Festive Looks without Spending a Fortune

by Sherry Holetzky | More from this Blogger

03 Apr 2006 06:45 AM

We all want our homes to feel festive for holidays and other special events, but all this holiday decorating can quickly wreak havoc on the budget. These tips will help you create a festive look for any special occasion without breaking the bank.

Limit the Number of Themed Items You Buy

This applies to holiday gatherings as well as birthday parties. It's fine to purchase a few themed items, but it is really easy to spend a lot more than you intended, collecting themed items. Decide in advance that you will only buy so many themed favors and decorations and then simply fill in the gaps with other items that are color coordinated. You'll create a festive, yet tasteful look, without overdoing either the theme of the cost.

Update Older Items

If you have holiday decorations that you've grown tired of, try updating them with a splash of fresh color by painting them or changing out the fabric. You can also try cleaning them up and mixing them with newer items in contrasting colors to create a more current look.

Borrow or Swap Decorations

Your friends or extended family members may be just as tired of their decorations as you are of yours. See if any of them would like to trade a few things, or even swap temporarily, if an item is something you'd like to use but the other person doesn't wish to get rid of it permanently.

Hit the Sales

Make sure you don't miss the after holiday sales. Many holiday themed items and decorative pieces are marked way down once the holiday is over. Grab some great new stuff so you can look forward to using it next year. You can also sometimes mix in stuff you found after other holidays. For example, you can mix pretty pink or white heart and flower decorations that you found at post-Valentine's Day sales in with pastel items that you plan to use for Easter.

Learn more about Sherry Holetzky

Sherry Holetzky is a work at home mom and freelance writer. Married to her best friend, Sherry and her husband are raising their family in a quiet rural setting in the beautiful Ozark Mountains.

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