When I came back to Auburn after Thanksgiving break last year, I realized that my apartment was in need of a serious make-over. My home in Atlanta had been decorated beautifully by my mother in preparation for the Christmas season; however, my home in Auburn was spreading anything but Christmas cheer.
My roommates and I decided that we needed to decorate our apartment together so that it would feel more like the holiday season as we were studying for finals and winding down the fall semester.
Now, every past and present college student knows that paying tuition and buying groceries is the first priority and setting aside money to decorate the apartment gets kicked to the curb. Luckily, we did not have to spend a single penny on Christmas decor.
The secret to decorating your apartment for free is taking things from your house that your parents will not notice are gone. When your family members walk into the other room after decorating the Christmas tree, swipe a few ornaments. Or after everyone has gone to bed, take the angel and Santa pillows off the couches in the rooms that no one ever goes in.
No, I did not really do this, but I did get a lot of my decorations for my apartment from my home. My mother gave me left over decorations that she was no longer going to use and it was enough to make my Auburn apartment look ready for the holiday season.
My apartment is now decorated with my roommate's old Christmas tree dressed in ornaments from the '80s, funky colored Christmas lights that no longer matched my home in Atlanta and a few other decorations that my family simply outgrew.
You can also save money by making your own Christmas decorations. Painting your own Christmas art is always a simple and cheap way to brighten up a room. However, I would not recommend stringing popcorn together to make garland for the Christmas tree. Trust me, I tried and it takes way too long. Plus, you will just want to eat the popcorn the entire time you are making it.
Whether you celebrate Christmas, Hanukah or any other holiday during the winter season, decorating can by easy and cheap. It is fun to go out and buy new decorations, but if you are on a budget, the fun of decorating for the holidays is not out of reach. Now go grab your roommates, get to work and have a very Merry Christmas.
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