As September concludes and October begins, signs of fall are abundant. While the weather in Southern California has failed to deliver the expected cooling of temperatures, other activities can be done to create an autumn atmosphere. One common practice when celebrating fall is decorating our homes. Decorating for fall is an exciting activity, but creating our own decorations can make the process even more meaningful. I have put together a small list of easy and affordable DIY fall decorations that can serve as an exciting activity with your friends and family. 

The simplest DIY decoration on this list is painting pumpkins! This easy task allows for many expressions of creativity. All you need is real or faux pumpkins of any size, a paintbrush, and paint. Be sure to do this activity over some protective material to avoid transferring paint onto other surfaces. You can choose any colors of paint you desire and create simple solids or fun patterns on your pumpkins. Once you have finished painting, leave your pumpkins to dry for at least a few hours. Then, place your pumpkins around your home or room! These painted pumpkins are a simple way to add fall tones to your space. Paulina Marroquin (12) explains her “love for this activity” after “painting pumpkins with [her] family.” Paulina encourages all Mustangs to try out this craft!

Another straightforward DIY is fall banners. These banners can be created with burlap, felt, or most other fabrics. To create this beautiful display, you will need a fabric of your choice, thin rope, paint or markers, stencils, or premade letters. Begin by cutting your fabric into equally sized triangles that are large enough to have a letter on them. Then paint or paste a letter on each flag you’ve made, spelling out any word or phrase you desire. Some examples include “fall” or “happy fall.” Next, paste the top of your flags to the thin rope. Be sure to space your flags apart evenly on the rope. And finally, attach the two ends of your rope to your wall, door, mantle, or any location you desire for it to be. This project is especially exciting because it allows you to personalize the words you’d like your banner to say!

The last DIY on my list are wooden signs. These wooden signs bring out an immense amount of creativity. You can use this project to add a fall illustration or a festive phrase to your home. To begin, you need a smooth piece of wood in any size or shape. Even scrap wood can be upcycled to create this project. Be sure to check for any rough patches in your wood and sand down any problem areas. Next, you can either paint your wood a color of your choice or leave it with its natural tone. Once satisfied with the base, feel free to create an illustration or spell out a phrase with premade letters or stencils. Mount this sign to a wall or lean it up on any surface in your space!

These three DIY fall decorations are easy, inexpensive, and fun! They can be done alongside family members and friends who are eager to get into the fall spirit. I hope you Mustangs are able to attempt these DIYs or get inspiration from them. Happy fall!