Easy Fall Front Porch Ideas That Won't Break the Bank

Tis the season of chunky sweaters, pumpkin bread in the oven, and football on the tv. Dropping leaves, gathering around the fire pit, and hayrides at the pumpkin patch.

That means it’s time to decorate to reflect the changing season. So let’s start where it all starts – on the front porch.

Fall’s all about getting cozy, so this time of year we can really layer it on. And who doesn’t love an Instagram porch loaded down with piles of pumpkins?

But that can get expensive, slimy, and pumpkins are actually quite heavy when you’re dealing with a lot. (Still scarred from the SUV-full donated for an event that I had to load and unload. Twice.)

If you don’t have the budget to go that fall crazy, a few of these front porch ideas will create an inviting autumn entry without spending a lot of money!

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Hang a fall front door wreath.

The first thing you should do is hang a wreath full of fall foliage and natural elements on the front door. If you do nothing else, or have a small front porch where you can’t put much out, this is the best way to add fall to the front of the house.

Wreaths can be expensive, but these simple grapevine wreaths really fill the front doors. And all they took was a few minutes and some picks from the craft store!

See my super simple way to make a fall wreath like these here.

Welcome fall with a mat.

A welcome mat with a cute fall message is a great way to greet guests. You can usually pick up one very reasonably.

And if you have a large porch or double doors, layering mats saves a lot of money. Invest in large mats that can stay in place year round. Then place a small seasonal mat on top. The small mat won’t cost much and it won’t look dinky or lost!

For my double doors, I use this large 4′ x 6′ outdoor rug under everything. Then I lay this wide estate door mat that says “welcome” over it. And the “hello fall” mat was a fun fall touch on top!

Go with the faux.

You can more easily get away with fake fall decorations outside because they are mostly seen from far away or in passing.

Faux pumpkins.

You get way more bang for your buck when you invest in a few foam pumpkins rather than rebuying the real thing every year. And if you buy a few each fall, you’ll have a nice collection before you know it.

Admittedly, the fake ones aren’t as lovely. But the tradeoff is worth it. And I have a couple of hacks for making faux pumpkins look more real with this easy DIY project.

Every single pumpkin on the porch is faux. I’ve probably had the jumbo orange pumpkins for a decade. And the white pumpkins are a hodge podge from over the years. Some I bought in white but many I made over with a little paint. Even the mini pumpkins were originally green cheapies from Dollar Tree.

Faux mums.

As much as I love mums for fall, they sadly only last a few days outside where I live. I showed major self restraint in Costco the other day and passed on their huge mums (pats self on back).

Don’t tell my HOA, but my mums aren’t real. And from a distance, I think they pass – artificial fall flowers are so much better than they used to be. And they’ll still be in full bloom till Thanksgiving.

A throw blanket for cozy fall evenings.

If you have a porch swing, a bench, or rockers, drape warm blankets that invite you to sit and enjoy a pumpkin spice latte.

And some throw pillows.

Pillows make everything more comfortable and patterns and colors can speak to the season.

The fall selection will be better if you have a covered outdoor space and can use indoor pillows. These plaid pillows weren’t expensive so I don’t mind leaving them outside.

Corn stalks, dried wheat, and hay bales.

These fall elements aren’t expensive and if you have a place to store them, they’ll last season after season. Tall corn stalks flanking the front door make a beautiful autumn entrance!

Wicker baskets.

Layer in a little more coziness with a wicker basket or two. You can load it with pumpkins, pine cones, blankets, or plants.

The porch is one of the first things guests see. Create a warm welcome with a few of these cheap and easy porch decorations that will have your home brimming with autumn curb appeal!

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