HERE ARE 7 SUPER EASY WAYS TO LEVEL UP YOUR CHRISTMAS DECOR ON A BUDGET | HOW REFRESH OLD PIECES WITH MINIMAL EFFORT!

Hi beautiful friends! It’s the time of year to get creative and spread cheer. You all loved last week’s Trashy Treasure’s find, so today’s post is holiday-decor-inspired as well. Tis’ the season, right!?! I’m excited to share how I styled the curb-shopped table I found a few months ago into a stunning Christmas tablescape all with a collection of bargain thrift finds and free supplies I had at home. I hope these 7 super-simple tips inspire you, and I can’t wait to hear what you think!

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Here are a few items I thrifted from Value Village to create my Christmas tablescape. Everything I picked up was around the $4-5 mark with 30% off! Super inexpensive compared to Christmas decor at HomeSense/Winners/Marshalls.

I did buy one thing at Homesense as well. A gorgeous lamp with a glass shade. Just wait till you see it paired with the thrift finds! I was torn between the cute textured mushroom lamp and the brass lamp with the glass shade – I found the perfect color shade when I rounded the corner. I’ll let you be the judge of the finished look in the reveal down below.

And if you’re new here on the #siblog or possibly missed this post, here’s the curbshopped table I started with. I loved this table makeover so much, I wanted to find the perfect spot in my home for it… and I did! If you’re interested in the full table makeover, you can find it here.

THIS POST IS SPONSORED/CONTAINS AFFILIATE LINKS TO PRODUCTS I USE.  YOU CAN SEE MY FULL DISCLOSURE HERE.

WHAT YOU’LL NEED

Holiday Thrift Finds  – SALVAGED
White Lightning Cleaner
Stick With Me Glue
Craft Glitter
Christmas Bows/Ribbon

Here are 7 SUPER SIMPLE tips to create beautiful Christmas Decor on a Dime. If you have more ideas you’d like to add to the list, I’d love to hear them in the comment section below. I’m always looking for new creative ways to upcycle and decorate sustainably.

#1. FORAGE GREENERY OR BERRIES

My number one tip is forage for a little greenery! Snip a few evergreen branches, berries, vines, or dried stems — whatever nature is offering. Even if you live in the city or don’t have a garden, there’s always a park, trail, or public green space where you can responsibly clip a branch or two. Then pop them into any container you have on hand, and you’ll be amazed at the big impact they make. Fresh, all-natural arrangements always outshine faux in my opinion… plus it brings the outdoors in and smells absolutely wonderful!

For this display, I cut a few evergreen branches from the backyard and grabbed some red berries on my drive home from the grocery store. I arranged them in a tall glass vase for a loose, organic holiday look. Thrifted décor is amazing, and FREE finds from nature are even better!

#2. PUT A BOW ON IT

My #2 tip is simple but makes all the difference — put a bow on it! Chances are you already have a stash of ribbon or a few leftover bows tucked away in your gift-wrap bin. If not, they’re super affordable at the dollar store or online. A pretty bow instantly elevates any find without spending more than a couple of dollars. Tie one around a vase, the base of a candle holder, a basket, or even a simple bundle of greenery.  This is such an easy way to add charm, color, and holiday cheer to your décor.

I used inexpensive ribbon I had in my holiday wrap box to tie a bow around the reindeer’s neck. So simple yet it zhushed up this reideer to look much more festive.

#3. ADD A SCARF – BLANKET – FABRIC

My #3 tip is to shop your home for fabric. We all have different textured fabrics hiding in plain sight — scarves, throw blankets, table runners, even pillowcases! Textiles are one of the easiest ways to add warmth, pattern, and personality to a space without spending a dime. This cozy plaid winter scarf was a freebie and ended up being the perfect finishing touch on my holiday hall table. Draped, folded, or tucked under a vignette, fabric can soften your décor and tie your whole look together.

#4. ADD GLITTER

When my sister was a little girl, she entered a TON of coloring contests — do stores still have those for children? Anyway, she often WON because she colored in the picture beautifully and then added some glitter! My tip #4 is add some inexpensive glitter to your holiday decor for a little extra sparkle. I’ve had these containers of glitter for over 10+ years – they last forever.

I found this wooden Christmas tree at the thrift store, and even though it looked a little ‘dull’, it was nothing a little sparkle couldn’t fix.

To add a touch of sparkle, I started by applying a thin layer of glue to the areas where I wanted some glitter. Then, I gently sprinkled my favorite glitter over the glue. I shake off any excess glitter and let it dry completely. Just wait till you see how this cute tree looked in the after pics below!

And you can glitter up almost anything for the holidays. Ornaments, candle holders, vases, planters, picture frames and garlands — a little glitter makes anything look more festive!

#5. OLD BOOKS – WITH A RIBBON!

Tip #5 is one of my favorites — decorate with old books. I LOVE books. I’m a bonafide book worm and I’m old school. I still buy ‘real’ page-turning books from Amazon and I still take books out from my local library – no digital reads for me. Books are super easy to find at any thrift store, or you might already have a few tucked away at home. I scored a little bundle of vintage books for just $2 and instantly made them holiday-ready by tying them up with a simple red bow. Books add height, character, and a cozy, lived-in feel to any vignette, and with a touch of ribbon, they become an easy festive accent.

#6. ADDING A THRIFTED TRAY FOR DISPLAY

Tip #6 is to use a tray for holiday styling. I see so many trays when I’m at the thrift stores. Big, small, wood, metal – you name it, it’s there. I picked this metal tray up for 5.49 with 30% off. All that was needed was to remove the price tag and give it a super good cleaning. I’ve also diy’d trays, which is easy to do.  This DIY Fake Bronze Tray here, and this DIY Salvaged Wood Tray Riser here.

A beautiful tray can be a game-changer for any tablescape, especially during the holidays. And sometimes, all a thrift find needs is nothing more than a good cleaning to shine. It’s a great reminder that sometimes, less is more! I ended up grouping my new light, the thrifted plant holder, and some greenery on this tray.

#7. THRIFTED ART

Tip #7 is all about thrifted art — one of the easiest ways to add instant charm and personality to your holiday décor. No matter your style, you can find the most amazing pieces at thrift stores, yard sales, and antique shops. Modern prints, Christmas themes, winter landscapes, quirky abstracts… there’s always a hidden gem waiting. In this case, I stumbled across a vintage oil painting of a sweet colt with its mama, and I instantly fell in love with both the artwork and the frame. It felt too special to leave behind, so I brought it home and hung it above my holiday table. Sometimes the most unexpected pieces end up being the perfect finishing touch.

THE BIG REVEAL

Here’s the finished look. What do you think? These 7 simple ideas all put together make a sweet hallway holiday table!

The thrifted reindeer looks so festive with the red bow!

The bundled vintage books were also soooo simple to ‘bundle with a bow’ and make for great styling to create different heights on the tablescape.

And check out the drab-looking wood tree turned all sparkly again! This took all of 2 minutes and looks awesome in the evening when I have the art light and table lamp glowing on it.

And check out my new light. I found the exact same light as in the before pic above, except with a cream glass shade! It has three settings. White, warm white, and very warm yellow white. It’s also wireless and rechargeable, so there are no messy-looking plugs in the way.

I love my new-to-me tray as well. I added my new HomeSense light, the thrifted textured planter with some natural evergreen, pinecones, berries, and vines. It’s

Thanks for joining today! I’d love to hear your thoughts on these holiday decor ideas or feel free to share a few of your own. I’ll be back this Thursday with my Furniture Fixer Upper Crew, so see you then!

Happy painting, my friends!

Denise x

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