dishes
Shop your cabinets for some white dishes to fill up a hutch.
Then add branches and pumpkins scattered here and there to layer in pops of orange. Someone messaged me on Instagram yesterday wanted to see a picture of the hutch up close because she wanted to recreate it exactly. I get it. I understand. I’ve stared at magazine photos trying to make it work on my hutch.
In case you need a little more inspiration?
You can see this entire hutch here.
5. Door runner
Have an old fall door runner sitting in your linen closet?
Why not repurpose it on your door?
Instead of a wreath, add a door runner for fall.
See the entire fall porch here.
And you can see all my fall porches through the years (I haven’t started on 2025 yet, but it’s going to involve spray painting pumpkins).
6. Fabric
Make your own fabric pumpkins with fabric from your stash.
These are so much easier than they look. The project is totally no-sew. I used driftwood for the stems, but you can also save real pumpkin stems and reuse them.
I just shared 10 other pumpkin decorating ideas in addition to this one.
7. Cutting boards
Use cutting boards to make a mantel like this one.
It’s so easy.
I just stacked the cutting boards on the mantel, added a leaf stem and painted a sign on an old board.
See all my best wood sign painting tips here.
8. Use vintage keys to decorate for fall
This is one of my easiest pumpkin DIYs.
Just shop your house for vintage keys and create a monogrammed pumpkin.
(total aside: just between us this really only works if your letter doesn’t have any curves in it. You could always paint a monogram on the front of the pumpkin instead.)
You could also use the keys to:
- add leather to them and make a drawer pull
- add them to a wood bowl with acorns
- tie them onto the front of a wreath
- tie them to the top of a pumpkin with ribbon
9. Puzzle pieces
I just shared this craft, but I thought it would make the perfect addition to this post.
Almost everyone has a puzzle with missing pieces sitting around.
What can someone do with all those puzzle pieces?
You can make these two projects.
10. Use leaves to decorate for fall
Shop your yard for leaves.
It’s one of my best fall decorating tips.
I find the branches where the leaves are just turning colors and clip them and add them to a vase like this. I have to work extra hard for leaves in Texas. I’ve seen people on social media with giant branches of leaves that look like they came out of an art gallery.
This small branch of leaves was a victory for me. Apparently, everything is bigger in Texas…
…except for leaves.
It’s still Texas hot here, y’all.
We did have a cool front come in with a couple of days in the 80’s.
That’s why I’m having so much fun planning for fall.
And shopping my house and my yard and my attic and my cupboards.
And saving all that money just in time….
….for Christmas. 🙂
PS And now? I know this post is all about not shopping, but can I ask you a quick shopping question? I’m doing a little research for Thistlewood & co and I wondered if you were going to purchase one thing for fall?
What would it be?
Thanks for the help!
Wow, I remember that book page wreath from ages ago. It inspired me to make my own wreath, that still hangs over a vintage window frame in my living room, Made from the pages of a 1859 law book it honors my Dad. Wish I could post a picture but thank you so much for bringing back a treasured memory.
I've already purchased my "one thing" for fall. I bought some mature ears of field corn! For someone who grew up on a farm, this seemed like an odd purchase, but I wanted to make corn dolls for centerpieces for my apartment building Thanksgiving dinner. As a four-year-old child I learned to pry out the hard corn kernels to make the mouths, noses and eyes and then braid the husks for pigtails. Not sure this is going to help with your online store, but I'm having a lot of fun using those same skills to make dolls that are a little more sophisticated. I've even discovered that you can curl dried corn husks. You haven't lived until you've spent a rainy afternoon making Klippy pin curls of dampened corn husks on the head of a corn doll! Going to try a curling iron next!
Love all of these ideas and will definitely be trying at least some of them (can you say raid the puzzle closet?!). We just moved to a new house with both a front and back porch so my fall purchase will have to be some big pots of mums and then some really high quality faux sunflowers to stand in tall flower pots because in the Deep South there is nothing that says it’s Fall y’all like a porch full of colorful mums
"Ten things you already have...." Nice ideas! Why oh why can't I find the handy little RED Pinterest "P" so I can save something on my board for later? I see the gray "P" to share an idea, but can't locate the RED P. Must be me! I'll search again.
I’m considering purchasing large faux mums for my front porch, also a pretty fall tablecloth for the dining room (I’m a tablescaper), and small indoor urns for any season. I can’t wait for your shop to open soon. You are beloved because you strive to keep things real and affordable.💚
Great ideas and inspo, KA!!
I am looking for another white.or cream house for my mantle to go with one I got last year. Other than that mums are my fall go to, It was cool this morning so I'm getting antsy. LOL
Table cloth and some mums. Love your cute ideas, some I have saved from last year that I made.
Hi KariAnne, I would purchase the small pumpkins to fill 2 lanterns like yours exhibited on the fall porch pictures. Can you share how to attach the fall table runner to the front door? Thank you!
Hi KariAnne! Loved your ideas! Love shopping my house! I would buy pillow covers in fall colors. It seems like every year I have a different favorite color! Last year was mustard yellow! I would buy mums for outside too! I have the pretty orange hydrangeas you have, and love to use them on my dining room table! Thanks for the inspiration!
Fall entry rugs! I keep looking for one but most are ugly.... So excited for the opening of your store! Big Hugs
KariAnne, this post is so helpful! I have antique looking keys on an old lock and your idea of using them in these different ways are great! My purchase would be pillow covers. I would like to go with a deep brown and neutrals. Looking forward to seeing your new shop!
I love your ideas with the puzzle pieces. I don't have a puzzle lol to work with but nothing says I can't do a little thrift shopping. The one thing I need is a nice mat for the front door. Sadly I'm not going to be able to buy from your store since I'm from Canada, I'm still looking forward to seeing some eye candy and inspiration.
My favorite thing to buy for fall is a wreath for my front door!
My purchase? Firewood. Had a big fire this morning for about 5 hours. It's been in the low 50s at night here.
For fall, I would like to add an elegant door mat outside my front door. I shopped online a bit yesterday and came away with sticker shock. Have an amazing day, KariAnne!