It’s my favorite time of year, people! But is anyone else feeling frazzled and unorganized about getting those decorations up on time? Chalk it up to a variety of reasons, but it’s taking longer than usual to get a feel for what this house needs in regards to holiday decor….

* New house -Anytime you’re in a new home it takes some living in to get a feel for where those little touches make sense
* New paint colors – I’m used to rich browns, so decorating in lighter gray tones is throwing me
* Fewer surfaces to decorate – I downsized from 5,500 square feet to 3,200. Fine by me! But that meant I had to sell a few tables. The entry table is gone and the dining room table is out in the garage…Because I don’t have a dining room (yet!).
* Old decorations – I love the decorations I have, but putting them in a new home with lower ceilings? I’m stumped.
* I still haven’t done general home decorating yet – the spare room is full of wall hangings, etc. So not having the usual decor out is putting me in a tailspin.

The list goes on. So I’m calling this a “mini home tour” because there’s a good chance I’ll spend a few more days re-arranging things. Also, installed a new built-in in the playroom that is for sure getting some fall love when it’s all organized. I shared a sneak peak on instagram….

Once changes are made, I’ll come back to share the pics. In the meantime, I’ll show you what I was able to do with the decorations on hand. I didn’t buy anything new this year. Just drank a lot of coffee and got creative!

Oh, and call me crazy (go ahead, I don’t mind), but I loved sorting through the bins and pulling out trash or donations. I want a fresh start in this house. That means I’ll be getting rid of anything old and junky AND investing in new bins for storing it all away once the holidays are over. Yay!

On with the tour! Starting inside, this little bar in the kitchen was looking boring until I added a mirror and a few fall touches…

 

Don’t let that bose stereo detract from the overall cuteness. Mama needs her music (to drown out the sounds of sibling’s fighting) and it’s helping to keep that mirror in place. I’ll be hanging the mirror soon!

 

I love incorporating the kids artwork into home decor. This pumpkin was made a few years ago. It’s filled with batting and, if you look closely, the leaves are handprints. So precious….

Other little touches in the kitchen…Over the 2 china cabinets…

 

On the table overlooking the patio…

 

Yes, the pool fence is up…And I have a flat brick patio! Photos and a pool update soon. Another sneak peek was shared on instagram…

In the playroom I dressed up this wall…

 

 

I love to decorate with photos from previous holidays. This was 2010. How time flies!…

 

I’m also into decor with meaning. Some of those acorns were handpicked by the kids in Arkansas. I’ll keep them forever!…

 

In the living room…

For those reading along for a while, you recognize a lot of this decor. Those tall stick bundles used to be up high in my Arkansas kitchen. How I miss my old kitchen…

 

 

 

 

I added an old console table behind the leather love seat in order to add some life to the room. This love seat used to be in our old home office. We love it and didn’t want to sell it. It makes this room feel a little tight and will be incorporated in some way once the kitchen renovations are done. in the meantime, it’s living here and this wall needed some love…

 

Moving to the front, and again using old decor already on hand. Well, the pumpkins are newly picked from the patch last weekend….

 

 

 

 

Best part for the kids? When everything comes on at dusk…

 

 

 

 

 

 

That’s my mini tour…For now.

Oh…I also spruced up the blog a bit by adding a Halloween header…

If you’d like to see my previous Halloween or fall home decor tours, you can find them below. Ok ok, so I was looking for an excuse to see my old house again. I’m missing Arkansas during this time of year. It’s breathtakingly beautiful! and my people there are pretty amazing too.

Have you decorated yet? Or do you have leaves changing in your area? Share the link to your decor/colors in the comments below so we can all enjoy it!

Have a great day!