When decorating on a budget, it can be challenging to decorate your entire home for the holidays. However, there are things you can do to spread the holiday cheer throughout your interiors without breaking the bank. Interestingly enough, it’s not only the decorative touches, but also the mood you create in your home that will enhance the spirit of the season.

Unify Your Wrapping Paper

The tree is often a focal point at Christmas time, especially one with beautifully wrapped packages underneath. However, wrapping paper can quickly add up, eating away at your budget in no time at all. A cheaper alternative is to buy a large roll of plain brown or white craft paper, a wide roll of colorful ribbon and a packet of blank sale tags. These items are found at craft or office supply stores. Wrap all of your presents with the paper and embellish with ribbon tied around each one. If you prefer, substitute the ribbon with twine. Attach sales tags to each gift and write the name of its recipient with a colorful gel pen. This approach is cheaper than buying seasonal wrapping paper, yet results in a very simple, yet elegant look under your tree.

Add Little Touches That Count

You don’t have to decorate every surface of you home for the holidays. Focus on the main living areas for the most part, but include small touches to the less public areas like bedrooms and bathrooms. A red candle, small wreath or sprig of greener easily adds a little Christmas cheer for just pennies. Such decorative flourishes here and there keeps the holiday spirit flowing from room to room.

Tickle Your Senses with Holiday Scents

An inexpensive trick that can easily be encompassed during the holiday season is to create an intoxicating scent throughout your home. Pine, vanilla, cinnamon - any one of these tickles the senses with holiday spirit. There are many ways to create a holiday aroma: place potpourri throughout your home. use scented plug-ins in outlets hidden behind furniture, tuck cottonballs with scented oils inside plant pots or burn aromatic candles. The key is to choose one singular scent or 2 or 3 that complement each other. Of course, the old standby of baking ginger cookies or fresh cinnamon bread is another option, but a bit more difficult to achieve around the clock.

Create a Reflective Ambiance

A little bit of sparkle and glam does wonders in achieving a holiday effect and is easily created with reflective surfaces throughout your home. Incorporate silver bowls and platters into your centerpieces or vignettes. Use small mirrors as serving trays. Decorate your tree with gold and silver ornaments. To further the mood, light your fireplace if you have one along with candles placed throughout the home. The flickering flames will bounce off the reflective surfaces creating wonderful ambiance.

Transform Your Furniture

You’ve probably heard it said that nothing changes the look and feel of a space as cheaply as a fresh coat of paint. While that is true, it’s not the only technique that can quickly transform a room. Slipcovers are like magic when it comes to changing the look of your room. They are perfect for when your furniture fabric patterns clash with your holiday decor or for when you just want a temporary seasonal lift. While they are an investment at the beginning, in the long run they will pay for themselves in their usefulness. Choose solid colors for the most versatility not only at Christmas, but also for other times of the year.