As students, decorating your house for the holidays can always seem like an afterthought. We have gifts to buy, and can barely wrap our heads around all the other things we need for living. I was reluctant at first to decorate my house because I didn’t know how I wanted to decorate nor did I want to spend money on décor that was really only going to be used for a little over a month. Little did I know that a little time and effort goes along way and, can be done without breaking the bank! Here are some holiday tips to show you how simple ideas can go a long way.
1. Utilize your vases
Fresh flowers can be pretty but they can also be pricy seeing as they are short lived. For this display, I dug out some shimmery vases I had and filled them with fake pinecone and berry picks. These picks are an easy and inexpensive way of dressing up your home and best of all, they stay alive all holiday season! I got these on sale at Michael’s where they have ‘too good to be true’ discounts for all your holiday décor.
2. Jazz up your year-round décor
The glimmer and shine from the bowl display on my coffee table was the perfect foundation to dress up my living room. After taking out my Christmas tree ornaments I happened to find these festive candle holders that instantly added festive appeal. To dress it up more, I purchased packages of painted-gold pinecones and shiny bells to complete the look. Both the pinecones and bells were purchased at Michael’s with 60% discount! For festive candle holders check out stores like Home Sense, Winners, Michael’s, and the Dollar Store.
3. Search online for deals
Hustling for deals all over town can be a hassle, so why not search online first. These gold-tinted reindeer were on Hudson’s Bay website originally for thirty dollars each, with an advertised 30% discount. When I got to the store they were advertising for additional promotions where I ended up paying a total of twenty dollars for both reindeer! Hudson’s Bay is always having promotional days and offer seasonal discounts so be sure to check them when considering your purchases.
4. Focus on accent pieces
Not only can holiday decorating be overwhelming but it can also be easy to focus on the larger displays like Christmas trees, garlands, and wreaths. Candles are a great way to add ambiance and nothing says the holidays like the scent of pine, amber, juniper, and cinnamon. The gold-wired sculptures add effortless holiday appeal and were only a dollar a piece! The Dollar Store has countless varieties of tree-like sculptures as well as other decorative accents for no more than three or four dollars a piece.