46 Cozy Front Porch Fall Decorating Ideas On a Budget

Whether you’re a DIY enthusiast or simply looking to add some festive flair to your home, this guide will provide you with inspiration for front porch fall decorating on a budget!

Designing the perfect fall-themed front porch display can be really expensive and wasteful if done incorrectly. We will cover practical ways to repurpose items you already own, find biodegradable decor, and the best places to buy affordable fall decorations to achieve a festive yet minimalist Fall front porch.

Grab your pumpkin spice latte and get ready to design your dream cozy front porch for the fall season!

This post is all about fall front porch decorating ideas on a budget.

Minimalism Tips For Decorating For Fall

Decorating for fall can be so fun! It is nice to let your creativity run wild and cherish the change in seasons.

One downside though is the amount of clutter and waste that the holiday season can create.

Here are a few things to keep in mind while you plan out your fall front porch decor with the earth and your budget in mind: 

• You don’t have to use all of the ideas on this list! Just use it as inspiration. 
• Sometimes less is more when it comes to design. Choose a main focal point for your porch design and then add a few supplemental pieces to tie it all together.
• Upcycling and thrift stores will be your best friend when decorating your home on a budget. 
• Try to use decor made from durable materials/natural materials. You can reuse your fall decorations year after year which is great for the environment and saves you money! 

How to Decorate the Front Porch For Fall on a Budget

1. Fall-themed front door

The main focal point of your front porch is the front door.  With a few DIY signs or door wrappings you can easily make it look festive for cheap! 

• wooden door hanger with a fall-themed message 
• bundle of wheat wrapped with twine 
• brown craft paper with fall quotes or drawings 
• DIY Fall wreath

2. Hay bales as a bench or to hold other fall decor

Pick up a few hay bales from a local farm or feed store to make DIY benches. 

You can add cozy blankets on top or use the hay bales as places to display other fall decor on this list!

3. DIY Fall welcome mat

Upcycle your current welcome mat or thrift one to make your very own fall-themed welcome mat. 

Another affordable option is to thrift a small rug or bath mat and use paint or other craft materials to make it fall-themed. 

4. A classic assortment of pumpkins 

Fall decor of course has to include some pumpkins! Head to your local pumpkin patch to choose a few to decorate your front porch. 

• Classic orange pumpkins (carved, with tea lights, painted etc.) 
• White pumpkins if you have a neutral front porch theme 
• Mini pumpkins for variety 

5. Pumpkin topiaries

Pumpkin topiaries are so fun! You can easily thrift the base for cheap and then use a stick or pole to hold the pumpkins steady. 

6. Corn stalks

Corn stalks are perfect for adding some added texture to your fall front porch display. 

You can bunch them on porch banisters or columns to mimic how they appear in nature. Or get creative by pulling them apart and making a DIY corn stalk wreath. 

7. DIY Cotton wreath

Cotton is harvested in late summer/early fall so it is the perfect seasonal decor to add to your front porch.

A DIY Autumn wreath made with cotton is perfect if your color theme is more neutral colors.

{RECOMMENDED POST: 5 Top Tips To Sustainably Celebrate Fall}

8. Colorful mums

Planters filled with fall flowers like colorful mums are a classic front porch signifier that fall has arrived. 

Here are all the different colors of mums available as you dream up your fall front porch window boxes and planters: 

• White
• Yellow
• Pink
• Orange
• Red
• Burgundy
• Cream
• Salmon
• bi-color

9. Small side table with festive fall themed decor 

If you have space for a small table, decorate it with fall themed decor. You can repurpose a table from inside for this.

Here are a few fall table decor ideas: 

• Table cloth with fall colors and pattern
• Fall bouquet 
• Fall scented candles 
• Framed fall landscape with wooden or gold frame
• Thrifted fall trinkets 
• Pinecone candle centerpiece 
• DIY welcome sign 

10. Table centerpiece 

If you have a table in your seating area on your porch you can add the fall decor listed above or a bowl of Autumn colored seasonal fruits and decor: 

• Apples
• Mini pumpkins
• Squash
• Pomegranagte
• Mandarin orange (look like mini pumpkins)
• Dried corn kernels 

11. DIY scarecrow

Grab an extra hay bale to make your very own scarecrow! 

These are super fun to make and cheap. All you need is hay and some clothing you no longer wear or clothes from the thrift store. 

12. Dried orange garland 

All you need is a bag of oranges, some twine and a dehydrator (or your oven!). Dried orange garlands are cheap to make and fit nicely with the orange theme of fall. 

13. Recycled jars and bottles for sunflowers 

Wash out some jars before you throw them in the recycling bin and save them to store jars of sun flowers as a center piece or on your front porch steps. 

14. Felt pumpkin garland 

If you are crafty you can easily whip up a garland made from felt and twine. You can even stuff the pumpkins with old fabric to really save money. 

15. Wicker baskets

Wicker baskets offer that natural rustic look that pairs perfectly with cozy fall decor.

You can use wicker baskets as plant pots, to hold blankets or other decor like corn stalks or sunflowers. 

16. String lights, fairy lights in vases, & lanterns

Ambient lighting really helps to give your porch a cozy feel. From string lights to lanterns on your front porch steps, there are tons of ways to bring in a little extra light and variety to your display. 

17. Drill holes in your pumpkin and add lights 

If you are looking for a super easy DIY pumpkin project, simply drill holes in your pumpkins and add tea lights.

This takes about 10 minutes but gives the pumpkins a sparkly feel. 

18. Plant flowers in pumpkin 

Pumpkins make the perfect flower pot for the fall season! Scoop out the insides and compost it. Then add some soil and your favorite fall flowers.

Super simple and cost-effective fall decor! Best of all you can compost it at the end of the season and it will go right back to the earth.

19. Cozy seating area

If you have been considering installing a porch swing or picking up a rocking chair this is the perfect occasion to do it.

You can incorporate some of the other fall decor ideas with your seating area to tie it all together. Sit your scare crow in one of the seats or drape a fall quilt on the back of a chair.

20. Indoor decor in windows 

Don’t feel like all of your decor needs to go on the front porch.

You can also incorporate fall decor in your windows. It will keep your decor safe from the weather. 

{RECOMMENDED POST: 7 Best Hanging Plants For Your Shaded Porch To Create A Charming Oasis}

21. Fall window paint 

If you have kids they will LOVE this. Get crafty by using window paint to paint some fall leaves and pumpkins. 

Will it look tacky? Possibly. But it is a fun way to let your kids join in on the fun of contributing to the fall porch decor. 

22. Vase of dried flowers 

Bring in some natural elements with a vase of dried flowers. You can easily find them at your local grocery store, flower shop or garden. 

23. Acorns & pinecones in a wooden bowl or vase

You can leave them as they are or dip them in paint to fit the color scheme you have for you unique front porch decor. Gold and silver tie in nicely with classic fall colors as well. 

24. Branches in a vase

Thrift a large cylinder vase to hold a few branches that you can pick up in your yard or local park! 

25. Grapevine wreaths

Let your imagination run wild with all the different ways you can spruce up a fall grapevine wreath. 

• Dried flowers & leaves 
• Mini fall sign
• Mini pumpkins 
• Fall-colored bows or burlap bows
• Painting the grapevines 

26. Grapevine pumpkins 

If you have leftover grapevines, use them to make DIY pumpkins!

These are seriously so adorable and are perfect to add to your front-step pumpkin patch.

27. Wax Fall leaves to make a garland 

Use beeswax, soy wax, or coconut wax to preserve the autumn leaves that you collect. You can then lay them around your front porch table display or create a simple garland. 

28. DIY fall-themed flag 

All you need is some fabric and fabric paint to create a simple flag to hang in your yard or off your porch!

Choose a fall saying or a simple design like a pumpkin or a pattern of fall leaves. 

29. Fall color quilt as a porch tapestry

If you are not into sewing you can easily find a quilt at the thrift store. Even if you can’t find one in orange/brown/red you may be able to find a cream color one. 

You can hang it over a chair or up on the wall to further the cozy vibes.

30. DIY clay garland with fall colors

Pick up a container of clay from your local craft store or find some in your local area to create clay beads.

Choose a few fall colors to paint each of them and string them up as a festive garland.  

31. Chalkboard sign

 A chalkboard sign is easy to find for cheap or you can DIY one with chalkboard paint and wood.

It can be fun to pick out a fall themed saying, some Autumn designs or a simple “welcome” to put on your DIY sign. 

Fall sayings for your front porch sign: 

• Happy Fall yall
• Hello Autumn 
• Sweater Weather 
• Let’s get cozy 
• Welcome, Pumpkin! 
• ​​Thankful, Blessed, and Pumpkin Obsessed

The cheesier the saying the better (; 

32. Paint pumpkins and gourds 

If you want a more eclectic look you can paint your pumpkins all different colors and patterns. Stripes, polka dots, and chevron lines are always fun and easy to paint on pumpkins!

33. Throw pillows & cozy throw blankets for your seating area

You don’t just want your front porch to look good but also feel good. On those crisp autumn days, cozy up with a good book and a soft set up. 

Try to go for earth tones or festive patterns to tie everything together. You can also repurpose old sweaters into pillow covers!

34. Front steps

Don’t forget the steps! A collection of mums (or other fall flowers) and pumpkins offers a classic look.

35. Wooden Crate

Wooden crates can be repurposed to hold fall decor either as a table or a basket. The wood ties in perfectly with classic fall colors. 

36. Repurpose a wooden palette to hold fall decor

If you have a small front porch it can be helpful to think of vertical design elements.

Repurposing a wooden palette and leaning it up against a wall is a great way to hold fall decor by not taking up too much floor space.

37. Thrift stores for fun and festive fall decorations

If you don’t want to go with real pumpkins you can pick up some cheap faux pumpkins at the thrift store.

Many times, thrift stores get the overflow from when big box stores don’t sell everything. The fall decor may be from last season but no one will notice or care! 

38. Old ladder or wheelbarrow for a rustic feel 

Maybe you have an old ladder or wheel barrow you can repurpose or easily thrift one. They will give your front porch a rustic feel.

You can fill the wheel barrow with pumpkins, mums or other fall foliage. 

39. Skip the traditional fall colors and choose a color palette that works best for your home 

Don’t feel like you have to only stick to the classic fall color scheme for your front porch decor. 

If your style is more modern then neutral colors may work better for you. 

You can save a lot of money by choosing a color theme and sticking to it each fall season. You will be less tempted to buy all the fall things just because they are cute. 

40. Handmade items on Etsy or local artists 

If you are not a fan of the idea of making DIY fall porch decor, no shame.

Look into local artists and makers that are making decor for the fall season. Most of the time since it is handmade it will be more pricey but if you take good care of it you can store it and bring it out year after year! 

Where to buy fall decor on a budget?

After flipping through this list you may be wondering how to find your decor for cheap.

The best place to shop is your own home or yard! With a bit of creativity, craft supplies and foraging through natural areas you can truly find a lot of fall decor. DIY projects take a bit of time but they are fun and will save you tons of money! 

Here are some other great places you can find cheap fall home decor:

• Farmers market
• Local craft store
• Local farm
• Pumpkin patch
• Antique store
• Flea market  

Have any other creative ideas to decorate your front porch for fall on a budget? Let us know in the comments below! I’m sure others in the community would love to learn from you as well!

Be sure to sign up for the newsletter if you would like sustainability and wellness tips sent directly to your inbox!

Stay well, 

Maggie 

This post was all about the best front porch Fall decoration ideas on a budget.

Other posts you may like: 

Your Go To Guide For Eco Friendly Back To School Supplies And Tips For A Sustainable School Year

10 Realistic Book Storage Ideas For Small Spaces And A Cozy Vibe

7 Sustainable Home Decor Ideas Guaranteed To Make Your Home The Coziest Oasis

If you would like to save this front porch fall decoration post for later-Pin it!