Springtime Home Decorations on a Budget

In the spring, nature redecorates itself beautifully. It's only natural that we want to spruce up our homes to match the magnificent new season. Unfortunately, it's really easy to go overboard when you get spring fever and spend way too much on home décor.

Sure, it feels great to transform our homes completely. But when you're on a budget, that's just not practical. Here are some ways to spruce up your home for spring in a more economical fashion.

* Hit the dollar stores. You won't find the top designer labels there, but you probably will find lots of great decorations for spring at low prices. So what if they're not straight out of the pages of Better Homes and Gardens? Even dollar store product designers strive to keep up with decorating trends, so in all likelihood nobody will ever know the difference.

* Decorate with flowers, but not of the cut variety. Cut flowers are expensive and have a short lifespan. Silk flowers are very pretty and last much, much longer. If you prefer real flowers, consider potted plants. As long as they get enough sun and water, they will live for a long time, making them much more cost-effective than cut flowers. Of course, if you have your own flower garden, using cut flowers from there makes lots of sense.

* Make your own decorations. If your dark curtains make the house look too wintery, sew up some curtains in a lighter color. Make some simple spring-themed throw pillows for the couch, and create a nice spring centerpiece for the kitchen table. If you put your creativity to work, you can have lots of new spring items for next to nothing.

* Is your furniture hindering your spring decorating efforts? Try some slipcovers. You can find them to fit most couches and chairs, and they come in a variety of colors and fabrics. A light or pastel color will complement the rest of your spring décor.

* Get the kids to help by creating decorations using items found in nature. Rocks and pieces of wood are freely available in the great outdoors, and they can easily be cleaned and painted in a spring color and motif. Place them in windowsills and on end tables, and use a large painted rock as a doorstop.

* Pick up some candles in pastel colors and spring scents. They will make your house smell great, and the spring colors make a great accent for any shelf, table or sconce.

Spring decorating is lots of fun, and it doesn't have to be ridiculously expensive. Finding deals on store-bought items and creating some of your own stuff will allow you to get your home all decked out for spring without going over budget.