If you have a covered porch or just a stoop in front of your home spruce it up this fall! Need ideas? I put together these 5 fall porch decor must haves that I use every year! If you use these five items you’ll be sure to have an adorable front porch. You can make it dramatic or keep it simple, either way it’ll sure be inviting!
One of my favorite things about my house is my front porch. It was actually the first big renovation we did (see my instagram porch highlight for more). I’ve neglected my porch recently and haven’t decorated it. Its so sad you guys! Look at what it looked like, before I decorated it for fall. I had two dead plants at the bottom of my steps for months!
Every year I look forward to Fall because its the time for my little porch to shine! There’s just something about all the colors and everything coming together that really brings me joy. Let’s get right to it!
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Pumpkins
This one is pretty obvious! One of the 5 fall porch decor must haves are pumpkins of course!! I love to mix a variety of shapes and sizes. I like to get a few that have warts on them (the ones with bumps). They add fun texture but to be honest they gross me out a bit, so I have my partner Luis grab those for me ha!
When I look for different shapes I like to look for ones that are a little flat on top that way I can stack them. You can stack a couple on your front steps or have a nice stack near your front door.
Incorporating different color pumpkins is always fun too! I like to purchase edible ornamental squash. They add fun textures! My favorite are the greenish/blue ones. Using colors that remind me of the fall foliage is my go to!
There are a lot of tips online for your un-carved pumpkins to last.
Here are a few…
- Soak or wipe your pumpkins with bleach. Add 1 teaspoons of bleach in a gallon of water and wipe them down or leave them soaking for an hour to overnight.
- Coat your pumpkin in floor wax. Apply a small amount using a damp cloth.
- Apply a liberal amount of vegetable oil all over your pumpkins and reapply over time as necessary.
These all prevent the growth of mold and will have your pumpkins last through the season.
I usually deal with squirrels eating my pumpkins. One year, I caught one trying to take a mini pumpkin that was sitting on a small desk I had on the porch. I would wake up to a couple on the floor from the squirrels attempting to take a pumpkin away!
I sprayed my pumpkins with polycrylic (in matte or satin finish) to deter the smell and it did make a difference. You can also use vinegar, coat your pumpkins with a thick coat of petroleum jelly, or sprinkle cayenne pepper around or on your pumpkins.
It’s pretty discouraging when you spend so much money on pumpkins to then see them rot or be eaten by critters. If you find that real pumpkins are too much work (tossing them at the end of season is a little heartbreaking) or the weather where you are is too hot or humid for pumpkins, check out these faux pumpkins!! They look so real!!
These are from Wayfair by The Holiday Aisle.
They even have some with bumps on them! I haven’t purchased any just yet, maybe I’ll start buying a couple at a time because they are not cheap but they will last forever and they look so real!! These pumpkins sell out pretty quickly too, some were just restocked!
Mums
Another fall porch decor must have are mums! They are beautiful! They come in different colors and they just brighten up any place. Unfortunately, keeping them alive can be tough. I’m no Mum expert (I’ve killed quite a few) but I’ve done some research and here’s what I’ve learned.
How to make your mums last
Do not purchase mums that are in full bloom. They are only a week or two away from the end of their flowering cycle so they may not last. I would love for my porch to look complete with bright mums and pumpkins but I also love to see my mums bloom and last. The porch decor gets more beautiful with time and it’s worth the wait.
Make sure to water your mums consistently. Always test the soil and make sure it is moist. When watering, don’t directly pour water over the mums, instead get underneath and water the soil. Pouring water over them can cause damage to the blooms. I like to use a watering can with a long spout. You can also put them in self watering containers or have them sit in water and the roots will absorb the water.
Keep your mums away from direct sun. Mums do really well with full sun, however, this speeds up the blooming cycle and they will bloom fast. The speeding up of this process will have your mums in full bloom in no time and ending that full bloom cycle soon, meaning your mums won’t last. My porch gets sunlight very early in the morning then shade for the rest of the day which is perfect for mums.
I like to place my mums in different vases and baskets that I have saved from previous plants or have purchased before. I like to purchase two large mums (for the bottom of my steps) and then fill my stairs with smaller mums.
Along with mums, other fun plants to purchase are cabbages, ferns, and sedums. I purchased these cabbages at Hobby Lobby and they look like the real deal. I’ve had them for two years now. I place some in vases or just stuff them between pumpkins or other plants. It has rained on them and they still look new!
Sedums are perennials which means they come back every year. They bloom mid summer and come in pretty shades. I like the faded pink ones. 
Wreath
Having a wreath is a fun way to spruce up your front door. If I’m adding a lot of pumpkins and plants on my porch I like to add a simple wreath. Nothing too busy. I used the same wreath this year as I did last year. Why change something you paid for when you still love it? I make sure to reuse the things I still like and incorporate new things around them. Here’s my fall door last year. I added these bats close to Halloween. I like how neutral the wreath is.
Here it is this year.
You can hang your wreath using an over the door hook (I used a black one last year). Window suction cup hooks or command hooks (used this year) can also be used to have as an invisible hanger. You can also use a ribbon. Do a fun color or pattern! Simply join the ends of the ribbon and fold them over a little, then using a thumbtack, secure it to the top of the door. I hang my Christmas wreath with a red ribbon using this technique.
Instead of a wreath you can also hang a basket and fill with fall florals. Here are some of my favorites.
1. Hanging woven storage basket 2. Handmade woven hanging basket 3. Jute hanging basket
Antiques
Did you know you can add antiques to spruce up your fall porch decor? Vintage and antiques items don’t just belong indoor. You can place them outside too! It can be anything from a small vase to a side table or chairs. I share more about thrifting and My Top 10 Thrift Store Home Decor Finds. Last year, I placed this antique sewing cabinet and placed pumpkins and plants on it. I love how old and rustic it looks. 
In the past, I’ve also added a small vintage side table that I painted in yellow and placed mini pumpkins in the drawers. For more on how I paint furniture, checkout 4 Things To Consider Before Painting Furniture. Adding antique furniture (or any furniture) makes the porch feel like it’s a big part of the home. It gives you extra living space to be able to enjoy the outdoors. 
This year I decided to leave my vintage Romanian folding chair hanging on the porch wall. It’s a great decor piece and perfect chair storage for extra seating (check out the photo with this years wreath). Other great antiques to add are old galvanized vases, wooden pails, and signs.
Doormat
You can’t decorate a porch or your front steps without having a doormat. Did you think I was going to forget? 😉 It should have been the first thing I mentioned beside pumpkins 😊. Layering doormats makes a big difference! For my fall porch decor, I like to purchase a coir mat with a nice simple print or fun words on it and place a rug with a pattern underneath. I like to use muted fall colors. Since my porch is covered and my rug does not get wet I get any small rug. If you do not have a covered porch make sure to purchase an outdoor rug. This will prevent the rug from getting wet or fade over time from the sun. I purchased both of these rugs at T.J. Maxx for a great price!
Doormat sizes
When purchasing a doormat be sure to take into consideration your front door. Do you have a single door? Double door? Sidelights? You don’t want to get a small rug when you have double doors. A standard size doormat is 18×30” for a single front door and 24×36” for a door with sidelights. For a single door use a standard size door mat (18×30) and add a 2×3’ rug underneath. If you are using a bigger doormat (24×36”) use a 3×5’ rug. I’ve done bigger doormats and rugs before and it looks good but I like the standard size doormat with a 2×3’ rug for my single door the most.
So there you have it. These 5 must haves will set you up for great outdoor fall decor. Whether you have a porch or just a small stoop adding these 5 items will create a fun look and make the outdoor part of your living space!!
Other great items to add to your fall porch decor
Sitting area: If you have the space add some rocking chairs or outdoor patio furniture. Add some cozy blankets and pillows too!
Lanterns: Lanterns are also a fun item to incorporate. I like to reuse my standard black house lanterns that I’ve had for a few years now. I purchased them at Target. You can leave them as is, stack pumpkins in them, add candles, or add string lights for Christmas decor. 
If you are a fan of Halloween make sure to leave room to add some fun Halloween decor! I like to keep mine simple with DIY paper bats or these little skeletons I got last year that sat on pumpkins.
I can’t wait until the mums bloom! This will get better with time! I’ll share an update soon!
Let me know what other items you like to add for Fall. Regardless of what you do, make sure to have fun with it and do what makes you happy!
UPDATE: The mums bloomed wonderfully, thanks to all of the rain we got. I rarely had to water them! What I found most helpful was checking to make sure the soil was moist and watering the soil instead of pouring water on the actual flowers.
Look at this beauty with a little morning frost!
Oh my Gourd! Did your mums bloom?