Holiday Decor on a Budget


Disclaimer: This post is sponsored byย Marshalls. All opinions and photography are our own and are not influenced byย Marshalls. Thanks for supporting the brands that support this blog.

Now that Thanksgiving is over, it’s officially time to deck the halls for the holiday season! We both usually decorate on Black Friday (no crazy shopping trips for us) or earlier, so we can enjoy the Christmas magic for as long as possible!

One question we get a lot here on the blog is how to decorate on a budget. And while we think this is a wonderful question for everyday decor, we also think it applies to holiday decorating. This is an expensive time of year, and if you have a lot of people on your holiday shopping list, you might not have a ton of leftover funds to spruce up your space. And if you’re just starting off in a new space, you may be tempted to buy all the holiday things toย showcase yourย festive spirit. But, we promise you don’t have to do that. In fact, we have some ideas for holiday decorating on a budget. With a few key purchases, some creativity, and a bit of styling, and a trip to Marshalls, you can add the magical touch to your home for the holidays!

Holiday Decorating on a Budget

To demonstrate these budget-friendly ideas, I transformed my mom’s living room into a little holiday oasis (you can see what this space normally looks like in this post). Today, it’s a festive room with pops of gold and red.ย Holiday decorating on a budget

As you know, we love shopping at Marshalls because you can find everything from designer fashion, to home decor, to baby essentials โ€“ all at incredible prices. We visited our local Marshalls and were so excited to find tons of quality seasonal decor, including throw pillows, tree skirts, candle wreath holders, and more. Best part? Every piece was less than $25!

Choose a Color SchemeMerry sign from Marshalls

First, I recommend choosing a color scheme for your holiday decor. This will definitely help when out and about shopping for holiday items. For this room, I went with gold, silver, and red. Red is such a powerful color, so just buying a few red accessories made a huge difference in this space. I picked up this “MERRY” sign from Marshalls for only $12.99 and it makes such a statement on her white built-ins. Love that pop of color!Decorating built-in shelves for the holidays

Buy a Few Key PiecesHow to decorate your home for the holidays on a budget

As I mentioned, you don’t need to go out and buy all.the.holiday.things. Instead, pick a few key pieces and display those. I hit up Marshalls to find these pieces of new holiday decor for Jan’s room and in one trip, I had everything I needed to fill up her built-ins and fireplace mantle!Metallic reindeers for Christmas

I found these adorable metal reindeer for a steal (the large one was $12.99 and smaller one only $9.99). I love decorating with metallics, especially for the holidays, and I just couldn’t pass up these little guys.ย Metallic trees to decorate for the holidays

Sticking with the gold and silver color scheme, I also found these metallic trees! The silver one is huuuuugeย (but was only $24.99) and it makes such a statement up high in the built-ins.Gold tree topper as holiday decor

Oh, and how about this gold tree topper?! It would look gorgeous on top a tree, but I also loved the height it brought to the built-ins. The perfect pop of gold against the white.

Keep Some Everyday Decor OutDecorating built-ins with pops of red

Holiday decor is also something that you can invest in each season. Set aside a budget each year and pick up a few new pieces to add to your holiday collection. You don’t have to buy hundreds of dollars worth of holiday goodies. Instead, pick up a few pieces that you like and make them work with the decor you already have.ย Marshalls makes this process easy with the wide variety of products in store for great prices! I found so many different trends and styles when I was shopping โ€“ itโ€™s easy to find pieces that match your everyday decor!ย How to style shelves with holiday decor

Speaking of which, I actually used a lot of the everyday decor that Jan always displays on her built-ins in this holiday setup. Anything that still worked with the color scheme (like the vintage gold frame, the wood box, and the family heirlooms) stayed up on the built-ins. Don’t feel like every single piece needs to be holiday themed. Just add one or two new items (like the reindeer) and it instantly feels fresh!

Decorate your MantleFireplace mantle decorated for the holidays

A fireplace mantle just screams “Christmas” doesn’t it?! First, let’s chat about the most common fireplace decor…stockings!

I found the red and white stockings at Marshalls, as well as the stocking holders! I love the wood holders with the gold accents on them (plus, they were only $14.99 for both!).ย Faux tree to add greenery for the holidays

On the mantle, I opted for some greenery. We always say that every room needs some greenery, and that’s especially true during the holidays. These cute little trees add some height to the fireplace area and bring in some earthy tones amongst all of the metallics.

Use Presents as DecorWrap faux presents to use as decor

 

Here’s a trick that Bridget and I have used for ages. We always wrap fake presents (usually shipping boxes) with pretty wrapping paper and ribbon. Then, we display these gifts on our shelves, near the fireplace, and even under the tree (that is until the tree is filled with real presents!).

These pieces of holiday decor are so inexpensive and they can really add some color and a festive touch to your home. So start saving those shipping boxes and get wrapping. Marshalls has such a diverse and festive collection of quality gifting essentials, which come in handy this time of year!

Add Some GreeneryAdd greenery to everyday decor to make it feel more festive

I also advise picking up some small pieces of greenery. You can buy a bunch of little pieces and then place them next to accessories around your home. It adds a nice touch, brings in some color, and you can even stick in a few of those pine scented sticks so they smell good too!

Sprinkle in OrnamentsAdd ornaments to your shelves for holiday decorating on a budget

Just like the greenery, simple ball ornaments can bring some glam to your shelves! You can pick up a large pack of ball ornaments from the craft store, and add those throughout your home next to pieces of decor. I wouldn’t have any ornaments hanging by themselves, instead, have them sidle up to your everyday decor items to bring in that holiday touch.How to decorate for the holidays on a budgetSnowflake pillow from Marshalls

So there you have it…holiday decorating on a budget!ย No matter how much you want to spend, Marshalls makes it easy to add festive, quality decor to any room, without breaking the bank. It is possible to make your family room look completely different, while only buying a few new holiday items!

Now I’m dying to know, have you decorated for the holidays yet? I’m loving the twinkle lights at our house right now…

Casey


The Year of Casey

Hey there!

Iโ€™m Casey Finn, the voice behind The DIY Playbook. I’m a Chicago gal teaching you how to design, DIY, and maintain your home…by yourself! Learn more about me right here.