Decorating an apartment – especially on a budget – can be a challenge at any time of the year, but this is especially true when it comes to the holidays. With so many fantastic decorations out there, it’s hard to say “no” each year due to a lack of space at home. However, there are some things you can do to decorate with premium style and amazing decorations without breaking the bank, and without overstuffing your apartment until you can hardly walk through it; following are some of the best tips for doing just that:

  1. Think ahead…way ahead. A year, to be more precise. The best items can be found for 70, 80, and even 90% off once the holidays are over, and this is the prime time to buy and put goodies away for the next year. Instead of paying $39.95 for that adorable light-up Santa on December 24, you could pay just under $4.00 for it on December 26!
  2. Size matters: Consider your Christmas tree. If you have the space to put up a nice tall or wide tree, then go for it (they will be more expensive, depending on the kind of tree and the size, generally). However, most people in apartments don’t have unlimited space for an enormous Christmas tree. Make it a point to intentionally seek out a shorter or skinnier tree than usual. You don’t have to grab a “Charlie Brown tree” because there are gorgeous trees that are smaller in stature that are just as brilliant as their larger counterparts. Consider artificial trees, which are available in a huge variety of sizes and prices.
  3. Get Creative and DIY: Probably the best way to save on holiday decorations that don’t require a lot of space or money is to make them yourself! Mason jar snow globes, intricate paper snowflakes, Styrofoam DIY bow wreaths, and more are always favorites. There are endless ideas for DIY holiday decorations on a budget online, so you’ll have no trouble finding adorable ideas that will make your space and your pocket cheery and bright.
  4. Display your holiday cards: there are endless ways to do so! This makes a beautiful display that is also a guaranteed way to bolster holiday cheer as you keep thoughts of your loved ones near. Instead of letting the cards gather in a drawer, pin them, tape them, or create framed art with them to hang for the holidays as part of your décor.
  5. Wrap your cabinets as presents. This makes a cute, simple, and really pretty look that you can also reuse year after year. If you’re going to be buying ribbons and bows and wrapping paper anyway this season, why not use any leftovers for your décor? Many people don’t even use the paper and just wrap their cabinet doors in bows and ribbons.
  6. Make the temporary space you need. There are companies like MakeSpace that will get any non-holiday items from your apartment that are in your way and store it in their temperature-controlled storage facility until you want it back – and some companies even will provide an online catalog of your stuff. When you are ready to have an item or items back, MakeSpace will deliver it back to you!
  7. Make Your Own Holiday Potpourri. Live tree vendors will usually happily give you loose pine tree branches and pine cones. Break up the branches and put them in a brown paper bag with the pine cones and some cinnamon sticks, dried orange peel, and cotton balls with pine oils, and let it sit in an airtight container for a week. After that week, you can open the potpourri and enjoy beautiful, festive, and inexpensive holiday décor that smells great and doesn’t take up a lot of room.

Apartment residents are some of the best improvisers around – they’re creative, smart, and they know how to make big impressions with smaller spaces. The holidays don’t have to be expensive, and they certainly don’t have to limit you with your decorations. Big ideas and a big love of holiday décor can thrive just fine within apartments, as long as you use a little creativity!