Thanksgiving is right around the corner, and if you’re planning to host your family and friends, chances are (if you’re like me) you’re already starting to feel a bit stressed about the big day.

But, DON’T!

Here are 5 easy tips to spruce up your Thanksgiving table. All of these ideas are easy, affordable, and can easily be done during your little’s nap time. I was able to do it all with just one outing to Michael’s, but mostly just using items I already had around the house.

Use Items You Already Own

I’m always looking to save a dollar, and using things I already have around the house is a perfect way to do it. I used a cake plate to add dimension to my centerpiece (a lantern from my mantle), lemons from the kitchen to add color, and a wreath that would usually hang on my door went around the cake plate instead.

Personalize the Place Setting

This is really the place where you can get creative and mix and match different items. None of these things scream “thanksgiving” or “harvest” individually, but when put together it all seems to work. The “Thankful for” cards were actually leftover stationary I had sitting around, the colored burlap I found at Michael’s for $8, and the string was upstairs collecting dust with my wrapping paper.

Use Several Colors

My favorite thing about autumn is the changing colors of the leaves on the trees… even if us Texans have to wait ’til the end of November to see them. When thinking about your table this year, get out of the box! Instead of playing it safe by using muted beiges and whites, use the hundreds of shades of oranges, greens, browns, yellows and maroons that we see each year in the beautiful changing leaves.

Make the Kids Table Interactive

It’s the perfect combination: finding something to keep the kids entertained and having fun while guaranteeing an easy clean up. Trace your (or your little ones’) hands on blank paper you probably already have in your craft room. I used long, white easel paper to act as a paper to draw on while it doubled as a place mat. I used orange cups from a craft kid from Michael’s ($8.99) to hold the crayons and used the extras for their real purpose in the place setting. I used the same string from tying the silverware to make the napkins (right, like those will be used) a focal point.

The Secret Weapon… Fresh Flowers

You can never go wrong by using fresh flowers to spruce up any room in the house. These are orange gerber daisies in a clear vase. The popcorn just adds a fun, fall, colorful flare!

Hopefully this helps to inspire you to come up with your families’ perfect Thanksgiving table. But let’s be honest, the best part about Thanksgiving aren’t the decorations on the table… it is the people sitting around it. So enjoy your family, good food, and the memories you are creating! Here at AMB we are so thankful for YOU!