I love decorating for fall, but I don’t love spending a ton of money to do it.
Over the past couple of years I started making one or two decorations to add to my collection.
Now my house has that cozy autumn vibe and I didn’t have to spend a ton of money to do it.
Plus it was fun!
My daughter loves helping out with crafts, so she had a hand in throwing together what we had, dollar store finds, and even stuff we found outside.
And we only take an afternoon to do it.
So you have a free afternoon and need to fresh and cute fall decor, here are some of my favorite ideas.
DIY Fall Crafts
Crafting in the fall just feels right.
I’m pretty sure the season was made for glue guns, twine, and dollar store pumpkins!
These easy DIYs are perfect when you want to make something cute without spending your whole paycheck.
Leaf Stamped Tea Towels
You can grab plain flour sack towels at Walmart or Amazon, pick up a little fabric paint, and collect leaves straight from your backyard.
Lay your towel flat and press the leaf down with the veins facing up.
Dip a foam brush in the paint and dab gently around the edges until you’ve got a full outline.
Peel the leaf away and let it dry before heat-setting with an iron.
Maple leaves in deep red or mustard look amazing for this!
Twine-Wrapped Pumpkins
Dollar store foam pumpkins are perfect for this and all you need is some twine and a hot glue gun.
(And if you can’t find foam pumpkin, regular cheap pumpkins will work. You’re going to cover them anyway!)
Start at the bottom with a dab of glue, press the twine down, and begin wrapping around tightly as you move upward.
Add a little glue every few turns so it doesn’t slide out of place.
Once you’ve covered the whole pumpkin, tuck the end under the stem and glue it down for a rustic, farmhouse look.
Cinnamon Stick Candle Holders
Bulk cinnamon sticks are cheap at discount grocery stores, and a short pillar candle makes the perfect base.
Stand the sticks upright and press them around the outside of the candle, holding them together with twine or ribbon.
You can also glue them to the candle, but I like to reuse the cinnamon sticks when it’s time for a new candle, so I just tie them.
When the candle burns, the warm cinnamon smell fills the room and instantly makes it feel like fall.
Scrapbook Paper Fall Garland
Scrapbook paper in fall patterns is easy to find at Michaels or Walmart, and you’ll just need twine, scissors, and a hole punch.
I’ve even found some in the craft section of the dollar store before!
Cut leaf or pumpkin shapes, punch a hole in each, and thread them onto your twine with some space between each one.
Hang it over a window, shelf, or mantel for that cozy patchwork vibe.
Mini Pumpkin Vases
Look for small pumpkins at the grocery store or farmers market.
Cut the tops off and scoop out the insides like you would with a jack-o’-lantern.
Slip a small jar or cup inside to hold water, then add a few flowers, branches, or dried grass.
I tried this with grocery store mums once, and it instantly dressed up my table!
Mason Jar Lid Pumpkins
If you’ve got a stash of canning rings, this is a fun way to use them up, and thrift stores sometimes have bags of them for cheap.
Stack about twenty rings in a bundle and tie them tightly with twine.
Spread them out in a circle so they form a pumpkin shape and add a little stick in the center for the stem.
You can tuck in a felt leaf too to make it look finished.
DIY Fall Decor for Your Walls
Your walls are prime real estate for showing off some autumn flair!
These ideas use simple supplies, take no time at all, and make your space feel warm and cozy.
Framed Fall Fabric
Old frames and fabric scraps are all you need for this one.
Pop the fabric into the frame like you would a photo, then hang a few in a row for an instant seasonal display.
Plaid or gingham works especially well, but any warm-toned print will give that cozy fall feel.
Check the dollarstore or Walmart for cheap fabric swatches (or a thrift store for old tablecloths!).
Painted Boards
Sometimes you can get some cheap (or free) pieces of scrap wood from your local lumberyard or home improvement store.
Or maybe you have some laying around from an old reno project!
All you need to do is add fall designs using stamps, stencils, or even pressed leaves.
Prop them up on shelves or hang them on the wall.
(Want a pro tip for hanging? Just use a strong adhesive to glue a pop tab to the back of your board to hang it from a nail!)
Yarn Tassel Garland
Pick up some cheap yarn in autumn colors like mustard, rust, and cream, and make simple tassels by wrapping yarn around cardboard and tying it off.
Then cut the bottom loop and slide the cardboard out.
String them together on twine and hang across a blank wall or shelf.
These are super quick to make so if you have kiddos, they can definitely help out!
Picture Frame Art
Take any old frame, give it a coat of paint in a fall color, and hot glue faux flowers around the edges.
In the corner, add a little sign that says something like “Happy Fall” or “Gather.”
I know the dollar stores using have plastic frames, but I’ve had luck finding nice wood frames at thrift stores (even if I had to retire the current picture).
These frames are super cute for walls but would also look amazing on your front door!
Fall String Art
I’ll be honest, string art is kind of addictive.
My daughter and I spent an entire afternoon working on ours and they turned out beautiful!
All you need to do is hammer small nails into a piece of scrap wood in the outline of a pumpkin, leaf, or other fall shape.
Then use orange, brown, or yellow string to crisscross between the nails until the design fills in.
We have a couple of these hanging on our wall and they look so festive!
DIY Fall Decor from Nature
If you’ve got a backyard, a park nearby, or even a good walking path, you basically have free fall décor waiting to be picked up!
It’s so easy to turn things like pinecones, branches, and leaves into pretty decorations while barely spending a dime.
Pinecone and Twine Garland
Pinecones are easy to collect (if you don’t have them nearby, craft stores do sell bags for cheap).
Just tie them onto a length of twine, spacing them a few inches apart.
Hang the garland along a mantel, staircase, or even a doorway.
I wonder what it would look like with the yarn tassels I mentioned above…
Maybe I’ll give that a try this year!
Dollar Store Framed Leaf Art
Pick up a few cheap frames from the dollar store and swap the inserts with pressed leaves you find outside.
To press the leaves, slip them between two sheets of wax paper and iron them flat, then cut to size so they fit neatly inside.
Arrange a small gallery wall of different leaf shapes or colors.
You can make them look really aesthetic by placing a leaf on a old book page before putting it in the frame.
Branches in a Painted Jar
The next time you’re out walking (or if you need an excuse to get out for a walk), grab some sturdy branches off the ground.
Just make sure you give them a quick shake to get the dirt off!
Then paint an old glass jar or vase in a matte fall color like mustard or rust.
Arrange the branches inside and maybe tie twine or ribbon around the rim.
This looks so good on a side table and costs next to nothing to make!
Painted Acorns in a Bowl
Collect some acorns then clean and dry them.
Once their dry, you can paint them any color you want!
Metallic shades like chopper or gold look amazing mixed with some burnt orange.
You can paint the bottoms, the whole acorn, or mix it up for variety.
After the paint dries, toss them in a wooden bowl or scatter them on the table for a simple and cute centerpiece.
Leaf-Covered Candle Holders
Pick out a handful of leaves in good shape from outside.
Then coat the outside of a glass jar with Mod Podge (or a glue and water mix) and press the leaves onto the surface, smoothing as you go.
Don’t worry about some of the edges lifting…you probably won’t get the entire thing to go flat.
But that’s okay because it gives it a really cool texture!
Once dry, pop in a tealight or LED candle and the light will glow through the leaves.
Rustic Log Candle Tray
If you have a fallen branch or log in your yard, cut a section about an inch thick for a base.
Sand it down just enough so it sits flat, then arrange candles, pinecones, or mini pumpkins on top.
This one takes a little bit of work, but it really brings that woodsey feeling inside.
You can put it on an entrway table or right on your dining table!
Big Autumn Vibes, Small Price Tag
These DIY ideas bring out the cozy side of the season without breaking the bank or taking a ton of time.
Grab what you have, hit up the dollar store and thrift stores, and see how quickly you can transform your space for fall.
Before you know it, you’ll be looking around wondering what else you can decorate for fall!
