Each season it can be tempting to go out and buy new decor items for your home and family. For years, my husband and I have found pleasure in hitting yard sales and shopping at thrift stores. And I certainly enjoy shopping at Hobby Lobby and Home Goods for seasonal items.

This autumn, however, I’m challenging myself to not buy any new decor items for the season. Instead of shopping at Home Goods, TJ Maxx or Goodwill, I’m shopping from my home to decorate for the season. I’ve dug through my stash of vintage finds and previously purchased items to decorate my home and garden for fall.

The only type of purchase I’m allowing myself this season is pumpkins and squash. If we can eat it, then I can buy it. Normally, we have an abundant supply of home-grown pumpkins and squash from our garden. But this year, our pumpkin harvest was a bust. We had a few Cinderella pumpkins and some white mini-pumpkins that grew as volunteers out of our compost bin. That’s it.

To get started, I spent an afternoon digging around in my garden shed, garage and closets to see what items I could find to decorate for the season. I was looking for containers and decor items in tones of white, sage green and brown that I could use as a starting point for decorating both my home and my garden.

I wasn’t looking for traditional “autumn” decorations but simple items that anyone might have in their homes. Here’s what I found to decorate with.

Items to Decorate for Fall…

Below are some items I found when I dug through my stash. Many of these things can be used to decorate for any season. However, by choosing autumn-inspired colors, these can help elevate your fall decorating.

When you use what you have to decorate for fall, you begin to see the possibilities of decorating your spaces all year long. We really don’t need to be purchasing a lot of seasonal specific items but can make use of what’s already available.

Find More Ideas On This Post… How to Decorate Your Garden Using What You Already Have

Wooden Cutting Boards

I love wooden cutting boards. While I don’t have many, I do have one large one that I often use as a decorative platform for my displays. Here I used it with dried garden flowers and vintage bottles. Another way to display cutting boards is to place them against the wall as a backdrop for other decorative items.

Dishware

Whether your dishware is vintage transferware, ironstone, or modern containers, these items are great for displaying autumn produce and flowers. Use platters as a base for your display and containers to hold apples, pumpkins, dried flowers, and more. Or just stack them up as I did.

Decorative Flower Pots

Use decorative flower pots to hold seasonal plants from the garden. Since I’m not purchasing anything new, I didn’t want to buy chrysanthemums or pansies. So I improvised. I ‘planted’ a hydrangea in this vintage Bauer flower pot.

Old Sweaters, Linens, and Ribbons

These cast offs are useful for a variety of decorative purposes. Use the arms of sweaters as a cover for flower pots or vases. Place linens under your containers. Or make a cozy quilt from old sweater squares.

Do you have a stash of ribbons? These are great for adding a final touch to your autumn displays. Tie a ribbon onto a lantern, basket handle or pumpkin stem. This adds a lovely finishing touch.

Found Objects From Nature

One of my favorite autumn activities is going on a nature hike to forage for natural items. There are many places that you can go, including state and local parks, forests, neighborhood walks and even your own backyard. Just be sure you aren’t foraging on private property without permission.

Here’s a list of possibilities…

• Branches
• Twigs
• Pinecones
• Acorns
• Osage Oranges
• Red and Orange Berry Bunches
• Grasses
• Seed Pods
• Blackberry Stems (Ripe or Unripe)
• Oak or Sycamore Balls
• Leaves
• Nuts
• Rosehips
• Feathers

Get More Ideas On This Post… Tips For Gathering Natural Materials For Your Autumn Decor

Crocks

Vintage, reproduction and even new crocks are a great way to display flowers, dried arrangements, produce and so much more. Here are a few of the ways I’m using some of my crocks this fall:

• Hold rustic branches
• Store kindling for the fireplace
• Display a dried flower bouquet
• Contain a stash of pinecones
• Hold mini-white pumpkins
• Tuck in faux bittersweet

Wire Baskets and Containers

This is an easy container to use in your decorating. Wire baskets come in handy for storing food items, plants, seasonal coffee mugs, pumpkins, and even books. But consider other metal containers as well, such as birdcages, vintage metal baskets, hanging baskets and locker baskets.

Lamps and Lanterns

Outdoor camping lanterns and oil lamps make a great decorative item for your outdoor displays. If the lamps and lanterns work, you can use them to add evening sparkle. But even old rusty lanterns can add charm to your decor.

Surprises

Use one-of-a-kind items to decorate your home and garden. I had fun displaying some of those white mini-pumpkins on my vintage apple picking ladder. I used a damaged tea kettle to display some autumn treasures. A step stool with patina works to elevate pumpkins on my front porch. Keep an open mind with items you find. There are so many creative ways to use miscellaneous items.

While it’s fun to go shopping for decor items, you don’t have to spend a lot to get seasonal specific items. Setting the stage for autumn is easy to do with simple touches that you already have. Look around your home and use what’s available. Then add in natural items such as pumpkins, apples and leaves to provide that autumn touch.

Try my no-buy challenge this autumn and use what you already have for decorating. Spend an afternoon digging around your home and shed to see what treasures you can find. Then decorate for fall with what you have available.