BUT I also knew I get held back a lot by budgets, I don’t like to wastefully spend. That’s when I decided on the 5 steps to successful home decorating:

1. Prepare the blank canvas in advance. I painted the eaves white (from brown) a few weeks before to get my blank slate ready for the fall porch design. We also had the bluestone porch put in while we had our driveway replaced in August.
2. I told myself I’m going to go to the store and buy whatever it is I think I need to pull this off. I knew I needed at least 2 giant mums to fill space and some others for color. I also needed pumpkins! …maybe some faux leaves since we don’t have any trees in our front yard (I could have gathered some from the street). And a few things from around the house; twinkle lights, pillows, and a throw blanket. I ended up only spending $130 at Hobby Lobby (and that included a gift for Tim’s Dad, for his birthday) and about $25 for the most giant Mums I found at Costco. aaannnd $20 in small Mums from Home Depot. 
3. Focus on the outcome, not individual prices. I was holding back so hard when shopping at Hobby Lobby, some pumpkins were $49 but 40% off, but I said to myself don’t look at the price! If you base this off price you will ruin the design intent…look for things you LOVE and what will help you get the desired look! Focus on the colored pallet and filling the space with whimsy. One item I loved were these woven pre-lit pumpkins, they were very cute..but something I would normally never buy due to price…but I kept my goal in mind to focus on the outcome and they are one of the best parts of my 2020 fall porch! Hobby Lobby Tip: always used their 40% off coupon for 1 item at checkout.
4. Lay it all out, don’t be afraid to borrow things from inside your home! I took my time, I didn’t get stressed and I set it up…I used pillows, a throw blanket, lights from my fall storage, and a rug I had bought for this months earlier. I kept reminding myself to be calm and patient, no need to be frazzled…the journey is everything, have fun with it!
5. Pictures! The final step is taking the shot. My porch is on a weird angle, it faces East but this makes for excellent diffused evening light since the sun is setting behind the house. I took pictures while the sun was still out as well as after when I could get great shots of the twinkle lights! What do you think? Check out the pictures below and leave a comment! Also, scroll all the way down to see what it looked like in July before the porch was put in, you won’t believe your eyes!