VALENTINE'S DAY DECOR IDEAS

With just under two weeks until Valentine's Day I wanted to share my ideas for a few easy decor ideas to get your house ready for the holiday! I am not usually too big on Valentine's Day but with two school aged kids in the house, it's hard to not notice all of the crafts and decor that hit the stores mid January. (And when you live in Canada you welcome any chance to brighten up the house during the long dark winter!)

Here are my five ideas to bring a little Valentine's decor into your home!

1 - Add a festive garland to your house, these can be picked up at the dollar store or if you are feeling crafty could easily be something you can make in an afternoon. I love adding garlands to the fireplace mantel, the dining room or kitchen above the window, or even between my kitchen pendants.

2 - Cozy throw blankets are another great way to give your room a boost of colour. I have a growing collection of throw blankets and they can be used year round. With an 8 year old daughter I can easily justify buying a pink heart blanket, but you can also pick a more neutral pop of pink that can be reused for Easter etc. Last July I picked up a pretty pink plaid blanket from IKEA for under $10 that I used as a throw when we were sitting outside in the fall months and as a Christmas tree skirt. A small investment can go a long way with throw blankets!

3 - Sweet treats are a given at Valentine's Day! So use them as part of your decor, put out pretty bowls of conversation hearts and other themed candies. Decorate sugar cookies and display them in a pretty glass cookie jar or cake stand. And don't forget the party plates! Find pretty plates that can be re-used year after year or pick up a package of disposable heart plates from the dollar store. My kids LOVE seasonal plates!

4 - If you have kids you know they spend SO much time picking out Valentines, carefully printing their name and packaging treat bags for their friends. They are equally proud of the Valentine's they bring home so I like to give them a cute way to display their Valentine's when they bring them home! I love this adorable mailbox from Target, if you are like me and miles (okay kilometres, lol) away from Target you can create your own DIY mailbox. I have also used a clothesline with clothespins (ironically purchased from Target during their short stint in Canada!)

5 - I love the idea of switching out throw pillows seasonally. This is something I haven't done yet because I have a son who really likes to constantly re-arrange throw pillows, but a girl can dream! This year I noticed some pillow covers at Homesense for Christmas and I loved the idea. By purchasing different covers and using the same insert it makes storage so much easier!

Happy Valentine's Day!

*For links to the sources visit my Polyvore page.