It’s the first holiday season in my apartment which means I got to figure out decorations for the first time! I love interior decorating but like not having too much so when it comes to adding new things I struggle a little.
I enjoy having minimalist style because it makes me happy being surrounded by only the things I love or need and it saves money not feeling like you need to buy so many things.
Because I decorated with plants and items I already had, I only spent a total of $26 on decorations this year. $15 for a 3-foot tree, $5 for a garland, $3 for more string lights, and $3 for a really cute decoration I got at an estate sale! Although I still don’t think we needed a tree, I am happy I had a place to hang the silver bells I got from my grandparents every year growing up.
What really made a difference in the festiveness of my apartment is the fact that my parents brought me pine, cedar and nandina branches, and pine cones from around their lakehouse. I asked them if they could bring me a little and I got basically a forest that I just put everywhere I could in my apartment.
I put arrangements in this set of vases we already had for my friends wedding, put a group of pine cones in one of my vases (and put an ornament just for fun, and then stuck some pine needles in a champagne bottle cause why not🙃 I actually got the champagne because I loved the matte black finish and new I could use it as decoration after drinking it, so that worked out well!
Wreaths sell for around $35, so instead I just put a pine branch in the loop of my door, tied a bow on it, and called it a day for $0!
To continue with the natural elements, I stuck some branches with pine cones into a piece of Aspen I’ve had for years from Colorado then put a candle in the middle. And then I just took a piece of wood I’ve also had for years (that I originally got to paint something on, but I couldn’t figure out what to do so it’s still just wood) put a candle on it and the berries that fell off when making arrangements around that and VOILA🙃
I always enjoy decorating, but coming up with unique ways to use natural elements and items I already had was really fun and rewarding knowing I didn’t get too many things I didn’t need.
